Date:  11 January 2021

DOC closed the summit area of Mount Ruapehu on 21 December 2020. The area 2 km from the centre of Te Wai ā-moe/Crater Lake was closed in response to the Volcanic Alert Level (VAL) being raised to level 2 by GNS Science and the increased risk of an eruption occurring. With the VAL now reduced to level 1, the 2 km exclusion zone has been lifted and there are no longer any restrictions in place.

Tongariro Operations Manager Connie Norgate says while the alert level has returned to level 1 (which is normal for Ruapehu), visitors should remember Tongariro National Park is an active volcanic area, and eruptions can occur with little or no warning.

“The closer people are to the Park’s active volcanic vents, the higher their risk of being exposed to volcanic hazards. Eruptions can occur at any time, we recommend people remain at least 700 metres from Te Wai ā-moe/Crater Lake, and do not camp within 1.5 km of the Lake as a safety precaution.

“Please respect the maunga and familiarise yourself with the volcanic risk info on DOC’s website,” says Connie Norgate.

View a map of the volcanic risk area (PDF, 3,470K)

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