Story: Historic volcanic activity

The 1945 eruption of Mt Ruapehu emptied Crater Lake when a plug of semi-solid lava was forced up through the vent into the lake floor, displacing and evaporating the water. In this photograph, climbers view the lava dome from the relative safety of the summit of Paretetaitaonga in August 1945. At this time, most of the ash and steam were being discharged on the eastern side of the crater.