Hell's Gate

Rotorua is known for it's insane amount of geothermal activity... every holiday park and hotel boasts it's own mineral baths and sulphury steam can be seen rising out of the ground every where you look.

We got free tickets to Hells Gate (New Zealand's yellowstone).. so we checked it out... it was ok, but nothing compared to what is brewing in Idaho's side yard....

(we were just grateful we were not one of the people who had to pay $30 to walk around this smelly, boiling mud bath)

the tallest hot water falls in the southern hemisphere

storms a brewin

Tongariro Crossing

Easter weekend we headed to the Tongariro Crossing for NZ's greatest day hike...

Joe with Mt Doom (from Lord of the Rings apparently-- I haven't seen it....)

we had planned to go earlier in the week but nasty blizzards kept every one out of the park, we only ran into a little snow by the time we got in

it was a wonderful hike.... just us and a few THOUSAND other people!!!!

it was a very popular hike and even more popular holiday weekend!!!

views from the saddle

more mt doom pics

joe with the red crater in the background

crater lake

ocean views

the emerald lakes

standing on water on such a holy holiday