Mt Ruapehu. North Island. New Zealand.
S 39° 16.800 E 175° 33.817
60H E 376110 N 5651167
At 2797m, Ruapehu is the highest mountain in the North Island, and the most recent of the North Island volcanoes to have erupted.
Waymark Code: WM492Y
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 07/23/2008
Views: 89
The most recent activity on Mt Ruapehu occurred on September 25 2007.
This was an explosive eruption, lasting about 7 minutes. During the eruption explosions spread ash, rocks and water across the summit area, producing lahars in two valleys including one in the Whakapapa ski field. In contrast with the previous eruptions in 1996, there was no high ash plume to produce ash fallout over a wide area.
However in 1995/1996 it was quite a different story. The 1996 eruption produced at least seven million tonnes of ash, with 2.3 million tonnes falling on Lake Taupo. Ashfall lowered visibility, disrupting air travel at times, as the plume (which could be seen by satellite) travelled north east to the coast and across the Bay of Plenty.
The 1995-96 Ruapehu eruptions lasted a total of four months and threw out more ash, cinder blocks, magma jets and more lahars (mudflows) than in the history of Mt Ruapehu since European settlement.
The volcano can be viewed from SH47 and SH48 and you are able to drive up Mt Ruapehu on the Bruce Road to the Whakapapa Skifield if the road barriers are open.
Co-ordinates at the skifield carpark are: S 39° 14.161 E 175° 33.300
Chairlift rides will get you even closer to the crater!
Scenic Flights by Mountain Air will fly you over Mt Ruapehu for an awesome view of the summit crater and crater lake. The airport is on SH47 at the foot of the mountain.
Volcano Type: Composite Volcano or Stratovolcano
Volcano Location: Continental (subduction zone)
Year of most recent activity: 2007
Caldera Visible?: yes
Cone Visible?: no
Crater Visible?: yes
Geyser/Hot Spring Visible?: no
Lava Dome Visible?: no
Lava Flow (Moving) Visible?: no
Lava Flow (Not Moving) Visible?: yes
Vent or Fumarole Visible?: no
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