Siren call to the summit of Taranaki

Looking for a ski challenge, a stash of powder snow, a mountain camp? Then follow MARK SEDON along the backcountry ski runs of the North Island's volcanic peaks.

The forces of nature have given the North Island four spectacular mountains, each one cloaked in beautiful native bush and, in winter, topped with snow. Occasionally puffing smoke and ash, the mountains of Tongariro and Taranaki National Parks are also steeped in myth, magic and legend.

It's no surprise then that New Zealanders and tourists flock to the mountains to ski, snowboard, climb or just stand and gaze. With its five peaks, a lake and three ski resorts, Ruapehu is the biggest, while Tongariro is recognisable by its almost flat summit with green and blue lakes dotting its slopes, and Ngauruhoe's outline is steep and pointy. But our destination this weekend is proud Mt Taranaki out to the west. Rumoured to be the second most symmetrical mountain in the world after Mt Fuji, its slopes almost climb straight out of the Pacific Ocean.

We have come to climb its summit and ski back down, and we wake in the Stratford Ski Club's carpark at the foot of the mountain to a good sign: a glorious sunrise over distant Mt Ruapehu. The tramping boots are comfortable but the packs heavy as we set off through the monstrous concrete tunnel built to protect hikers from rockfalls.

The track up to the ski club climbs gradually through a huge gully, also an avalanche path, and into native bush. Then it's a steep, straight haul past the dormant ski lifts to reach one of the tongues of snow stretching down from the upper slopes. Here we swap tramping boots for ski boots and strap on crampons. The snow is soft enough now, but the mountains of the North Island are renowned for their hard ice and unforgiving terrain.

It's a beautiful sunny November day and before long we're down to just our thermals. But regardless of the heat, the higher we climb the harder the snow. By halfway up the mountain only our crampon points are penetrating it.

The snow has turned to sastrugi, a kind of wavelike ice formed when small water particles, driven by the wind, freeze as they hit the snow. However, we are confident the sastrugi will soften as the day goes on to make the ski down safe and enjoyable.

Sitting down for a rest, we face towards Mt Ruapehu. While working on those slopes for eight years as a ski patroller, I often looked west and wanted to climb Mt Taranaki. Now we're here I'm gazing back towards Ruapehu, remembering the many ski trips and picking out the different peaks, glaciers and backcountry ski runs. The main summit, Taharangi, is only a 40 to 60-minute climb from Turoa's top lift and the views down into the steaming Crater Lake are the best in the area.

The Desert Rd, Kaimanawa Forest and Lake Moawhango can be seen to the east. To the north are Mts Ngauruhoe and Tongariro with Lake Taupo sparkling behind. East looks out over rolling bush-covered hills to the Pacific Ocean and back to us on Mt Taranaki.

The only ski run from the high peak of Ruapehu is east down the Wahianoa Glacier. It's an exciting expert run often hiding a stash of good wintry powder snow. Make sure the conditions are right, though, as you have to deal with regular avalanche danger and then navigate your way back around Girdlestone Peak to Turoa.

For some easier ski descent options, don't climb right to the summit but stop instead on Taharangi saddle, 50m below and west of the high peak. From there, you can either ski down inside the crater rim and then traverse west to the start of the Mangaturuturu Glacier and an enjoyable ski before another traverse back to Turoa's carpark, or ski straight back down to Turoa, next to where you climbed up. The latter is the safest option as far as avalanches and steep terrain go and it is still a challenging run.

Back on Taranaki we're working hard. It's a long climb without the aid of the ski lifts but with every step higher, the views get better. There are hundreds of hectares of native bush between us and the Tongariro National Park and somewhere hidden in there is the long Whanganui River.

One Maori legend says the river was created when Mt Taranaki stormed away from the Central Plateau after losing the beautiful Mt Pihanga to Mt Tongariro in a mighty battle. He left a deep wound in the land as he travelled, so Tongariro released a spring in an attempt to heal it, thus forming the river.

Tongariro's summit is not usually a difficult climb and is often combined with an ascent of nearby Mt Ngauruhoe. In a heavy winter you can skin (when skiers attach a material similar to animal skin to the bottom of their skis which allows them to slide forwards but not backwards) right from the Mangatepopo road end. The skier follows the popular Tongariro Crossing track until the saddle between the two mountains, then turns either left to climb up a low, angled ridge to Tongariro's summit, or right to climb steeply to the top of Ngauruhoe.

This area appeals to those who enjoy the lack of crowds and facilities encountered on nearby Mt Ruapehu, and a group could even take tents and camp in the snow in one of the many craters on Tongariro, or else ski back down to their car.

Returning once more to our Taranaki climb, we finally make it to the top after four hours' hard slog. The views are spectacular with the mighty Pacific almost close enough to jump into. The coastline is a perfect arc running parallel to the bush-clad mountains slopes. The old crater on the summit is covered in snow and ice with various little rocky outcrops, with a view north-east over forest to the mountains of the Central Plateau.

We sit on the mountain's crown, not a breath of wind, eating lunch and marvelling at the scenery for some time before dragging ourselves away. Skis on and we're off down the steep spring snow, carving turn after turn.

It's a long run and occasional stops to rest our weary legs is mandatory. The lower we go, the better the snow and our skis carve through the soft sastrugi making a clinking sort of sound. The broken sastrugi runs noisily down the snow after us, slowly fading away as we reach the lowest tongue of snow and our tramping boots.

The packs no longer feel heavy because we're buzzing from our run as we skip down the steep grassy slopes to the Stratford Ski Club's base. However, by the time we re-enter the tunnel the buzz has been replaced by aching shoulders and we long for the car and release from the weight on our backs..

Back down in Stratford township we pull over for one last look back at the mountain and are amazed that we can pick out our ski tracks.

We point the car for home and get back to Ohakune in time to see the sun set over Mt Taranaki, basking Ruapehu in beautiful shades of pink.

Links:

www.offpiste.co.nz