It is periodically dangerous. While not prone to lava tantrums, its caldera lake is a regular source of “lahars” – torrents of water, mud and rocky debris, propelled downhill by volcanic activity below the surface, and extremely destructive. Ruapehu was responsible for one of the most shocking accidents in New Zealand’s history – the Tangiwai Disaster of 1953, where a lahar, pouring south from the mountain’s rooftop, ripped away a support pillar to a bridge over the River Whangaehu minutes before an express train was due to speed over it. The crash killed 151 passengers.
Care had to be taken with so pristine a setting. This was not always the case. In December 2005, earthwork contractors were hired to remove from Ruapehu’s flank all evidence of a production legacy that locals had come to refer to as “Orc Road”. Other ingrained marks were more desirable. Elsewhere on the North Island, 30 miles from Hamilton, the set created for Hobbiton survives as a bona fide attraction. Intended to be temporary, it was expanded in time for Jackson to start filming his Hobbit…
