Mount Ngauruhoe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mount Ngauruhoe |
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Ngauruhoe seen from Mount Tongariro
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,291 m (7,516 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Mount Ngauruhoe
Location in New Zealand
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| Location | North Island, New Zealand |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano (active) |
| Volcanic arc/belt | Taupo Volcanic Zone |
| Last eruption | 1977 |
| Climbing | |
| First ascent | March 1839 by John C. Bidwill, an English botanist. Two Māori guides came with him to within 1 kilometre of the peak. |
| Easiest route | Scramble (summer) |
Mount Ngauruhoe (Māori: Ngāuruhoe, pronounced Ngā-oo-roo-HO-ee) is an active stratovolcano in New Zealand. It is a tall, cone-shaped volcano that is part of the Tongariro volcano group. Ngauruhoe is the youngest part of this group, and it first erupted about 2,500 years ago. Even though it looks like its own mountain, it's actually a smaller cone of Mount Tongariro.
This volcano is located on the North Island of New Zealand. It sits between two other active volcanoes: Mount Tongariro to the north and Mount Ruapehu to the south. It is also about 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of Lake Taupo.
Contents
What's in a Name?
Local Māori stories say that the volcano was named by Ngātoro-i-rangi. He was an important ancestor of the local Māori group called Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
Ngātoro-i-rangi called for volcanic fire from his homeland, Hawaiki. This fire eventually appeared at Ngauruhoe. The name Ngauruhoe might remember his slave, who sadly died from the cold before the fire arrived. It could also refer to Ngātoro-i-rangi pushing his hoe (a paddle-like staff) into the ground to bring the fire.
Recent Volcanic Activity
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Ngauruhoe erupted 45 times during the 20th century. Its most recent eruption was in 1977.
Inside the volcano's main crater and on the edge of its outer crater, there are fumaroles. These are vents that release steam and gases. The strong sulfur gases from these vents can affect climbers who have asthma.
In May 2006, there was a big increase in earthquake activity near Ngauruhoe. Because of this, the alert level was raised. For the next two years, scientists recorded between 5 and 30 earthquakes a day near the volcano. Sometimes, there were as many as 80 earthquakes in a single day.
After mid-2008, the number of earthquakes near Ngauruhoe went back to normal. Scientists also regularly checked the volcanic gas levels and the temperature of a gas vent at the summit. They did not find any big changes for two and a half years.
Because of this, GNS Science lowered the alert level for Ngauruhoe to Level 0 in December 2008. This meant an eruption was unlikely without more earthquakes or other changes.
In March 2015, there was another increase in earthquake activity. The alert level was raised to Level 1 again. However, this unusual activity stopped after three weeks, and the alert level was lowered back to Level 0.
Climbing the Mountain
People usually climb Mount Ngauruhoe from its western side, starting from the Mangatepopo track. In summer, climbing can be hard because of the loose volcanic rock (called tephra). This loose material can make you slip. In 2010, a climber was seriously hurt by falling rocks.
In winter, snow helps to hold the loose rock in place. However, after it rains, the snow can turn into slippery ice. For safety in midwinter, climbers often need special tools like ice axes, crampons (spikes for boots), and ropes. Between March and October, the mountain can have sudden, strong winds and snowstorms. Temperatures can drop far below freezing.
There is also a climbing path from the northern side. This route crosses old lava flows in the Mangatepopo valley, starting from the Mangatepopo hut. This path is much longer and has no flat areas to rest. Once climbers reach the top, they can walk around the crater and then go down the normal eastern path.
When the central part of the Tongariro one-day walk was closed due to volcanic activity, climbing Mount Ngauruhoe became a popular choice. In 2013, four climbers were injured in separate accidents during Easter. Two of these accidents happened because the normal eastern path was crowded. One climber accidentally caused loose rocks to fall and hit another climber below. All the injured climbers needed to be rescued by helicopter.
Mount Ngauruhoe in Movies
In 1974, a famous skier named Jean-Claude Killy was filmed skiing down the eastern side of the mountain. This part of the volcano had never been skied before. The slope on this side is about 35 degrees steep. Killy was recorded skiing over 160 kilometers (100 miles) per hour! He fell on his first try, so he had to ski down twice.
Mount Ngauruhoe was also used as the stand-in for the fictional Mount Doom in Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. This made the mountain famous around the world.
First Climbs
The first recorded climb of Mount Ngauruhoe was in March 1839 by J. C. Bidwill. He climbed from the north-west side. He described the crater as "the most terrifying deep hole I ever looked into or imagined." He also said it was hard to see more than 10 yards into it because of all the steam coming out.
See also
In Spanish: Ngauruhoe para niños
