Mount Egmont is an old volcano that is 2518 meters high and very steep. Mount Egmont is snow covered almost the whole year and is a great place for tourists. The summit is climbed hundreds of times a year, mostly climbed on the eastern route. You can do all kinds of different things on the mountain like skiing, climbing, hiking, and tramping. The closest main city to egmont is a city called New Plymouth facing the north side of egmont. The roads to get to the mountain are in Stratford, Elthem, and Egmont Village near New Plymouth.
On the southern slopes of Egmont there is a small peak around 5000ft called Fanthams peak which can be seen from Straford and Openaki facing the Eastern and western slops.
Mount Egmont is a Dormant volcano like Mount St Helens was. Mount St Helens when it erupted grew a knob on the side of the mountain which caused the whole side of the mountain to explode. Mount Egmont has a knob on its side to, Mount Egmont might erupt like St Helens did.
Most people climb Egmont in groups or the climb will not be safe. The mountain is very steep on the western and southern slopes of the mountain. If you want to try and climb up the western slops of the mountain you will need ropes about 3/4 way up the mountain. You will also see that on the western slopes there is not much of a forest because of past eruptions over that side.
There is a round the mountain track called the RTM track where you will walk around the base of the mountain. This is not easy at all. In mid winter the track is covered with snow and very slippery. You will pass parts of the mountain that could kill you even if you simply stop walking, for example, the Boomerang Slip near the Holy Hut on the north face of the mountain.Do not stop walking or you could slide down the slip of a cliff and die. I recomend you do this 4 day trip in the summer time in a group. You will pass Huts to stay at night. Remmember you must be very fit to do things like this on Mount Egmont.
The Western side of the mountain is the most volcanic side. farms facing that side of the mountain have boulders and rocks from past eruptions. Also on that side is bobs knob which is asighn that Egmont could erupt like St Helens did in 1980.

Getting There

First you will need to get to Elthem, New plymouth or stratfored to get to the base of the mountain. when at New Plymouth simply go south to egmont village once there take Egmont road to the base of the mountain.
If you are at stratfored, Take a road called Pembroke road to the base of the mountain.
If you are Elthem, Take the road called Manaia Road to the Dawson falls side.

From wanganui this is how to get to the base of the mountain..

1: Get to Waverly

2: Get to Patea

3: Get to Hawera

4: Next stop is elthem
If its the Dawson falls side you want to go to this is where you want to be. If you dont want to go to Dawson falls side carry on the journey.

5:Next is Stratford if you want to go to the eastern slops.

6: Get to Inglewood

7: Egmont village for if you want to go to the north slops.

If you carry on from that you will be at New Plymouth then Openaki then back to Harwera.

Red Tape

No red tape

When To Climb

The mountain is mostly climbed in the summer time when there is not much snow. Only go up Egmont in winter if you really know what your doing, about 53 people have died on egmont!
If its your first time climbing Egmont do it in the summer time and it would be best to do the climb in a tour group. Also go up the easy east face of the mountain. To do that, you just take the path to the ski lodge, then climb past the ski feild then cross to the right when you get to sharks tooth ( The pointy part at the other side to the summit) then cross through the crater to the summit rock.

Camping

There are huts, lodges, and you can hire tents.
Here are some of the huts on the mountain...

Hooker shelter
Kapuni lodge
Lake dive hut
Oaonui hut
waiaua gorge hut
Kahui hut
Holly hut
Tahurangi lodge
Anderson shelter
Manganui lodge

Tramps

Here are a list of tramps you can do...

NORTH SIDE
veronica track
ngatoro track
kaiauai track
translator road
connett walk
nature walk
mangaoraka walk

EAST SIDE
york track
curtis falls track
curtis ridge track
waingongoro track
Patea walk
kamahi walk
potaema walk

SOUTH SIDE
lake dive round trip
waingongoro round trip

DAWSON FALLS AREA
Kapuni walks
Dawson falls
Wilkies pools
Koninidell walk
kaupokonui round trip walk

WEST SIDE
Lake dive track
Lhaia Track
Kahui track
waiweranui track
Puniho track.

Skiing

The ski feild is on the eastern slopes of Egmont and is very steep. Its quite short but very worth the time.
To get to the ski lodge get to the eastern plateau, from there there is a pathway with a gate infront of the mountain, take that path to the ski lodge. But dont fool around because the pathway is next to a deep gorge. On the way you will go past a Danger sighn followed by tunnel if there is a rock slide. Remmember to not shout or it could cause a rock slide.
East of Mount Egmont is Mount Ruapehu for some of the best skiing in New Zealand.

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