Blue Lake and Emerald Lakes – Tongariro Crossing

The wife and I have been meaning to do the Tongariro Crossing again for a few years now. We awoke Monday 28th of December and were happy to see the forecast for Tuesday would be prefect weather, and by 7:30am we were booked.

The first time I completed the Crossing I was a little disappointed with my photographs. My thoughts are that it is very hard to capture the scale and majesty of the place because the tones are very similar throughout. So I took a few panoramas only and instead, enjoyed the walk.

If you look to the right of the pano above you with see Karin sliding down the hill toward the Emerald Lake, and below once she got there, eating her lunch. It is a very loose gravel so you dig in your heels and slide.

Karin having lunch

The Blue Lake is the most impressive of the Lakes.

Blue Lake panorama

And once you climb out of the crater, (Crater you can see in Blue Lake Pano above) the vista changes markedly. Vista looking toward Lake Rotoaira.

Lake Rotoaira

Monday night we went up Ruapehu to see if there was a sunset, but it was such a clear day that there really wasn’t one. Had a pretty cool view of Mt Ngauruhoe though.

Mt Ngauruhoe

On the way home I stopped to get some long exposure river shots. Amazingly in the one below a very athletic guy walked into my shot and jumped the rapids midway up on the left of shot, unbelievably brave.

Mahuia Rapids

Just back towards National Park I managed to get a view up the river toward the Mt Ruapehu. The trees have grown significantly since I was here last, and now block most of the mountain now.

Mt Ruapehu

And under the bridge.

Vertical 3 pic pano

It was a nice 3 day jaunt, and I hope you like the pics. Happy New year everyone.