Amanda waits for the 2pm summer
sunshine whilst overlooking the
Park River, 300 metres below.

Wellington Anniversary Weekend meant an opportunity to have a slightly longer trip in the Tararuas than the usual weekend, and we used it to visit the middle part of the main range, beginning from Otaki Forks and ending at Poads Road near Levin. The forecast leading up to the weekend was uninspiring, suggesting several large splodges of rain would position themselves all over the lower North Island, especially on Saturday, but perhaps clearing a little after that. There was no forecast of strong wind and we went ahead with the plan, but somehow boasting about a lack of strong wind didn’t convince my work-mates not to laugh at me when I left to visit the Tararuas on Friday night.

Dates: 22nd – 25th Jaunary, 2010 (Wellington Anniversary Weekend)
Location: Tararua Forest Park, Otaki Forks to Poads Road.
People: Amanda, Richard, Tim and me.
Huts visited: Waitewaewae Hut (0 nights), Nichols Hut (1 night), Dracophyllum Biv (0 nights), Te Matawai Hut (1 night), South Ohau Hut (0 nights).
Route: Walk up Saddle Creek and camp on the plateau, then past Waitewaewae Hut and over Shoulder Knob to Nichols Hut for the next night. Then to Te Matawai Hut via Pukematawai, and out to Poads Road via the South Ohau River.
[Photos]
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We left a van at Otaki Forks a little after 8pm, intending to swap it with another group on their way along Oriwa Ridge. A few others had signed the intentions book so we weren’t the only people braving the rain, but most going elsewhere. The only people who’d written about going our way, up towards Waitewaewae, having left earlier in the afternoon, had abruptly scribbled out their plans for a 4 day trip and written OUT. Apparently they’d changed their mind for some reason.

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Until now I hadn’t climbed a real mountain in any real sense, so I spent several weeks looking forward to tagging along on a trampey club alpine trip to Mt Travers, in Nelson Lakes, to see what was involved. The intended route wasn’t too technical for my recent snowcraft training, and Sharron (the organiser) was nice enough to let me join in.

Our plan was something I wasn’t completely used to. Until now I’d spent most of my time tramping rather than climbing, and tramps (at least within the club) tend to have an emphasis on trying not to visit the same place twice, if at all possible. Thus it felt strange to suddenly be embarking on an adventure where the stated goal was simply to get to the top of something and get back again.

Sunday morning.

Dates: 10th – 13th October, 2008
Location: Nelson Lakes National Park, Lake Rotoiti.
People: Sharron, David, Marie, John, Lorraine and me.
Huts visited: Coldwater Hut (0 nights), John Tait Hut (2 nights).
Route: Water taxi from St Arnaud to Coldwater Hut on Saturday morning, then walk to John Tait Hut. Climb to summit of Mt Travers on Sunday via Summit Creek basin, then back to John Tait Hut. Walk back to Coldwater Hut on Monday and return via water taxi.
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Having arrived via the evening ferry sailing and a shuttle to St Arnaud (courtesy of Nelson Lakes Shuttles), we stayed at the Kerr Bay campground, alongside the two club Medium-rated trips who were aiming for Lake Angelus. The only disturbance overnight was a loud thump at 5am — the consequence of a certain person from our group happening to roll off a nicely prepared (but narrow) make-shift bed. Even though nobody else had been considerate enough to sleep in exactly the right place to break the fall, there was no serious injury. As the stars slowly faded from the night sky, a single bellbird woke a noisy chorus of echoing bellbirds, and morning had arrived.

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Sam, Paul and Harry with a
dead leatherwood campfire.

As far as club trips were concerned there were several out this weekend. Paul C was organising a relatively ambitious trip over to Dundas Hut, Bronwyn was heading to Roaring Stag Lodge, and Paul J was going up to Herapai (before later deciding to beat Bronwyn to Roaring Stag and snatch the best bunks). For ourselves, we planned to head along Cattle Ridge, which I hadn’t done before and was personally looking forward to.

Dates: 9th – 11th May, 2008
Location: Tararua Forest Park, Putara Road End to Ruamahanga Gorge Road.
People: Sam, Paul, Marie H, Marie S, Jen, Harry, Enrique and me.
Huts visited: Roaring Stag Lodge (0 nights), Cattle Ridge Hut (1 night).
Route: Putara Road to Roaring Stag (via track), up to Cattle Ridge Hut, along Cattle Ridge and down to Cow Saddle, then back to Raumahanga Gorge Road via the Ruamahanga River Track.
[Photos and Videos]

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Socks at Waipakihi Hut.

In the past I’ve tended to overlook the Kaimanawas. Driving along the desert road, the mountainous areas of Tongariro National Park on the other side have usually grabbed my attention, whereas legends of wild horses in the Kaimanawas give the impression of them being a rather large, publicly-owned pet food factory. Wellington Anniversary Weekend was a good introduction which challenged my perceptions, and I discovered I was wrong before the trip even began. Contrary to my former impressions, I found that much of the Kaimanawa Range is privately owned. I was going to start this report with some background information about the private land issue in the range, but I decided to post that part separately after it became a bit long.

Dates: 18th-21st January, 2008
Location: Kaimanawa Forest Park, Urchin Road-End.
People: Craig, Ruth, Paul, John, Mike and me.
Huts visited: Waipakihi Hut (1 night).
Intended route: Begin at the Urchin road-end, walk over Urchin to the Waipakihi River, up Motutere and around Middle Range past Thunderbolt, down to Waipakihi Hut for the night. Then out to the Umukarikari road-end via the Umukarikari Range, camping somewhere.
Actual route: Over Urchin and up the Waipakihi River to the hut, back over Te Hiwiokaituri Ridge and back down to the river before camping overnight, then out over Urchin.
[Photos]

This was a trip of altimeter arguments, contradicting and incorrect weather forecasts, and a high quantity of photographs of varying quality. In fact, the trip was so much about altimeter arguments and taking photographs that I couldn‘t possibly do those topics justice, so I won’t spend much time mentioning them from here on.

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The main aim of this medium-related club trip was for everyone to be able to sip lattes, except for Sam who wanted a bottle of L&P and a steak pie. To get there, though, we first needed to negotiate Tregear Spur.

Dates: 21st – 23rd September, 2007
Location: Tararua Forest Park, Otaki Region.
People: Sam, Alistair, Sarah, Stijn, Marie, Louise, Glynne, and me.
Huts visited: Field Hut (1 night), Kime Hut (0 nights).
Intended route: Otaki Forks to Field Hut (Friday night), up to Kime Hut on Saturday, then down Tregear Spur (above Tregear Creek) to Tregear Creek. Walk alonk the river to Waiotauru Forks. Camp somewhere on Saturday night, follow the track back to Otaki Forks, acquire van and drive to Coastlands. Buy Lattes.
Items lost: One wristwatch, one large air-mattress, one walking pole, and one ring.
Related bits: Stijn also wrote a trip report about this weekend.
[Photos]

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I’ve adapted and expanded this report from the one that I wrote for the April 2007 WTMC newsletter, rather than try to write the same thing twice.

Beneath the forest canopy of High Ridge is an emerald green, full of luscious moss, and sparkly glints of delightful photographic happiness. According to our experience, it also rains lots on weekends.

Dates: 16th – 18th March, 2007
Location: Tararua Forest Park
Drowned Rats: Christine, Paul, Danniel, Mike.
Drowned Cat: Marie.
Huts visited: Holdsworth Lodge (1 night), Totara Flats (1 night), Powell Hut (0 nights), Mountain House (shelter, 0 nights).
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