Mount Ruapehu, Active stratovolcano in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand.
Mount Ruapehu is a stratovolcano in Tongariro National Park with three summits and a crater lake at 2,797 meters elevation. The mountain forms the highest point on New Zealand's North Island and shows clearly visible signs of volcanic activity.
A lahar from the volcano destroyed the Tangiwai railway bridge on Christmas Eve 1953 and killed 151 people on a moving train. The disaster remains one of the worst rail accidents in the country's history.
The mountain name means „pit of noise
Two ski resorts on the slopes offer winter sports options from June through October for visitors of all experience levels. Access roads are well maintained but require winter equipment during snow conditions.
The mountain carries eighteen glaciers, including New Zealand's only crater glaciers with ice layers reaching 130 meters deep. These ice masses sit directly beside the active volcanic crater and form a rare geological combination.
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