A gift of fire and ice

The volcanoes of the central North Island of New Zealand have been an integral part of the lives of the Ngati Tuwharetoa people for hundreds of years. The huge multiple volcano of Tongariro in particular is their tapu (sacred) mountain.

Early in the 19th century the imposing snow-capped peaks began to attract the interest of European immigrants who penetrated into the region. They too were fascinated by the contrasts of fire and ice, the stark volcanic landscape and the rich tangle of bush. In 1887 the paramount chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Heuheu Tukino IV, gifted the tops of the mountains to the Crown as a national park for all. This inspired move had the dual purpose of protecting the peaks for all time and establishing the ancestral claim of the Ngati Tuwharetoa beyond doubt.

The new park was very difficult to get to until the Desert Road was put through between Waiouru and Tokaanu in 1893. the numbers of trampers and climbers visiting Tongariro National Park increased steadily over the next decade. Little or nothing was known about skiing at this time however and the introduction of the sport was still some way off.