To complete my visit to the Taranaki region, after riding a circuit around the mountain, I went back to do an overnight tramp. I booked a shuttle with Ian of Mountain Shuttle in New Plymouth, who, for $50 NZD picked me up at the hostel at 7:30am for the 30 minute ride to the trailhead, and came back the next day at 4:30pm to bring me back.
The first photo shows the Visitors Center at 8:30am, when I set off on the Holly Hut track, Day 1 of what is a 3-day/2-night 25km trip called the Pouakai Circuit. The last photo shows 12 noon the next day, when I returned from Holly Hut.
Is this the same place? You'd better believe it. The central photo shows the trail, as it crosses "the boomerang slip", which is a landslide. You pick your way through loose volcanic scree, called scoria I think.
This is a gorgeous trip, when you can see it. On the return, I was completely enshrouded in mist clouds and driving rain, which was, fortunately, warm. I was totally soaked within about 10 minutes of leaving the hut, which is the correct method for dealing with New Zealand rainy tramps. The visitor center includes a rather nice little cafe, and I made full use of it while waiting for Ian to fetch me. Later that night, the winds on the mountain were gusting to 130km/hr. I'd only dealt with 75km/hr blasts.
As the tourist brochures state: "Mt Taranaki is renowned not only for its beauty, but also for its ever-changing weather conditions."
No kidding. Back in New Plymouth the weather was like Samoa. All the rain was packed around the mountain.
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