Woke up at 4:00 by the patter of rain. Was a surprise as it was
fine yesterday. Ignored the alarm at 5:00, and slept till 6:30. Rang Chiharu
for weather forecast. She said it would become clear from midday, so decided to
wait till weather got better. Rain turned to snow and once stopped at 11:30. Started to walk.
Around the summit, it turned to blizzard... the snow struck my
face hard and it was painful. The temperature got down to almost below 0℃. A s the snow didn't melt, luckily I didn't get
wet. Gradually weather started to improve, and it became comfy to walk.
According to "Walk your own TA", a common saying among the TA
walkers, decided to make a detour to Tongariro Northern Circuit, not Tongariro
Crossing, a part of TA route that I have walked before. As soon as getting
onto the Circuit, there were hardly no other trampers there and enjoyed
peaceful tramping. Just had a drop in to Oturere Hut to take a look, and
carried on again. Arrived at Waihohonu Hut at 17:00. Was a clean hut with
equipped with lighting, hot water tap and heater - surprisingly modern as a DOC
hut. Only 10 trampers staying in 28 bunks hut. Had a peaceful and relaxed
night. Walked 16km today.
4:00頃雨の音で目覚めた。昨日が快晴だったので全く不意をつかれ、結局5:00のアラームを無視して6:30頃まで眠った。その後、ちはるに電話で天気予報を教えてもらい、昼頃から快晴とのことだったので、日程を短縮し天気待ちすることに。
雨はその後雪に変わり、一時回復した11:30頃出発したが、頂上付近で顔に当たる雪が痛いほどの吹雪に見舞われた。しかし気温も氷点下に近く、雪が解けることはなく濡れなかったのは幸い。その後、天気はゆっくり回復し気持ちよく歩けた。
よくTAウォーカーの間で言われる言葉に「自分なりのTAを歩け」というのがある。自分は以前トンガリロ・クロッシングをすでに歩いており、今回は少し回り道をして、グレートウォークスの一つにもなっている、トンガリロ・ノーザンサーキットを歩くことにする。道をそれ、サーキットへと入った途端他の人をほとんど見かけなくなり静かな山歩きを楽しむ。一軒めのオトゥレレ小屋は見学だけにし、二軒めのワイホホヌ小屋に17:00頃到着。とても綺麗で、電灯だけでなく温水の蛇口やヒーターまであってモダンで驚いた。28人泊まれるようだが他の客は10人ほど、静かで快適な夜。本日の歩行16km。
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