This weekend I have designed a cunning plan to explore an area to the east of Maungahuka. The area is relatively remote requiring a bit of dedication to get through in a weekend and the Waiohine river is somewhat gorgish meaning it's steepish and escape routes could be limited. The intended route is a little complicated in places and should be a good navigation challenge.
What: Navigation and spot-height trip
When: 24-26 November 2017
Where: Maungahau Stream and Muir Creek
Who: Solo
Map:
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| Tiger country - bits on marked trails largely omitted |
In order to get a head start on the weekend I head up to Otaki forks after work on Friday. A little after 8pm I'm about to set out when the damp state of my pack leads to suspicions about my camel back's level of commitment. Just in case, I slip an empty iced coffee bottle into my pack.
There's no particular hurry up the hill as it will be well dark by the time I get to Kime Hut. I take the time to pick off spot height 455 which turns out to be in a series of grassy clearings off the track up Judd Ridge just before you get to the bush proper.
The sky above Kapakapanui is pink and a few hills in the north are catching the last of the sun. Soon after getting into the forest the head torch becomes necessary. The evening is mild and the track good, a morepork signals that it's hunting time and disdains my clumsy response.
At Field Hut (just before 10) there is a chap ensconced for the night and we chat briefly while I fill in the log.
Above Field, the climb reveals the distant orange lights of towns and cities like embers on the horizon. It remains calm and mild. At 11:20 there are no lights on at Kime Hut but there are packs in the foyer so I quietly sort myself out in the entrance before sneaking in to find a bed.
In the morning my hut companions turn out to be a small group of older members of the Palmerston North Tramping Club. They're heading back down to the forks so are in no hurry and I'm first out the door around 6:40.
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| Looking south west from Hut Mound Kapakapanui with Kapiti Island behind - just to right of centre |
There's a high overcast but the hills are clear, the day is warm and the wind light. The sound of Hector Stream drifts out of the valley on the right as I head north up the main range. Looking back at one point tiny figures are just discernible inching down Judd Ridge towards Dennan. Too far away to bother waving.
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| From near Bridge Peak looking up the main range |
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| Cheerful tramper just after setting out |
It's been dry in the hills and even the usually soggy parts of the track are firm. I pause frequently to take advantage of the view and identify ridges and spurs I have and have not traveled.
The ladder before Maungahuka is the iconic and legendary feature of this part of the range. The legend stemming from the days when trampers navigated the Tararua peaks with the aid of what was little better than a chain or a vertical Taranaki gate. This time I take a moment to clamber the few meters to the top of the first peak as it is a marked spot height. I also pause for a few photos in another fruitless attempt at capturing the sense of the place. It's about 9 so about 2:20 hrs to get this far.
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| From the first peak contemplating the next top of ladder just below shot (left of middle) |
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Maungahuka marks the first diversion into unknown territory. Pt 1068 is on the long flat topped spur running south that is visible on the approach to the Tararua Peaks. There's a tarn marked on the map and my water is getting low (despite the coffee flavoured back-up) so I potter down. There are indications that it has been travelled before including some pigtail fence standards that don't seem to mark anything in particular. My guess is they're from hunters that have helicoptered into Maungahuka Hut.
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| South side of the Tararua peaks from spur |
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| Remains of a tarn |
It's clear all the way to pt 1068 with a few clumps of stunted beech. An old, unused shotgun cartridge indicates who normally visits these parts - looking at the map you could probably find a way down to the Hector Stream from here but given the contours you would want to pick the route carefully.
On the hot slog back up to the ridge, the view of the Tararua Peak's is familiar in a backwards sort of way. There are a couple of tarns which in the current conditions are completely non-potable without treatment. At the top the heat and dry are catching up and I have to take a long lie down in the tussock - it's just before 11:00 and the spur has taken almost an hour and a half. I consider pulling the plug but in the end elect to continue on plan to the bushline and re-evaluate in the shade.
The track down (then up) to Concertina Knob is well formed and marked. The bush is dry with mosses and ferns crisped from the heat. I have another long sit down in the shade and think through the options deciding in the end to carry on.
Concertina knob at 12:20 and there's a bit of a foot trail heading north east away from the main track in the desired direction, there are a couple of old markers near the top but these seem to peter out or head off somewhere else (Hector Forks maybe?). The navigation is tricky with the spur meandering and often not that well defined. I'm relying heavily on the altimeter.
During a pause for a call of nature a deer roars from just over the ridge and starts coming closer. I have been following an animal trail and wonder what sort of target a trouser tangled tramper will present to a large stag. With decorum hastily restored I roar back and we continue to happily shout at each other, although he starts heading off down slope suggesting that he is either intimidated by my Cervidae masculinity or slightly disturbed by the weird noises following him down the ridge.
At 2:00 I've dropped to 700m where there's a flattish top and an scrubby clearing that proves difficult to navigate with bush lawyer and no discernible trail under a hot sun. This is no place to be caught without a shirt so I drop east off the spur and sidle to pick it up again where it splits and heads east. This takes me down to pt 492 (the object of this part of the exercise) where I suck the last of my carefully hoarded, coffee flavoured water. It's 3:00.
This bit should be interesting. The Waiohine is marked as entering a gorge and I intend to find a way
down to the confluence with the Maungahuka stream without getting bluffed. It is one of those situations where the plan is pushing the resolution of the map - it's clearly steep but there could be a gully that will get me within sidling distance of the top end of a gorge. It proves to be reasonably straight forward through open bush albeit steep with scree underfoot. I end up following a wee creek that drops out right beside the gorge taking half an hour from 492.
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| Arrival at Waiohine Foot of Middle Spur top left |
The sight of the deep green pools of the Waiohine is very welcome and the Maungahuka stream provides an opportunity to suck up plenty of water and replenish stocks.
The confluence is a funny spot - above and below, the Waiohine flows between steep rocky sides but here it is briefly open. I suspect more people come through here by the river route than by foot. I'm keeping an eye on pacing myself against the clock so don't pause for a swim and start up the foot of Middle Spur. Normally a named spur will have obvious trails but I can't say as I noticed anything more than animal trails which come and go. The forest along the flat top of the spur is open and easy travel through spot height 668 (4:50).
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| Maungahuka stream from right, Waiohine disappears into gorge to left arrival point from spur to right of gorge |
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| Last look at Waiohine River before heading up spur |
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| Pt 668 and a slightly less cheerful tramper |
I found reference on the intranet to someone else following my route through here - dropping to Muir Creek from the small saddle west of pt 668. There is no indications of trail that I can see though. It's the usual scramble down through the bush with the bottom of the slope liberally inhabited by nettles (15 minutes to creek from 668).
In the wee creek it is a 50/50 call whether to go slightly up or down stream to find a spur to follow up. I head up a little way up and find a way onto a steep spur with lots of windfall. It's hard going and again no sign of previous use. At about 880m I sidle across a dry gully (i.e. scramble through rotting deadfall) to reach the next spur and follow down to 885. Finally, a ground trail here.
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| A slightly grim tramper at pt 885 |
At last, it is time to turn and head up to Aokaparangi Hut - at 7:00 it feels like I might actually reach the comfort of a hut for the night. I plod up following anything that resembles a trail and eventually reach the bush edge in clag. The hut isn't in sight but by following the bush line up to the right it eventually comes into view 40 minutes after leaving 885.
Despite travelling the ridge above on more than a few occasions I have never bothered to drop the 200m to this hut. It has been described as a biv so I have always pictured it as a small, slightly shabby and very cosy affair. However, it looks very trim in DOC green paint and despite having just two beds there is good space inside and you could cram a few extras in.
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| Aokaparangi Hut |
It's also clean and dry - I crawl onto the bunk and have a sleep before rousing enough to cook dinner.
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| The penny stove does its thing |
After breakfast, the results of yesterday's stress is still apparent so the plan is to just follow the main range out. I head out at 6:40.
The clag is close about the hills but I figure that rather than climb to the ridge I will sidle to where the track drops from the peak to follow the range south. I don't really recommend this unless the visibility is good as you are in for a bit of a struggle if you go too low.
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| Islands in the mist the lumps on the main range south |
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| Clearing ... |
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| Clearing ... |
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| Clearing ... ? |
The clag comes and goes all morning so there is little view for a start and the only thing of note is a couple of chaps who stayed the night at Maungahuka.
As the morning develops the west clears but the clag in the east does it's best to colonise, flowing across the ridge to drift away in the light air wafting up from the Otaki River.
Maungahuka Hut passes (8:50) then the ladder (9:15) before the long lumpy ridge to Bridge Peak with the sound of the Hector stream drifting up from the cloud (again) the marker of progress.
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| Maungahuka Hut |
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| A tiny, tiny ladder |
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| Battle of the clag - looking north up range |
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| Leatherwood busy creating more leatherwood |
On the last climb to Bridge Peak the sun is out and hammering down so it's slow work with the reward of a long sit in the tussock at the top to look at the clouds and views (11:35).
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| Main range from Bridge Peak - the clag is winning |
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| Bridge Peak down Judd ridge to Otaki Gorge and the forks in the distance |
The last planned bit of business for the weekend is to divert onto Table Top on the way down to pick up the spot height there. Another one of those spots that I have never bothered to visit in anticipation of better views to be had further up the ridge. It's about 12:30 and I waste a bit off time thinking there might be a short cut north west off the knob - there isn't.
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| From Table Top - Bridge peak in cloud Dennan just touching the ceiling |
This part of the main trail is often busy with people taking advantage of the good track, two huts and great views for short weekend and long day trips. A couple coming up stop for a chat and clearly have some experience as they enquire about, and appreciate the description of my weekend's doings. They're popping up to Table Top for the view.
At Field a party of four are preparing to head down and confirm that Kime Hut was packed last night with many in Field Hut too. I bump into two more coming up as I descend to the forks.
It's baking hot by the time I get to the bottom (2:00) and it's a race of heat against laziness as I try to avoid the need to stop and don sun screen. The picnic area by the Waiotauru is busy with families having lunch and mucking about in the river.
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