Tongariro

After giving the subaru back to Helen's colleague, we resorted to taking Bongo on his first long distance journey since arriving in Wellington in April. Loading him up and setting off from Wellington on Friday evening felt very much like we were back on holiday and travelling again.

He wasn't quite as well equiped as our big tour of NZ and we resorted to thermarests and sleeping bags rather than put our mattress back in.

Whakapapa skifield carpark with Pinnacle Ridge behind. No snow left!

It was a short 15 minute walk to the crag at Whakapapa gorge, but hidden over a hill and facing NE, it felt nice and secluded and we were soon warming up on one of the lovely long 17s.

Topping out high above Whakapapanui Stream.

Tim on Moko [22] 'the best natural line of its grade on the North Island'. It was lovely up until half height when the gear, holds and line dissappeared and the lichen was abundant, making it a bit necky to reach the top.

Whakapapanui Stream and the Ngauruhoe in the distance.

Helen starting off up the 'NZ Classic Rock Tick' Trenchtown [10].

Whakapapa Gorge crag, The Pinnacles and the ski field and summits behind.

Tim setting off up 'Tango Tragedy' [22] aiming for the overhanging chimney through the roofs above.

Resting at the top of the chimney.

In it's 30m length it probably overhung about 5m!

View from our campsite at sunset.

The next day we headed to the Mangatepopo car park and joined the tourists in the first section of the 'Tongariro Alpine Crossing'. It's just under a year since we did this as part of the 3 day 'Northern Circuit' and the weather was equally as fine. Departing on the 19km walk, we saw some fine examples of bimblyness that typifies this famous day walk - jeans, leather jackets, trainers, shoulder bags, water bottles in hand...

Heading up Mangatepopo Valley over the lava flows and cushion plants with Taranaki in the distance.

Helen setting off up another 'NZ Classic Rock Tick', Bomb Arete [16] on Bombay Cliff.

Looking down on the second pitch high above the valley floor. From here it was a pleasant scramble to the top of the crag and a descent scramble down a gully.

We next headed to the Tuwharetoa Cliffs a little further back down the valley.

Helen starting up the inappropriately named 'Death Wall' [13].

Tim finishing the classic 'Parc Lane' [18] crack.

The Tuwharetoa Cliffs. "Death Wall' and 'Parc Lane' link up to climb the lighter coloured buttress in the centre of the crag.

Looking back towards the Mangatepopo cliffs and Ngauruhoe behind.

The distinctive outline of 'Bomb Arete' is directly under the summit of the volcano.