Finally the day had come.
We were preparing to walk the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a 20-odd kilometre trek in the central North Island that winds through alpine valleys, up steep volcanic mountains and along exposed ridgelines. On a good day, it is often called the best one-day hike in New Zealand. On a bad day, driving wind, rain and snow pose a serious risk of hypothermia or worse. The difference between a good day and a bad day?
Sometimes, about half an hour.
A long day in the mountains: hiking the Tongariro Crossing is a post from What's Dave Doing?.