Taranaki Falls

Prior to about 9 thousand years ago, the Wairere valley on the northern side of Mount Ruapehu, would have looked much like any other valley on the mountain. But then an eruption from the Summit Plateau area produced a blob of andesite lava that flowed down the valley, partly filling the valley initially, and then draining away. Some of the initial surge of lava cooled and stuck to the sides of the valley, becoming left behind as remnants perched high above the valley floor. The main pulse of lava eventually cooled and froze in the middle of the lower valley, forming a lava lobe that the stream now flows over, forming the waterfall.

On a clear day have a look up valley from the top of the waterfall. Use the annotated photo to identify the different features in the landscape. Can you see the lava remnants on the sides of the valley upstream from the waterfall? Can you see the source of the lava? Why do you think it does not go all the way to the top of Mount Ruapehu? How far did the lava travel from the top of the mountain? Why did it stop here?