Solo Walks New Zealand in 4K: Mangorei to Pouakai Tarns Track, Mount Egmont National Park

In this video we are in the western side of the North Island of New Zealand within Mount Egmont National Park. Here the impressive cone shaped Mount Taranaki (Egmont) volcano dominates the landscape, rising to 2518m (8261ft) in height. The volcano is the youngest of four closely associated volcanic complexes in this region and the only one still active with its last major eruption around 1655 and a few more recent minor eruptive episodes, the latest being around the 1850’s.

I am walking to the Pouakai Tarns (ponds) via the Mangorei Track, to Pouakai Hut, then along a short section of the Pouakai circuit Track to the tarns. These trails are all on the now extinct Pouakai Range, the second youngest volcanic complex in the region, last erupting around 240,000 years ago. This is a very rainy section of the country so I was very lucky to have a brief opening in the weather during the one weekend I was in the area. As you can see in the video, once up on the ridge on the left you can see thick clouds down in the lower elevations trying to push their way up higher onto the plateau. Rain was forecast to push in later in the morning and by the time I returned to the lower forest on the way back clouds have covered the region. With the short clear weather window I had to hurry this walk a bit so I didnt stop as often to film or take the time to do many creative shots. I also jogged a bit along the upper ridge to get to the tarns faster when I saw the clouds trying to push over it, that is why some of the handheld shots filmed as I am moving are so shaky.

I am making these videos to do something creative and help in getting me back out hiking again. Also with sharing these to the world, it’s for the enjoyment of other people who are unable to visit or physically do these walks themselves and for those who just want to see a different part of the world in a quiet and relaxing manner.

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