PERCHED ON A BLUFF high on the eastern slopes of Mt Ruapehu is Whangaehu Hut, altitude 2060m. The hut is the highest in the North Island and has views of the Kaimanawa and Ruahine ranges to the east. Above it rise Ringatoto and Pyramid peaks.
Below is an evil-looking, steeply incised gulch in the Whangaehu Valley. As this gulch drains Crater Lake, it can be likened to the volcano's throat. Lahars have periodically poured through it, sending floods of ash and sulphurous water down the mountain. On December 24, 1953, one such lahar caused the Tangiwai Disaster when the force of the floodwaters swept away a rail bridge on the main trunk line. A train plunged into the abyss, killing 151 of the 285 passengers aboard.
A decade after the Tangiwai Disaster another gravityfed event occurred here. This one ended with a happier result. Adjacent to the gulch lies the easier terrain of the Whangaehu Glacier, which descends from the Summit Plateau of Ruapehu on a gradual slope – appealing both for its angle and breadth. In February 1963 a sledge of dubious construction was being manhandled down
