Image taken at 3 pm yesterday above looking up-river over the Lower Birch Pool and on right – looking down river over Barlows Reach.
But everyone has been asking for updates about the Tongariro fishing… after the flood of over 300 m3/s on the weekend.
So where do we start?
Yesterday Zane in Unit 4 was top of the pops with 15 landed (- we now call him Zane Grey). Everyone else incl. Units 1, 2, 5, 8, & 10, all easily caught their limit by breakfast time and then they went exploring. Well, that’s what they told us.
All ‘claim’ they were somewhere down river below the road bridge, but we have to warn you that they cannot be trusted when it comes to which pool… The TRM smokehouse is working on over-time.
So I quietly patiently waited for the late morning gap. In perfect conditions – no wind and mild temperatures – I escaped the laundry. After finding all the lower pools and town pools loaded with anglers 4WD’s (Korean Bentleys), I continued on my push-bike up to the Cattle Rustlers Pool and beyond looking for somewhere completely undisturbed, virgin waters, no foot prints at all, where I had it all to myself (apart from a couple of shags). I was totally 100% successful. I had it all to myself. Anything else you need to know?
Above – another TRM guided team on their way to the summit in January 2015.
This is like a cracked record…
Another warning this week – Taupo Times (Libbey Wilson) featured three rescued from Tongariro trouble.
One man using rocks to cut steps was one of three tourists helped off an icy alpine crossing.
Two others slipped and fell into the North Crater of the Tongariro Crossing.
Police were called 11am last Friday when two tourists realised they could not continue.
They’d tramped up from the Ketetahi Hut end but came across ice near the Blue Lake.
Neither had an ice axe or crampons and both slipped into the North Crater.
They escaped without injury and continued to the Emerald Lake and called the police for help.
Police sent the Rescue Helicopter with LSAR – Land Search and Rescue – and a paramedic on board but low cloud stopped it getting to the couple.
Instead two DoC staff members based at Mt. Ruapehu set out on foot with LSAR members.
Once rescuers found the couple the group headed to the Otutere Hut and soon found another person who needed their help. The man was using a rock to cut steps in the ice to climb over to Oturere Valley.
etc… OK? Please be careful out there.
At this time of the year we try to talk tourists out of walking the crossing. It can be very dangerous in winter weather.
Use a mountain guide or leave the Tongariro Crossing for summer.
The photo at top and on right was taken in January 2015 on a TRM inmates Summit climb. Even in Summer accidents and injuries can occur – as you might notice, the local Police had been called to assist. They were fantastic.
The list of essential gear – above right – is for summer tramping.
So this is another plea to treat the Tongariro National Park seriously – it is an alpine environment – not a playground.
Even in Summer it is a dangerous place where you still need to be very selective about weather conditions.
The photo below was taken on 16 December 2007 (in Summer) when this group of West Island tourist walkers from TRM were saved by the police in freezing white-out conditions when they lost the track. Note the snow fall in December…
They were eventually found very late at night by Police tracking their weak cell phone beeps. They were very lucky to survive at all.
They had missed the track to Ketetahi as the snow covered everything and were located by police close to Oturere Hut. They had no idea they were so close to a shelter.
They were fortunate to have suitable warm clothing. They were about to leave in the usual summer T shirts until SWMBO insisted they take the red and blue ‘Swandri” coats – just in case…
The warm clothing probably saved their lives. OK? TRM cannot afford to lose any inmates.
The following video illustrates the difference between summer and winter conditions… Look out for bikinis on top of Mt. Ruapehu!