Mt. Ruapehu

One of the highlights of my trip to New Zealand was climbing and sliding back down Mount Ruapehu. Mt. Ruapehu is the highest point in the North Island of New Zealand at a height of 2797 meters. Between its high peaks, there is a crater lake that fills up between eruptions. This volcano is one of the three volcanoes located in the World Heritage Tongariro National Park, the first national park of New Zealand. This land was given to the world by the Maori to protect the land that is home to the volcanoes Mount Ruapehu, Mount Ngauruhoe, and Mount Tongariro Ruapehu is an active composite volcano that is always covered in snow and ice, making it popular for skiers, snowboarders and hikers. Since it is an active volcano, there is a danger of eruptions and lahars. There were eruptions in 1945, 1995, 2006, and 2007. During the most recent eruption, the Crater Lake partially drained into dangerous lahars. A teacher needed to be rescued from the Dome Shelter after crushing his leg during the 2007 lahar.