Tongariro Crossing, Geology, Landforms and Winter Snow

A winter hike from Mangatepopo up the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, taking a look at some of the volcanic geological features along the way and having an epic scramble in the wind at Red Crater.
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[@eoinoneill9600]

Thanks for the tour, adding to my bucket list when I visit New Zealand!

[@OutThereLearning]

Great!

[@elizabethfairlie8296]

I've done the Tongariro crossing many times. It's a wonderful and fascinating tramp. Used to be a great trampers hut in the Maungatapopo Valley.

[@musicman53]

Around twelve years ago earlier in the year when I was "somewhat fitter" a bunch of us left Wellington at 4.30am, summited Ngauruhoe, then out to the Turangi hot pools for a soak, then back home to Wellington. It was an epic day with epic views during the climb and standing on the summit. At the highest point there was a pretty big bloke on an emotional phone call to his mate somewhere telling him how amazing he felt after climbing up there. Your video has brought back great memories, and is a wickedly good advert for NZ!!

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your comment. Happy that it triggered a great memory

[@KiwiShellNZ1]

Thanks so much for sharing this for those of us that would not be able to do it 😊

[@OutThereLearning]

Cheers!!

[@rodneyblundell2312]

Amazing what you can see when you know what you’re looking at. Thanks

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your comment

[@julescaru8591]

What wonderful country! Thanks for a field trip I’ll never visit in person, ( lol old and broken) , bit of a nerd so enjoyed the history in the ground! All the best Jules 👍

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your comment!

[@michaelwoodhams7866]

OK, I've paused the video at 13 minutes to make my attempt at explaining where those levees come from. Inspired by lots of video of the Iceland volcanoes, I think there was a river of lava which built its own banks (now the levees). Sometimes it would overflow a bit on the sides, but those overflows would quickly solidify, building the levees. When the input of lava ceased, the middle of the lava river was still liquid, so it flowed away downstream to leave the empty 'riverbed' between the levees that we see now.

[@OutThereLearning]

Sounds like a perfect explanation!

[@EnKrYpTa]

Yeah the edges of flow cooled faster 👍

[@waterbourne9282]

Agreed, the flow has formed a sluice.

[@waterbourne9282]

Really appreciated the video and explanatory tour showing the geological features and the off track bonus. We walked it Easter '22 and it really was an awe inspiring walk.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your comment!

[@michellehansen3022]

Awesome! Thank you. These days I can’t walk places like where you were so am extra appreciative that you did it for me & told me what I needed to know about it too. Next best thing to being there.. I look forward to seeing where u go next.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you for your appreciation!

[@jonogerm]

Thanks Julian from your first private Presentation of your trip to the Antartic to this one you inspire me. I re-presented your experience several times to friends and family in Germany! Thanks so much and keep it coming!

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you, can you remind me when/where that first presentation was?

[@theunknownunknowns5168]

Hauhungatahi in many of your wide shots, probably could have a separate video.😊

[@barneymaurirere9592]

PURE AWESOME. NZ STYLE .

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks 🙂

[@rexharrison6827]

Wonderful video and narration. Thanks for sharing. Don't think I'm up to walking the track these days, alas, so it's videos like this that make a great substitute. I was in Raetihi in 1974 and travelled down via National Park on what was probably SHW4, so got a rather spectacular view of Ngauruhoe going off. I would liked to have stopped, but since I was hitch-hiking and had got a lift from a guy who was hell-bent on reaching Wellington as fast as possible, that was out of the question! Camped in Raetihi and although I couldn't see the mountain from there, I could see the plume high in the sky behind Ruapehu.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for sharing your great memory

[@ianh2674]

Thanks for sharing, this relived my hike over the three peaks 40 yrs ago at high school, stunning scenery.

[@OutThereLearning]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@googlymannz]

Great video, thanks for the tour and the excellent knowledge about the region, absolutely wonderful!

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your appreciation!

[@complimentary_voucher]

Thanks for another awesome video, the explanations of the features were great. I think the lava walls on each side are influenced by the edges being cooler and blobbing up/stiffening more quickly than the middle of the flows, which stay runny and more mobile in their insulated course. Sort of like the bottom half of a lava tube situation.

[@ENZEEVIDS]

another interesting video. i always wondered about some features up there and now i understand them .

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your appreciation!

[@fionanorth1811]

I love your careful descriptions and commentary, bravo.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you :-)

[@A.S.R.68]

Absolutely stunning! 👍

[@OutThereLearning]

Cheers!

[@chrisj8764]

Great day - and most interesting.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks!

[@mozismobile]

Wow, they've done a lot of work to improve that track since I was there. I guess that valley is either generic loose material and the water picked a path, or a collapsed lava tunnel. The latter would be more exciting :)

[@sanchop8963]

Thanks! I really appreciate videos that give easy to follow interpretations of the geology of an area. Very helpful for interested laymen hikers like myself.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you, that's great

[@asher692]

Another beautiful video thanks for continuing great content

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you

[@skog44]

Hello, and thank you for taking that winter trek to show us Tongariro in winter, brrrr! Without looking at other comments, I would imagine that levees were formed by lava cooling more quickly at the edges of the flow than in the center. There would be more drag on the sides, the lava will be shallower and I guess the surface area to volume ratio will play a role in the cooling. Great material. Having worked on the Auckland to Warkworth motorway, I am totally confused about the geology along that route. Lots of mudstone and even more red sticky clay. I was wondering you could maybe make a video about that fascinating stretch of motorway? Thanks again for the wonderful content.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your comment, explanation and suggestion.

[@chrissscottt]

Thanks for the info. It's been a few years since I crossed Tongariro in summer. Think I might go again in winter.

[@OutThereLearning]

Highly recommended on a clear day!

[@jackieking1522]

We too found no footprints on a lovely morning at the hut. By the time we got to your 12.27 we found out why there was no-one else. We could hardly stand up straight, my hairy legs a jangly mass of icicles. Fortunately I had been before and knew that while we could cross the South Crater, the real exposure would be on the wall up to the Red Crater, so we pulled the plug and had a lovely stroll back down the valley.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[@davepannekoek1562]

That was superb. Done the Crossing once end to end, and three time to Tongariro peak in/out through Mangatepopo. Never knew about the North crater! If the knees co-operate that could be a walk for next summer. First time to top of Tongariro was in very early spring with the Outdoor Pursuits Centre as a schoolboy. We had great fun coming down using the ice axe to arrest and control am on your bum human toboggin ride : ) Really enjoy these videos...

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your appreciation and relating your experiences!

[@AllanAlach]

Would have loved to have had you as a guide when I did that walk!

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks!

[@gaius_enceladus]

Great video! I've done this track a couple of times. It's a really enjoyable walk, especially on a nice day. Wonderful scenery all along the track. I still remember Ngauruhoe's last eruptions in 1974-75. Amazing that it's been quiet since then. A beautiful mountain. Quite looking forward to its next eruption!

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks, you seem to appreciate the area s much as I do!

[@Chris-NZ]

Super interesting 😀

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you

[@jimijams91]

love your videos mate, always a good watch

[@OutThereLearning]

Thank you. Much appreciated

[@killakoala10]

Great video and very informative. Thank you for your effort in making the journey so I don't have to now ;)

[@chrisj8764]

It's not the same you know!

[@SeaSide420]

Awesome

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks

[@user-io1ko5ml5b]

Great vid

[@jackieking1522]

Finally watched to the end..... wow...great walk indeed.... perhaps 10 times I've done that walk and never had the time to explore off the main track... feel very jealous .... and never in such snow, though I did get a snow flight over the tops once ( radio kiwi hunting ) and that was nearly as awesome as your trip.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for your comment. Glad you enjoyed the video

[@rabidbigdog]

Jacinda didn't return my calls, but you *MOST DEFINITELY* need to be on Tourism NZ's Board!!

[@OutThereLearning]

Haha, thanks!

[@kevinsylviahackwellruarus3678]

Agree with your point about going off the main track to enjoy North Crater. It is really worth the short detour.

[@OutThereLearning]

Cheers!

[@horrible1083]

Scouring, can see these balleys dorming in the le palma footage. Loves rhis bideo

[@OutThereLearning]

Cheers!

[@anthonyjackson3907]

Ha , big fingers or small keyboard

[@fabmanly1070]

Fantastic

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks

[@rabidbigdog]

12:10 cameras never do this justice - how far 'up' does the peak look?

[@DeadFingersMacIE]

I always enjoy your videos. Thank you so much for your time and effort in making them, greetings from across the ditch. Unfortunately the only aussie geology stuff I've found is by the mining & minerals dept about the geology of gold deposits, interesting but nowhere up to your stunning work.

[@OutThereLearning]

Thanks for the compliment!

[@jackieking1522]

Pukekaikiore ..... at the base of which, one midwinter, we found ( with radio transmitter help) the body of a 2 year old Kiwi, killed by a single bite to the back of its neck. Sad to think that humans will likely be extinct along with the Kiwis while the mustelids and rats circle forever onwards. Till the next giant eruption?

[@aorakimtcookone]

I heard years ago that South Crater is not a crater at all. Could you help on that point please.

[@OutThereLearning]

That is correct, it is a bowl eroded by ice, although there is a small crater within it, near the slopes of Ngauruhoe. 'Central crater' is also not a true crater.

[@terry9223]

can you say what time of year this was, even dates as I am going up to do the northern circuit but want snow on it so keen to know the dates. thanks

[@OutThereLearning]

I think it was mid July

[@terry9223]

@@OutThereLearning thanks much appreciated. seems best time. August video less snow.

[@tristanpatterson3843]

My absolute favourite part of the country in winter. Thanks for this.

[@OutThereLearning]

Cheers, I agree

[@alexanderdonaldson5050]

assume