Day 51: Whakapapa to Mangatepopo Hut (1145-1136)

Thursday, January 19

Another morning of sleeping in until 7 was a wonderful way to start the day. Kristen and I ate breakfast, packed our bags, I said goodbye to Tim, and we headed for the library.

Kristen met a girl at a hostel in Auckland that happened to be in Turangi, so she met us at the library and they talked while I updated my blog. I really wanted a big lunch before my five-and-a-half day hike, so we all went back to the Cadillac Cafe where I ordered a fish sandwich and banana chocolate milkshake. It was all delicious and we played a game of Snakes and Ladders while we enjoyed what we had ordered.

As we were finishing up, a TA hiker named Alex came over to talk to us. He was hiking with Jaysen, who I met before he started his hike in Kerikeri! I couldn't believe we both ended up at this town off the trail at the same time. If we're lucky the end of our river trips may end up overlapping.

After talking to them, it was nearly time to catch my 1:45 bus to Whakapapa, so I said goodbye and walked to the I-SITE. It was a quick ride and I arrived before 3. I ran my plan to join the Northern Circuit and Round the Mountain track by a lady behind the information desk and charged my phone a bit. Between 3:30 and 4 I started walking to Mangatepopo Hut, an easy 9 kilometer walk. It looked like the trail could have been sloppy earlier in the day with the rain, but it barely drizzled at all during my walk and all the mud was easily avoidable. It was a cool, easy hike. The hut was filled with people, but really nice.

The three great walk huts in the park have hut  wardens, but ours seemed to be missing. Someone at the hut saw him earlier in the day, but he hasn't come back. I also met two people from Denali, Alaska at the hut. What a small world!

Now I'm ready for bed. If the sky is clear in the morning, I'd like to try to wake up early and watch the sun rise over the Tongariro Crossing. We'll see what happens! 

A river I walked by on the way to Mangatepopo Hut

Mangatepopo Hut

Mangatepopo Campground  

The nice trail on the way from Whakapapa to Mangatepopo Hut