Mount Tongariro

Mount Tongariro (Māori pronunciation: [tɔŋaɾiɾɔ]) is a volcanic complex in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 kilometres to the southwest of Lake Taupo, and is the northernmost of the three active volcanoes that dominate the landscape of the central North Island. The volcanic massif, often simply referred to as Tongariro, has a height of 1,978 metres (6,490 ft). It first erupted about 260,000 years ago. The volcano consists of at least 12 cones; Ngauruhoe, while often regarded as a separate mountain, is geologically a vent of Tongariro. It is also the most active, having erupted more than 70 times since 1839, although the last eruption took place in 1974-1975. Activity has also been recorded at other vents. Red Crater...