Mount Egmont (Taranaki), New Zealand
Mount Egmont (Taranaki), New Zealand
The near-circular, conical peak of Mount Egmont on New Zealand’s North Island presents itself in full glory. It is assumed that the volcano has had this shape only for the last 10,000 years, and the same goes for its 2518 metre height. Lava flows from earlier outbreaks have covered a major part of the surroundings, stretching across 25 kilometres towards the ocean, forming a ring-shaped plain. The Maori people call this mountain 'Taranaki', which means 'without vegetation'. Only a few thousand years ago, the lower plains were completely covered by dense rain forests. Today, the only forests left are those on the slopes of Taranaki in the Egmont National Park, which stands out from the surrounding intensively used farming and pasture land as if drawn with a compass. It has a number of snow fields but no glaciers on its peak. Often in the summer season, the peak is completely ice free, while in the winter, skiing is possible on Manganui’s own ski-field.
