THE TONGARIRO ALPINE CROSSING - IS IT A WALK IN THE PARK?
With the second death in just over a month on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, it seems prudent to take a moment to consider the risks in undertaking what is considered one of the best day walks in New Zealand. It is a challenging 19.4km hike taking on average around 7 hours to complete. It passes through raw volcanic terrain and reaches an altitude of over 1800 metres.
On average over 150,000 people walk the track each year (This is the highest number of walkers of any track in NZ that takes more than half a day) with 30-40 people requiring rescueing. Many people are unprepared, unsuitably dressed for the changeable weather and have no idea of what to expect, and others simply underestimate the level of fitness needed to cross the rugged
