OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF YOUNG ADULT AUTHOR MARSH MYERS
  • Home
  • About Marsh
  • Books
  • Articles
    • Reading and Writing
    • Pop Culture
    • Storytelling
  • Events
Picture
 BACK TO POP CULTURE

​
September 23, 2017

​If you really want to experience what trudging to Mordor must’ve been like for Sam and Frodo, then a visit to the Tongariro National Park on New Zealand’s north island is essential.

There’s a reason Peter Jackson chose this area to represent Sauron’s infernal homeland.

​Like much of New Zealand, the park is volcanically active with three impressive peaks, Mount Tongariro, Mount Ngauruhoe and Mount Ruapehu lined up in a neat row and all visible on a clear day. The chaos bubbling beneath the surface has created a primeval feel above — producing a craggy, semi-barren landscape swept by cold westerly winds and often covered in snow and ice. The weather is as unpredictable as the tectonics, with both rain and snow possible year round. Indeed, the park is simultaneously beautiful and hostile and I guarantee it’ll quicken your pulse and shorten your breath.
Other Articles in the Series
  • Paradise on Middle Earth
  • Workshop of Wonders
During the production of the first trilogy, the volcanoes were used extensively. The central peak, Mount Ngauruhoe, may be familiar to fans of the movies as its conical outline was the basis for the fictional Mount Doom. The northernmost peak, Mount Ruapehu, was the backdrop for a variety of shots, including the opening battle in Fellowship of the Ring where Isildur cuts the One Ring from the hand of Sauron. This is also the place where the traumatized Fellowship briefly rests after escaping the mines of Moria, having lost Gandalf in the process. 

Our Fellowship visited the park in late October, at the tail end of spring in the southern hemisphere and well before the tourist season had begun. Aside from the visitor’s center and a single restaurant, none of the amenities were open and we wandered around in relative, wonderful isolation. The air was extremely dry and a blisteringly cold wind increased in intensity as we headed up the slopes of Mount Ruapehu. Unless your car’s properly equipped, you’ll have to stay below the year-round snow line but you can still travel high enough to give you an amazing view of the other peaks, the little village of Whakapapa and the massive volcanic plain which stretches as far as the eye can see. 

We parked on the side of the road and despite our chattering teeth, spent a good deal of time exploring the volcanic hodgepodge of dark reds, browns and black. There were no trees here, only tiny scrub and bunch grasses which pushed their way through the cracks in the terrain. It was among this desolation that all of us symbolically tossed our replicas of the One Ring (which I had gifted to everyone prior to leaving Los Angeles) onto the ground. It was as close as we’d get — or would want to get — to Mordor. 
If you visit Tongariro, here’s some advice. If go off-season like we did, your food and drink options are extremely limited and very expensive so take your own. Also, layer your clothing. While we were in T-shirts on the valley floor, the temperature changed rapidly based on our elevation and the vagaries of the local weather. Finally, bring sturdy shoes. If you plan to take even a short nature walk along the slopes of Mount Doom, you won’t find any of it easy as the terrain is all volcanic, very rugged and very sharp. Regardless, it’s well worth the effort.​
Workshop of Wonders
Here's why touring the WETA Workshop in Wellington, New Zealand, should be must-see for any Lord of the Rings fan.
Paradise on Middle Earth
Visit the  Hobbiton movie set on the north island of  New Zealand and you'll probably never want to go home again...
The Hobbit Trilogy at Ten Years
It's been a decade since Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy began to hit theaters. Looking back with fresh eyes, were the movies better than originally thought?
Welcome to the Jundland Wastes
In the 1990s, Star Wars fans rediscovered in Tunisia the long forgotten sets and props from the original film. Star Wars tourism was born — until certain realities set in.
Getting Over Game of Thrones
Regardless of how you felt about the series conclusion, it wasn't your call and it's time to move on with life.
What's Your Role in Role-Playing Games?
Decades after I last played, I ventured back into the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Here's why I fell in love with RPGs.
READ MORE ABOUT IT ON BOOKSHOP.ORG
​
On select pages throughout this website, you will find book recommendations related to the feature above. Purchase a title on Bookshop.org and help support independent booksellers and authors.
Tolkien 4 book boxed set
The complete four-book set of the greatest fantasy epic of all time: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit.
Buy on bookshop
The Making of Middle Earth
This volume is perhaps the most in-depth exploration ever undertaken of Tolkien's world. Fully illustrated.
Buy on bookshop
Understanding the Lord of the Rings: The Best of Tolkien Criticism
Fans and scholars alike will appreciate these important, insightful, and timely pieces on Tolkien's work. 
Buy on bookshop
LOTR Cookbook
Over 60 Hobbit-inspired recipes for Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, Luncheon, Tea, etc.
Buy on bookshop
LOTR Knitting Book
Experience the magic of knitting in the first-ever Lord of the Rings knitting guide with 25+ patterns.
Buy on bookshop
Friendship in The Lord of the Rings
This book analyses how friendship in Tolkien's seminal work contributes to the success of his character.
Buy on bookshop
The Fall of Númenor: And Other Tales from the Second Age of Middle-Earth
J.R.R. Tolkien's writings on the Second Age of Middle-earth, with illustrations by renowned artist Alan Lee.
Buy on bookshop
The Silmarillion [Illustrated Edition]: Illustrated by J.R.R. Tolkien
A special edition of the forerunner to The Lord of the Rings, illustrated in color by J.R.R. Tolkien himself.
Buy on bookshop
HOME  |   ABOUT MARSH  |  BOOKS  |  ARTICLES  |  EVENTS
Linktree for Marsh Myers  |  Send email
Conditions of Use  |  Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2023 by Marsh Myers. All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About Marsh
  • Books
  • Articles
    • Reading and Writing
    • Pop Culture
    • Storytelling
  • Events