Lake Rotopounamu

location: Lake Rotopounamu
distance: approx 3 miles

description: one downside to hiking in shoulder seasons: weather. I planned for two nights in National Park to bookend a hike over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, but weather prevented us from completing the hike on the intended day - forecast for snow and gale force winds overnight arrived as promised and meant we wouldn't have wanted to leave in the morning anyway. fortunately, our schedule accommodated a slight delay and we adjusted plans accordingly.

while overnight and early morning weather proved inhospitable, the weather cleared up by midday - and we didn't waste the opportunity to stretch our legs on one numerous alternate hikes in the area. after lunch at a retro diner in Turangi and a trip back to Taupo to find reasonably-priced hats for our alpine crossing, we pulled off the road to go in search of Lake Rotopounamu at the foot of Mt. Pihanga.

the trek proved much more of a walk than a hike by our standards, but pleasant all the same. the track circled Lake Rotopounamu (greenstone lake) at the northwest foot of Mt Pihanga, which we caught a good view of from north of Taupo the previous day. in Maori myth, Pihanga was pursued by several suitors (also mountains) who fought for her affection; the vanquished moved away to other parts of the North Island, while victorious Tongariro remained at her side. when volcanic Tongariro smokes, it is a sign of his anger towards the last challenger for Pihanga's affection, Taranaki who now sits some 200 kilometers to the west on the edge of the island.

the weather, while gray, stayed pleasant throughout our walk. easy grade, lots of views of the lake, and very few other hikers - just a couple taking scenic shots from Ten Minute Beach. overall a pleasant substitute for a delayed alpine crossing.