Ngaruhoe from the Saddle, at the entrance of South Crater. Photo NC.

The perfect conical shape of Ngaruhoe bears witness to its young age: 2500 years approximately. As such it can be considered as a lateral vent and cone of Tongariro, albeit by far the largest one.
From this point a track leads steeply to the summit, mostly over the rocky spur visible in the upper left slopes. The altitude gain is approximately 650 m (2132'). Great care should be taken not to knock stones off, as they will travel a long way down the slope, and can create a serious hazard for parties below. The tracks (hardly visible here) in the scree slopes are for coming down: a fun game indeed for those who are able to safely dig their heels in and make their way down in just a few minutes.