As every traveller knows, it’s easy to get carried away by new surroundings. This happened to me, big time, in New Zealand. My partner and I, both of us only the merest bit fit, decided to climb two mountains. One of them happened to be Mount Doom. Okay, it’s not really called Mount Doom, but it played the role in The Lord of the Rings. Its real name is Ngauruhoe. I think that’s pronounced something like Narrah-HO-ee, but don’t count on it. The other mountain is Ruapehu. 
Lots of Kiwis go up these particular peaks in the summertime, but most of them are probably fitter than we were.
Photo by andrewcparnell
Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu are two of the three mountains in Tongariro National Park, in the centre of the North Island. Ruapehu is the location of the main North Island ski fields, and it’s still partly snow-covered during the summer. It’s not a mountain to tackle without forethought and a degree of fitness, and it has its scary moments, but the summit climb is very rewarding. There’s a big, volcanic lake and the views are unbelievable.
Climbing Ngauruhoe, on the other hand, is a nightmare. Well, that’s my opinion. Unless you are pretty fit, have a good head for heights and don’t mind scrambling on your hands and knees over a very unstable, almost vertical surface, don’t go there. Be content to admire it from afar. It’s beautiful from a distance; close up, it’s very unbeautiful. I did have misgivings when I saw it, but I was obsessed: I wanted to be able to say I’d scaled Mount Doom.
If you’re thinking of doing the same, here’s roughly how it goes. After walking some considerable distance to reach it (I’m talking kilometres, not metres) and climbing up on to a plateau, your real journey begins. There’s the semblance of a track at the foot of the mountain, but this soon vanishes as you clamber relentlessly up, up, up. And, as the track disappears, so does your ability to stand. It’s too steep and the surface is too unstable. Everything moves. There’s nothing to hold on to. Each step starts a mini-landslide. Rocks (dislodged by climbers ahead) bounce down and narrowly miss you. The gradient is truly terrifying. You resort to your hands and knees and begin to crawl.
That’s how it was for us, anyway. At one point, I froze and burst into panic-stricken sobs. Somehow, my partner re-mobilised me and we continued to inch our way upwards. He was looking pretty grim too, though. I suspect he’d have been sobbing as well, had he not been male. When we finally crawled on to the summit, I was far too shattered to enjoy our conquest in any way. Even the fact that I was staring into the mouth of an active volcano meant nothing. All I could think of was how we’d get back down.
In fact, the descent was relatively speedy and easy: a matter of digging our heels into the loose rocks and going for it. But, at the foot of the mountain, we were still faced with kilometres of walking to reach the car. And by that stage, walking kilometres was not a charming prospect.
Both of us were exhausted by “Mount Doom”. Don’t let me put you off it, if you’re a relatively fit and outdoorsy kind of person, but don’t take it on lightly. And don’t take it on at all if you’re not. Content yourself with one of Tongariro National Park’s beautiful walks, which range in length from about 40 minutes to a day. There’s plenty of information available on these, and some are quite challenging.
Whatever you decide to do, remember that the weather here can change drastically and dangerously in a very short time; so carry warm clothing and wear the right kind of footwear. And report to the park headquarters, at the foot of Ruapehu, before setting out. Check with the staff, if you’re in doubt about your ability to cope with any of the terrain. Especially if you’re thinking of climbing Mt Doom.
Photo by rengber