Tongariro

Snowpack

Elevation

2500 m

Early season conditions Observations from journey up from whakapapa via far west area to dome/cathederal and return (28 June) Some isolated features were at threshold, but lots of anchors still exposed even up high. Early morning had all snow capped by a rime crust, by 2pm the rime crust had softened om the northern aspects and broken up and we had foot pen in the "new slab" up to knee deep on route down from glacier knob (2500-2200) Dug a small hasty pit 10am 2300m N/Nw facing wind slab seemed well condsolidated at approx 50cm deep sat on another ice layer. Lots of areas still very much below threshold, southern aspects below cathedral rocks crags capped again with thick robust rime crust overlaying softer snow. Temps above 0 degrees on summit plateau. Lots of melting rime off cliffs on all aspects with wet misty cloud in and out around the tops most of the morning/early afternoon. Images attached from around cathedral rocks/ whangehu glacier and one of glacier knob shelter looking north