Mount Ruapehu, 11 - 12 August 2018

When a flight to Wellington purchased in June came to coincide with a perfect weather forecast, I made no excuses and resolved to make the most of it. The plan was simple: leave my house in Dunedin in the morning, photograph the sunset on the summit of Mount Ruapehu. A one hour delay at Dunedin airport and a huge traffic jam at Whakapapa Skifield (is this New Zealand?!!!) did not help, but I was not going to give up easily. 'Restful Ridge' was a pleasant walk on snow shoes, and the sunset from the crater rim was gorgeous.

From a campsite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau right under Glacier Knob, highlights the next morning included the Central Gully of Tukino Peak, the summit of Te Heuheu and a visit to the beautiful Crater Lake. 'The Gut' provided a quick, direct descent route from camp to the top of the chairlift and back to Whakapapa Village.

Trip map. 1 grid square = 1km. Left click on map then select "Sizes -> Original" in bottom right corner of screen to view full size.
View of Mount Ruapehu from the South (SH49).
Mount Ruapehu 002 Girdlestone Peak Mangaehuehu Glacier Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Ringatoto Peak Skyline Ridge Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Turoa Skifield volcano
View of Mount Ruapehu from the South (SH49).
Mount Ruapehu 003a Girdlestone Peak Mangaehuehu Glacier Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Ringatoto Peak Skyline Ridge Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Turoa Skifield volcano
View of Pinnacle Ridge from 'Restful Ridge', Mount Ruapehu.
Mount Ruapehu 005 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Pinnacle Ridge Pinnacles Restful Ridge Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
The north ridge of Paretetaitonga above Whakapapa Skifield.
Mount Ruapehu 012 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Restful Ridge Tongariro Tongariro National Park Whakapapa Whakapapa Skifield volcano
Ice sastrugi on Mount Ruapehu.
Mount Ruapehu 016 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Tongariro Tongariro National Park ice sastrugi sastrugi volcano
Summit Plateau and Cathedral Rocks.
Mount Ruapehu 018 Cathedral Rocks Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau. Tukino Peak on left, Cathedral Rocks on right.
Mount Ruapehu 019 Cathedral Rocks Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Glacier Knob and Tukino Peak, Mount Ruapehu.
Mount Ruapehu 020 Glacier Knob Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Sunset on Mount Ruapehu's crater rim. Taranaki is back left.
Mount Ruapehu 023 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Sunset Taranaki Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Glacier Knob and Tukino Peak, Mount Ruapehu.
Mount Ruapehu 028 Glacier Knob Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau at dusk. From left to right are Glacier Knob, Tukino Peak and Cathedral Rocks.
Mount Ruapehu 037a Cathedral Rocks Glacier Knob Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Summit Plateau and Cathedral Rocks at dusk.
Mount Ruapehu 039 Cathedral Rocks Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Taranaki at dusk from camp on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau.
Mount Ruapehu 043 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Taranaki Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Summit Plateau and Cathedral Rocks.
Mount Ruapehu 046 Cathedral Rocks Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Summit Plateau and Tukino Peak.
Mount Ruapehu 048 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Camspite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau, right under Tukino Peak.
Mount Ruapehu 055 Astrophotography Hilleberg Milky Way Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak camp campsite night sky stars tent volcano
Summit Plateau and Paretetaitonga in the first light of dawn.
Mount Ruapehu 059 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Summit Plateau and Tahurangi at dawn.
Mount Ruapehu 064 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Campsite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau. Tahurangi and Paretetaitonga are in the background; Glacier Dome at centre image.
Mount Ruapehu 067 Glacier Dome Hilleberg Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park camp campsite tent volcano
Campsite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau. Tahurangi and Paretetaitonga are in the background; Glacier Dome at centre image.
Mount Ruapehu 075 Glacier Dome Hilleberg Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park camp campsite tent volcano
Summit Plateau and Paretetaitonga at dawn.
Mount Ruapehu 077 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Summit Plateau and Tahurangi at dawn.
Mount Ruapehu 080 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Campsite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau. Cathedral Rocks and Tahurangi in the background.
Mount Ruapehu 081 Cathedral Rocks Hilleberg Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park camp camping tent volcano
Summit Plateau and Tahurangi at dawn.
Mount Ruapehu 083 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Campsite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau. Tahurangi and Paretetaitonga are in the background; Glacier Dome at centre image.
Mount Ruapehu 087 Glacier Dome Hilleberg Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park camp campsite tent volcano
Campsite on Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau, under Paretetaitonga and Glacier Knob. Spot Taranaki at centre image.
Mount Ruapehu 088 Glacier Knob Hilleberg Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Taranaki Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tramping camp campsite tent volcano
Tukino Peak and Te Heuheu above Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau.
Mount Ruapehu 091 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Te Heuheu Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Tukino Peak and Te Heuheu above Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau.
Mount Ruapehu 094 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Te Heuheu Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Summit Plateau and Cathedral Rocks at dusk.
Mount Ruapehu 100 Cathedral Rocks Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Climbing the Central Gully on the south face of Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 102 Central Gully Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak rime ice volcano
Climbing the Central Gully on the south face of Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 103 Central Gully Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak rime ice volcano
Climbing the Central Gully on the south face of Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 107 Central Gully Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak rime ice volcano
View of Taranaki from the Central Gully on the south face of Tukino Peak.
Mount Ruapehu 109 Central Gully Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Taranaki Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak rime ice volcano
Climbing the Central Gully on the south face of Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 111 Central Gully Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak rime ice volcano
The exit of the Central Gully on the south face of Tukino Peak. Paretetaitonga in the background.
Mount Ruapehu 113 Central Gully Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Tahurangi from the summit of Tukino Peak.
Mount Ruapehu 114 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Tahurangi, Paretetaitonga and Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau from the summit of Tukino Peak.
Mount Ruapehu 115 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Te Heuheu from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 116 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Te Heuheu Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Ngauruhoe from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 118 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Ngauruhoe Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Ngauruhoe from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 119 HDR Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Ngauruhoe Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau and Paretetaitonga from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 131 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park volcano
Te Heuheu from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 138 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Te Heuheu Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Taranaki from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 140 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Taranaki Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Looking down onto Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau from Tukino Peak. Girdlestone Peak and Tahurangi are in the background.
Mount Ruapehu 142 Girdlestone Peak Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Looking down onto Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau from Tukino Peak. Girdlestone Peak and Tahurangi are in the background.
Mount Ruapehu 143 Girdlestone Peak Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Looking down onto Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau from Tukino Peak. Girdlestone Peak and Tahurangi are in the background.
Mount Ruapehu 145 Girdlestone Peak Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Summit Plateau Tahurangi Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano
Mount Ruapehu's Summit Plateau and Paretetaitonga from Tukino Peak
Mount Ruapehu 147 Mount Ruapehu New Zealand Paretetaitonga Summit Plateau Tongariro Tongariro National Park Tukino Peak volcano

Southern Alps Photography

Mount Ruapehu, 11 - 12 August 2018

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