Ongoing rumbles are reminders that all the volcanoes in the area are very much in the land of the living. The last major event was in 2012 when Mt Tongariro – the northernmost and lowest peak in the park (1967m) – gave a couple of good blasts from its northern craters, causing a nine-month partial closure of the famous Alpine Crossing Track. (To see video of recent eruptions, visit www.doc.govt.nz/eruption.)
