A campsite on Ruapehu’s Waihohonu Ridge provides perfect views to Ngauruhoe. Photo: Peter Laurenson

Over the mountain

Off the Beaten Track

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Peter Laurenson

A tramper, occasional climber, photographer, editor and writer, Peter has been adventuring for more than 30 years.

By Peter Laurenson

While some walk the Round the Mountain Track, Peter Laurenson headed to Tongariro National Park with a different objective in mind: an ‘over the mountain circuit’

It felt like a ‘long time between drinks’. But finally, after almost two months since New Zealand entered Covid-19 Level Four, we were driving SH1 into a promisingly radiant dawn. Not only were we now in the considerably freer world of Level Two, but the Metservice forecast indicated calm, clear weather for at least three […]

About the author

Peter Laurenson

Peter is a tramper, occasional climber, photographer, editor and writer. His adventures, spanning 30+ years, come together on his website ‘OccasionalClimber’. Richmond-based, Peter is editor of FMC’s Backcountry and has published three books: Occasional Climber (2013) and Khumbu (2021) and Aotearoa Light (2025).