Mt Ruapehu

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Mt Ruapehu

Postby paul8 » Tue 20 Feb, 2018 6:47 pm

I would like to walk from Dome to Tahurangi (or vice versa) ... in summer. (See the 2 red circles in the attached map)
Has anyone done it?
Just like to know how do you do it.
Can one simply walk along the top of the crater rim from one peak to the other peak ?
0 map, Mt Ruapehu, Dome & Tahurangi 1.jpg
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby eggs » Tue 20 Feb, 2018 8:25 pm

Have only been to the Dome.
This is a photo which might give some idea. The ice bowl would be quite steep and dangerous, and you can see the ridgeline is quite broken.
We found the rock to be crumbly in places, so I suspect extreme care is warranted.
RaupehuCraterLakeSm.jpg
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby tomh » Sat 24 Feb, 2018 11:03 am

Only been as close as the top of the chair-lift, but
http://www.lukefoster.com/2012/to-the-top-of-mount-ruapehu/
should give you an idea on what to expect and backs up comment from eggs
and by the looks of it the answer to your last question is no.
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Sun 25 Feb, 2018 4:21 am

make sure you use a decent topo map, have a map and compass and know how to use them. if you loose visibility they will be vital. GPS highly adviseable because of numerous cliffs around. the route up to the dome isnt marked,

http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz49 ... u-Wanganui

there can be snow and ice well into summer, requireing ice ax
and crampons and you have to know how to use them properly,

http://climbnz.org.nz/nz/ni/tongariro/m ... /tahurangi


Summit Col Route

Climb the slopes right (west) of the Crater Face, to reach the col immediately west of Tahurangi. Although this is a popular route to the summit, these slopes become very slushy and unstable in sunny conditions: avalanche-prone and not at all pleasant. There are much better alternatives.
From the col, the easiest route heads out across southwest slopes to the south ridge, then back to the summit, although climbing the top of the West Ridge is better.



https://www.summitpost.org/mount-ruapehu/153697

Crater traverse / Tahurangi (2797 m) - ONLY IF NO VOLCANIC HAZARD WARNINGS! Continue past the Dome Shelter and skirt round the west side of the lake (be careful re. hidden crevasses) before heading up to the Summit Col between Te Ataahu and Tahurangi (north facing, snow may be very soft). Then depending on the season judge the best way of heading up to the summit by either heading straight up the West Ridge (steep with or without ice, NZ alpine grade 1+ or 2, class 4-5 scrambling ?, useful photo here) or heading SE and across to Skyline Ridge and up on to it where possible. Looks to be roughly 2 km to cover from the Dome to the summit, and 2 km back again. Ease of this will vary with the time of year as it can be cliff like at points but is generally rated as NZ alpine grade 1, i.e. you probably don't need a rope in winter unless there's a glacier/crevasse risk which there may be, see above but again may be a steep scramble if there's no snow.


the photos are in reverse order starting from the top and them looking back down towards the route up from dome,
this is in December, not my trip, but it was feezing, icy conditions with a strong wind... one of the members only had half instep crampons which arent suitable for taking on a decent slop on hard snow or ice, and it slowed them down massively, you need full crampons in these conditions.

https://axeoneverest.com/2014/01/18/fav ... peak-2013/

the photo attached , from dome, the summit is in the middle, 2757 is on the right, . taken in March, in a strong freezing southerly wind...
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby paul8 » Sun 25 Feb, 2018 11:21 am

Thanks guys for your information.
Looks difficult.
I'll have a good think about it before attempting this adventure in summer !
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Sun 25 Feb, 2018 1:20 pm

also can be avalanche prone in certain conditions
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby Aardvark » Mon 09 Apr, 2018 8:48 pm

It's not difficult. I hope you have done it or still plan to. Like you, when it was unknown to me, i was full of doubt. I've been up there numerous times now, and from many directions. It would be easier to go from Turoa straight to Tahurangi. If you're going from the Dome, it might be necessary to ascend Paretetaitonga some way in order to make it to the rim above the Mangaturuturu glacier. From there the route follows the ridgeline or crater rim.
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Tue 10 Apr, 2018 3:31 am

it can be rock hard ice, even in summer and it can kill you if you fall and can't self arrest,
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby Aardvark » Tue 10 Apr, 2018 8:01 pm

The ice IS hard. That's why you carry the tools. Having sound knowledge of their use and enough practice to have the confidence, is the greater percentage requirement.
This is another late summer shot. https://flic.kr/p/5kRXVn
It can vary alot. We went straight across on this occasion.
If you're worried about crossing that ice when it's all bony , ascending Paretetaitonga may avoid the majority of that ice. You'll have some ice descending toward the Dome. We descended straight off the west of Paretetaitonga and there was virtually no snow or ice. Too windy and in the prevailing weather for that to stay all summer. It provides a good way to the rim above the Mangaturuturu.. https://flic.kr/p/4c1Ah7 https://flic.kr/p/4c1ACq
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Wed 11 Apr, 2018 3:54 am

Aardvark wrote:It's not difficult. I hope you have done it or still plan to. Like you, when it was unknown to me, i was full of doubt. I've been up there numerous times now, and from many directions. It would be easier to go from Turoa straight to Tahurangi. If you're going from the Dome, it might be necessary to ascend Paretetaitonga some way in order to make it to the rim above the Mangaturuturu glacier. From there the route follows the ridgeline or crater rim.


you're talking to bushwalkers
saying an alpine climb is not difficult to bushwalkers , is iresponsible... when you dont provide all the details about the experienced and equipment you may need, this has and still does get people killed every year in NZ, not to mention countles injuries and rescues, i could flood this site with those stories that happen in NZ
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby Aardvark » Wed 11 Apr, 2018 6:57 pm

[quote]you're talking to bushwalkers[quote]
I'm sure they are more than just bushwalkers.
It happens to also be irresponsible to treat everybody as though they are the common denominator and deny them any encouragement. People need to upskill as i'm sure you would agree.
The original question posed made no mention of the persons experience or skill. With limited information, it is ridiculous to make assumptions along the lines that the person may be stupid and ignorant. That they will run off on my advice only and subsequently ignore park warnings etc that crampons are necessary for an ascent. If anything, they are likely to investigate further and maybe organise some crampons and increase their skill level.
Well it's a lottery as to what the conditions might be like when you get there. Each person has to judge the route as they find it and determine for themselves if they possess the nerve to test any skills.
You know you can push too hard in one direction with the pendulum of liability.
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Wed 11 Apr, 2018 7:07 pm

saying "It's not difficult" is a gross misrepresentation on a mountain like that until you know who you are talking to, and certainly many on here wont have the skill set to cope with ruapehu for most of the year because of the snow , ice and weather conditions..
its nothing to do with stupidity or ignorance its doing something that you have approximate experience in, there is nothing in australia that comes close to comparing with the top of ruapehu because ruapehu in summer can be like kosciusko in winter, its steeper though and you better know what you're doing if you come across hard snow or ice up there , its not a place to learn as you go and contemplate when you dont have the skills, the temptation is to take shortcuts and go regardless... even experienced people get into trouble and can die if they dont evaluate the situation properly.
its just under 2800m and anything can happen any time of year.
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Thu 12 Apr, 2018 3:02 am

the reality is a lot of people even on a forum like this don't understand the risks and what the conditions can be like.
what can be easy one minute can be a nightmare the next,
weather can change frequently and significantly and regularly, visibility drops from perfiect to a white out rapidly. i've had water on my clothes, flash freeze to ice and despite full storm gear i couldn't get off the mountain quick enough to avoid hypothermia...
i know experienced people who have died from hypothermia at low altitude in NZ, let alone high altitude....
the wind can go from nothing to over 100k before you can get off the mountain, the high humidity compounds the wind chill significantly, forget about what the temperature says, it usually feels a lot lot colder when the wind gets up, especially if you're not aclimatised to it
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Re: Mt Ruapehu

Postby wayno » Thu 12 Apr, 2018 3:13 am

we've had a massive snow dump that we'd normally get in mid winter come early after the hottest summer on record... shuttle drivers for the tongariro crossing are refusing to run, guided companies are refusing to take clients over the tongariro crossing which is 1000m lower than ruapehu in the present conditions.
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