Mount Ruapehu+Tongariro Crossing

crossing mt ruapehu can only be done by experienced people in winter with knowledge of ice axe and crampons. hot springs? you cant soak in the kitetahi hot springs if thats what you mean, its on private land and not permitted by the public do you mean emerald lakes.? they arent hot springs and are toxic and acidic.. you can only visit the lakes, you need to have ice axe and crampons and know how to use them and self arrest to get there esp from mangatepopo. or use a guided company like Adrift to kit you out and take you there. https://www.adriftnz.co.nz/

Go back to Tokanu There is a nice free thermal area to walk through and the termal baths there are nice and fairly cheap. In Oakune there is the Powderhorn hotel that has spa pools for the public at a price No proper hotpools on Ruapeahu except the crater which isnt that warm at the moment and its more like battery acid than soothing water.

even round the mountain track will be difficult freezing level 1400m, will be icy wind up to 70km. wind chill -12 https://www.metservice.com/mountains-and-parks/national-parks/tongariro

I know exactly how you feel TT. That little inner voice is trying to keep you alive. All the regulars here were new to this at one time, and some of us are only here to type replies mainly because we got lucky, when other people we know didn't. Call it survivor bias if you like; so you will tend to get advice on the cautious end of the spectrum, and this is how it should be. But at the heart of this you are looking for adventure, and that means confronting some level of risk. There is no big secret to this, you just need to take on small trips that are manageable, and if the conditions turn, have a straightforward means to retreat from. The way I manage risk in the mountains is to be constantly aware of where my nearest 'point of safety' is. Where is the nearest shelter? What will it take to get there? If I go up this, can I get back down it? How much daylight do I have? What if I slip or hurt myself? There is no perfect answer to any of these questions. If we demand total safety no-one would get out of bed much less head into the hills. But by confronting the hazards, and becoming skilled at balancing all the factors involved is how you get to have a lifetime of rewarding adventures and achievements. The other commenters are right, mid winter at TNP is non-trivial, but you can still poke and prod at the margins of the place, learn a great deal, and with luck maybe it will all come together. My advice usually comes down to this, give it a go with your eyes open to what you are getting into, and never shame yourself if you turn back short of the intended goal.

I dont know how many people are on this forum but I will guess 1000 of which maybe 100 post at least 3 monthly. Even of that 1000 its fair to say that almost all of us are only names to each other with maybe 5 or 6 members knows more than 3 or 4 people here from outside here. To the best of my knowledge I have met no other person from this forum. That means that we have to base our answers on the questions and the information given in the question plus every other comment from the asker. We have to err on the side of caution. Assume for a moment that you got asked about doing the same trip by someone who stated limited knowledge what answer you would give. If you were to say yeak go for it you can always turn back or use a beacon then in the news the day after tomorrow you here about a fatality up there. I doubt you real name is Turtle traveler and even if the name of the dead person was given you wouldnt know it was the same person. How would you feel as all things would suggest you encouraged someone to do something and it cost them their life. We all know that and dont want to be in that position. Sometimes we sound hard but the outdoors can be less forgiving