Over hills and vales...the Waimangu Volcanic Valley

After a night of torrential rainfall (its gotta be monsoon season here) there was a glimpse of blue in the sky Sunday morning and I thought I'd tempt fate and head to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley...silly me...

You start out at the top of the ridge and descend into the valley...here is a view of Echo Crater and Frying Pan Lake from the hillside. I love the steaminess!

Here you have Frying Pan Lake up close, and looking up at Cathedral Rocks below...

But as you can see, it was quickly clouding over...turns out that just increases the steaminess!

Inferno Crater...with a temperature of 300 degrees F and a pH of 2.1, I don't think I'll go swimming in that one!
Crossing the marble terraces...

On the way to Lake Rotomahana
Where there were a ton of black swans!
So, another soggy but pretty cool day.