Day Three of my solo backpacking tramp of the Tongariro Northern Circuit track saw me hiking from the Oturere Hut and campsite to the Waihohonu Hut.

Although clear and sunny this was a very windy day with the gusts at times, blowing me sideways on the scree slopes. The Tongariro Crossing where I’d been yesterday was closed due to the wind and low cloud with predicted gusts of 40km hour. Other trampers were caught in the dust storms but I wasn’t as badly impacted. Good to reach some shelter within the trees.

The Waihohonu Campsite is a couple of minutes before you reach the hut and there’s a good choice of camping in the open or within the shelter of the beech forest which is what I did given how windy it was.

Highlights of the day included the massive views of the Kaimanawa Ranges and down to the Rangipo Desert. The views of Mount Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe are extraordinarily beautiful. The effect of the low cloud on Ngauruhoe was fascinating.

Challenges today were the wind and I was still tired from the Crossing and perhaps even a little dehydrated. Feet were sore and the soak in the fresh water Waihohonu stream helped. Although not a long walk, I did find it hard.

ℹ️Stats

📅 Date: 9th January 2022

☀️Weather: Clear and sunny, gusts up to 40km an hour on the tops. Less where I was.

⏮ From: Otutere Hut

⏭ To: Waihohonu Hut

⛺️ Accommodation: $ Camping

👏 Difficulty: Intermediate Great Walk / Easier Tramping Track

🥾Distance: 8.46 km

🏔 Elevation Gain: 265 metres

🏔 Max Elevation: 1,358 MASL

🏃🏼‍♀️Average Speed: 3.2 km/hour

🏃🏼‍♀️ Moving Time: 2:39:29 hours

🕘Elapsed Time 4:06:54 hours

🥑Calories burned: 572

🥾 Boots: Iowa Lavenaii GTX Lowa Boots

Subjective feeling out of 10 on:

Enjoyment: 8/10

Fatigue: 7/10

Ease of terrain: 3/10