“The eruption of ash and steam from the Te Maari craters was an added bonus to a wonderful day out on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing”
The Department of Conservation and GNS have had a 1 km restricted zone around the Te Maari Crater since the eruption on the 6th of August 2012. No one walking the Tongariro Alpine Crossing can access this area. The eruption on Mt tongariro occured in the 1 km area and was viewed from the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
The eruption spewed ash that was restricted to within the 1km exclusion zone and did not affect the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.
A small eruption on Mt Tongariro was witnessed by a variety of groups of different nationalities walking the Tongariro Crossing yesterday.
Beautiful Emerald Lakes 21st Novmeber 2012
Blue Lake 21st November 2012
Entering the viewing area of the Te Maari Crater on the 21st November 2012
The steam coming from the Te Maari Crater.
The view of the ash eruption
yes – the Te Marri crater burped while I was here, how many in the world has seen this?
Then the ash (black cloud) started to fall from the sky over the crater area it is beautiful!
Time to leave – every one steadily walked off the crossing
Dannielle from the Netherlands was enjoying her day on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, taking photos of the Emerald lakes and Blue lake, when she entered the area to view the Te Maari Crater (which was still steaming from the August eruption) Five minutes later Te Maari erupted steam and then ash for two minutes.
All hikers were safely evacuated off the mountain assisted by the New Zealand police and the Department of Conservation. Track conditions
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is closed for further monitoring, we live on active earth this is the beauty of nature. Tongariro Track Transport takes the safety of our visitors very seriously; we respect the guidelines given to us as a DoC concessionaire in the Tongariro National Park, and are recommending safe alternative hikes not in the area of the Te Maari Crater until we have the all clear.