The Great Pinnacle

Starting from the Tongariro National Park Visitor Centre, follow the road up for 150m to the start of the Ridge Track. (Maintained DOC track). Follow the Ridge Track up through the beech forest, until you reach the picnic table. From there, look directly beyond the picnic table for a faint ground trail that will lead you on through the vegetation. Follow this up and you should come across a large rock cairn just as you start to break into some patches.

Upon reaching the cairn you can trend slightly towards the right to run along the right hand side of the faint ridge. This will get you out of the vegetation and into the open dirt and scoria. From here you should start to be able to see the main ridge you are aiming for. Keeping the vegetation on your left side so that you remain in the open, pick your way through whilst gradually traversing up and around to the right hand side of a small knoll.

Once around the knoll you should be heading SSE across a fast flat section, beelining it for the main ridge. Upon gaining the ridge proper you should be able to just follow your nose and remain on or near ridge crest most of the way. Any difficulties can be negotiated by turning on either side of the ridge, generally the western (ski area) side is better. The volcanic rock along the ridge is absolutely marvellous and generally of a solid nature.

The final push to the summit involves some scrambling and easy climbing moves, with plenty of options for managing exposure. Give yourself a few moments to enjoy the spectacular views from the summit of the Great Pinnacle, before retracing your steps and returning the way you came. Some care is certainly required while descending from the summit, but once you get back to the less exposed section of the ridge and back onto the nice soft scoria you can start to open it up and have some fun.