Ohakune, Tongariro Alpine Crossing, and Mountain Biking Fisher’s Trail

From Lake Taupo, we drove down to Ohakune, which is actually a ski destination on the north island in the winter. It was such a cute town, and offered a lot of activities within the area. We stayed here: http://www.bachcare.co.nz/holiday-homes-accommodation/mt-ruapehu/ohakune/alta-house/808, which turned out to be a great house that was also economical. The kids were happy because they each had their own room, there was Internet, and a washer AND a dryer. Plus, it was quite a modern house, which we enjoyed.

We knew we wanted to do the Tongariro Alpine Crossing while we were in this area, as this hike is rated in the top 10 day hikes in the WORLD! How could we not hike this? It was estimated to be about 6-8 hours, but we were ready. It is a one-way hike, so we prearranged transport and drove our car to the finish and then we took a bus to the start. This way, when we finished the hike, we could hop (or stagger!) into our car and head back. The hike turned out to be amazing! It started with a walk through what looked like the surface of Mars, and then we had an uphill battle. After that, we came to the Red Crater Summit, and it was so windy up there! Next, we had to slide down the hill digging our heels into the gravel as we went. So many people fell during this part. The views were breathtaking–crystal blue and turquoise glacier lakes, beautiful mountains, etc. Then we were walking switchback upon switchback, and downhill, back uphill, and it went on and on. It was a little over 12 miles up and down and overall, with a break for lunch and some stops to enjoy the views, it took us 7 hours. The kids did great, and much of the second half, they spent walking ahead of us on their own, enjoying a bit of time to think. Here are some of our pictures:

The Mountain

The Start of the Hike

What have we gotten ourselves into?

Along the Way, Looking Like the Surface of Mars!

Closer to the Summit–So Much Colder up There

Dan and Ariana

So Many Different Layers to Wear on This Hike

Red Crater

Ariana Working Her Way Down the Slippery Slope

Ryan Too!

The Glacial Lakes

A bit warmer now!

Isn’t that the most beautiful blue?

Red Crater From a Distance (The Third Part of the Hike)

Our Kids Further In the Hike–up ahead of us by a switchback.

The Back side of the Hike

That Path is Where We Just Walked From on the Last Part of the Hike. We were all just like ants on a trail!

The end of this hike was so different from the beginning!

We were very sore the next day, so we relaxed and actually toured some wooden yurts that were being built down the street from where we were staying. Still a bit sore two days later, we decided to go mountain biking. We purchased half-off mountain biking on Bookme and ended up doing Fisher’s Trail which was rated to be an easy ride. Yeah, right. It was essentially down a mountain, with deep wet mud grooves and areas where, if you mess up, you’re riding yourself off of a small cliff. Joy! It was still a beautiful ride especially if you’re a bit sadistic. Okay, actually, Dan LOVED it. Ariana came in second, followed by me, and finally Ryan, who isn’t the biggest fan of bike riding to begin with. Anyway, it was a beautiful day when we left National Park and headed out. There were moments that were difficult, and many moments where we had to stop and walk through mud divots. We survived and were sore yet another day! 😉 The owner of the bikes did check on us when we were only about 6 km from the finish, but we opted not to load our bikes in his truck. Instead, we needed to finish our 27 km ride! And we did…

Mountain Biking Fisher’s Trail