Mt Ngauruhoe. North Island. New Zealand.
S 39° 09.400 E 175° 37.900
60H E 381773 N 5664946
Mt Ngauruhoe is around 2,500 years old and is the youngest of the three volcanoes in the Tongariro National Park. On average Mt Ngauruhoe has erupted once in every nine years however the last major eruption took place in 1975.
Waymark Code: WM48ZQ
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 07/23/2008
Views: 92
Ngauruhoe is the largest and youngest of the Tongariro cones being only 2,500 years old. Ngauruhoe is the most continuously active of the volcanoes in New Zealand, with the Maori recording many eruptions prior to European colonisation. The first European description was an eruption in 1839. Many of the recent eruptions have produced lava flows down the side of the cone.
In January 1973, Ngauruhoe discharged red-hot blocks of lava, and periodic activity continued throughout the year. In 1974 and 1975 there were explosive eruptions of ash, and blocks of lava were thrown as far as 3 km away. During the last violent eruption, gases streamed from the crater for several hours, producing a churning plume of ash that towered up to 13 km above the crater. This column then collapsed and formed ash and scoria avalanches that swept down the sides of Ngauruhoe, leaving trails of rubble in their wake.
The volcano can be viewed from several good locations including the main highway SH47, SH48 near the Chateau and the Bruce Road on Mt Ruapehu but the closest viewpoint is at the end of the Mangatepopo Road, or continue to walk up the track at the start of the Tongariro Crossing to get even closer.
Mangatepopo Carpark and trailhead co-ordinates are: S 39° 08.670 E 175° 34.850
Note: The Crater photo was taken directly above the crater of Ngauruhoe during our Mountain Air flight over the Tongariro National Park, this would be the ultimate location to watch the volcano. The airport is located on SH47 just past the SH48 turnoff.
Volcano Type: Cinder Cone
Volcano Location: Continental (subduction zone)
Year of most recent activity: 1975
Cone Visible?: yes
Crater Visible?: yes
Caldera Visible?: Not Listed
Geyser/Hot Spring Visible?: Not Listed
Lava Dome Visible?: Not Listed
Lava Flow (Moving) Visible?: Not Listed
Lava Flow (Not Moving) Visible?: Not Listed
Vent or Fumarole Visible?: Not Listed
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