Taranaki Summit Climb

So, there's this small hill in my backyard, called Mount Taranaki.  Its peak measures in at 2518meters (8261ft).   It's an active (but quiescent) volcano, with last volcanic actvity in the 1850s.   And ever since I set eyes on it 5 months ago, I've been chomping at the bit to climb to the top!!

Back in August, the bad boy looked like this,

Plenty of snow at the top.  Just last month, it looked like this:

Then with all the rain and warm weather since Christmas, just about all the visible snow at the top has disappeared, thus it was time to finally attempt the summit climb!

Amanda and Lincoln were my tramping buds for the day.  The weather forecast was "Fine, with increasing clouds."  Unfortunately, the (@#*ing weatherman was wrong, because the day started with clouds, and lots of them!

We started the climb, and first reached the Tahurangi Lodge, the Taranaki Alpine Club's private hut (the red thing on the left)

Lincoln and Amanda tramping through the slightly rocky uphill path...

As we ascended, the Lodge and Tower got smaller (see them on the right?) and smaller....

The clouds broke for a bit and we could see out to New Plymouth and the Tasman Sea!   The little tiny bumps are the Sugarloaf Islands, where Brea and I were kayaking just 10 days ago!

Tower and Lodge VERY very tiny now (in the middle)...

The Lodge/Tower are barely visible in the pic below.  Wow, we're high!  But still more to climb...

There was a good deal of minor rock climbing.  We just had to walk around these bad boys, but I thought the colors in them were just stunning!

5 hours later, we were at the top!  Luckily the clouds parted for a bit so we could take it some views of the Taranaki region.

 That white patch was a little crater of snow that, no matter how warm, never melts.  We walked through it on the way up, and down.   I wanted to do a snow angel, but didn't feel like getting wet/cold, so I settled on a snowball :)

 Another great view from the top!  8261 feet, baby!

We did it!

Here's a closeup of the snowy patch we had to cross.

Look what were hanging out on all the rocks!   Dozens and dozens of ladybugs!  Who knew they liked (or could even survive in!)  snowy mountain craters at 8000 feet?

The volcanic rocks are all such varied colors! 

Speaking of rocks, the descent involved the lovely technique of "scrambling", which involves kicking your heels into the soft scree (gravel) and just surfing straight down.   Some find this fun, I find it extremely difficult and scary....

 Especially when the mountain descends at about a 45 degree angle!   Here is Amanda demonstrating what often happens after scrambling---- your feet come out from underneath you and you land on your bottom :)

I think I spent just as much time sliding down the mountain on my butt as on my feet!  I blame it on my higher center of gravity being a tall chick.  :)

After finishing my unfavorite pasttime of scrambling, Mount Taranaki showed us its nasty bag of tricks, and that "Fine/increasing cloud" rubbish forecast turned into a nice wet, soaking rain.

Here were are, approx 2 hrs from the finish.  Thank goodness we were well prepared with raingear and layers.... and on our way down instead of the way up!

Just under 9 hrs and we made it back to where we started!  Mount Taranaki Summit Climb complete!  6 sore quads and a few loads of soaking wet laundry.... boy were we ready for a warm drink and dry clothes!

Thanks Amanda and Lincoln for an awesome (and challenging and wet) day on the Mountain!


Cheers from your favorite tramper doctor!