Tawhero

Tawhero is a tree (similar to kamahi).  And also a minor hill (981m) between the Ruamahanga and Makakahi catchments to the south of Kaipororo (near Mt Bruce on the east side of the Tararua range) - it's not the objective of the exercise today but is the only named point for this trip. 

This will be my third (and probably last) visit to the catchment. This first time ended with a salient lesson in navigation and a little too exciting exit down the swollen Makakahi river. The second time was just a few weeks back.  This time I'm aiming to explore some spots on the south side above the Ruamahanga, and pick up the spur I missed first time around.

What:    Navigation and spot-heighting daytrip
Where:  Kaipororo area - north eastern Tararuas
When:   1 September 2018
Who:     Solo
Map:

Tawhero in the scheme of things

A day in the bush - purple line is a previous, somewhat eventful trip

A van is already at the road end and a ute pulls up as I'm getting ready - first time I've seen anyone here. A pack of dogs leap out and set about being dogs - investigating all things sniffable and generally larking about. I quickly work out he is heading across the river whereas I have designs up river - so we won't get in each other's way.

I haven't put my boots on for a good month and am somewhat put out to discover that a dead mouse has taken up residence. This explains the whiff in the car and interest from one of the dogs. It's cloudy and cool but not looking like rain.

At 7.25am I head up the well-formed road and past the gate.  It's quick work to get to the end of the trails marked on the map. I took some photos and noted timing on the way back so here's some gratuitous pictures to prove it.

Gate at end of public road 

5 minutes later, turn right to cross a wee stream in a culvert

2 minutes later - beehives. Cross the turn-around
area and keep heading up track

After a parking area with beehives the track soon turns sharp left and dives up hill.  I want to go up river not uphill, so smash down through regrowth.  It's mixed going with some old forestry tracks which come and go and the odd overgrown fence.  (On the way out I note that an old trail runs off before the beehives - this would be the smart pick if you are going up river).

2 minutes later - track heads left, steeply up hill

25 minutes from the car I've crossed the creek I struggled down last time and started up the spur.  It took a lot longer to get to the carpark from here last time in the dark with the river up.

The bottom of the spur has some clearings and is a bit scrubby but I have no problems working my way up.  At about 530m (8.10am) saplings give way to large trees and a decent canopy. There's a few signs of foot traffic other than animals, and every now and again an odd bit of pink tape.

Bottom of spur

530m (looking down spur)

The going is so good that I'm on Tawhero (981) by 0930. This is where I overshot last time (coming along the ridge from the west) and ended up dropping into a creek. This time I'm a little more practiced and have no troubles working along the ridge to spot-height 957 (9.55am).

Despite what the map says, this is where the scrub starts. There's a lot more view than last time - the ridge line around the Makakahi catchment is clear, and occasional streaks of snow mark the peaks on the ranges to the west - what's visible of them as a norwester is pushing a mound of cloud onto the range. South, I'm looking straight up the stream below Blue Range Hut to Te Mara with the invisible Ruamahanga somewhere in between.

I can also clearly see my next spur departing due south from the ridge towards the river, 600m or so  below.  It would be pretty tricky to find in clag but there is a little knoll to the east of 962 that marks where to turn. The scrub is one of the more benign forms with odd trails meandering through.

From 957 

There's a short bit of scrub to break through but I am soon on a well shaped spur heading down. The forest is beautiful with tall mature trees. It's generally easy to follow with a good ground trail. Much better than the spur through to the west via 811. A couple of deer keep ahead of me for a short distance before drifting off the side of the spur.

After the second long flat section I reach 640 and take a bearing to dive off the side of the spur eastwards. This bit could be tricky - the map shows a steepish drop into a narrow stream. It turns out to be okay; through reasonably open bush and I hit the stream 15 minutes later pretty much bang on where I was aiming. It's about 11.25am.










It's a good sized wee creek, clear but mossy and slippery in the narrow valley. I pick may way carefully pausing for a spot of lunch.

There's little to choose from in terms of routes up to 865. For the sake of aesthetics I take what looks to be a shapely wee spur. Again - easy, open bush and arriving at 12.40.

865 - or it could be pretty much anywhere else really

After a breather at 865 the ridge line has a nice trail most of the time.  Just past 865 (10 minutes or so) there's a perfect wee rocky outcrop looking south and west - it demands another stop to admire the view.  There's plenty of time and the day has cleared.

The second to last spot-height (783) is a bit scrubby - you get a view if you stand on tip toes.  From here I want to pop down to 670 - there isn't a well defined spur and a promising ground trail disappears. I drop too far right and have to regain height.  650 is a pleasant spot for a final breather with some lovely big trees, I rest with my back against a massive rimu and suck down some of my carefully hoarded water. At 2.05pm it's nice to be relaxed about time.

650 and rimu

You would expect to see signs of people as there are old logging trails marked on the map further down the spur and this is an obvious way to the ridge. The trail back up slope to 783 isn't that clear though. Still, up is not a hard direction to follow.

With the spot-heights for the day all safely in the bag I have my sights set on the car now.  The spur down from 783 has a strong trail and is easy going with long flat sections.  I follow the compass and eventually when it starts to drop again pick a spot to angle down and join a marked forestry trail at 2.55pm.  This proves to be a tunnel through spindly regrowth but reasonably clear and quick.

Forestry track

The trail eventually reaches an area with pines and drops rapidly. Some parts are overgrown but in general it is pretty easy to find your way.  At the bottom I am quietly pleased to pop out exactly where I thought I'd be - at the end of the trail from the beehives and it's just before 3.10pm. Wandering along the road there's no sign that anyone else has been along today - a quail explodes from a tree as I approach, a kereru labours into the air and the odd tui flits by.

At a little past 3.15pm it is an unprecedentedly early time to be finishing - and so much more comfortable than sploshing along the road in the dark and the rain.

Postscript

This was a surprisingly pleasant trip.  A nice distance to bite off in a day and you don't need to do the silly bits to pick up the spot-heights to the south of the ridge.  There is a bit of manky pine and regrowth in the opening and closing sections, but the bush is delightful with some large trees and cathedral like sections.  The scrub is a bit miserable in bad weather but no real challenge today.

I suspect few people wander around the south slopes above the Ruamahanga because you have the gorges to contend with. All up - well worth an explore and good navigation practice.