Makaretu and Te Araroa

Perusing the map for weekend possibilities I'm surprised to find what looks like a new chunk of Forest Park. It's possible it was always there and I missed it - it's also possible that its status changed and someone got around to updating the map. Anyway - it has six spot heights and it looks fiendish to navigate - flat and with possibly pretty marginal bush.

It looks like a challenging day or overnighter so I figure to also pick up a cluster of four spots in the foothills behind Levin where Te Araroa briefly exits the bush before heading up to the Main Range. These were a step too far on a previous day trip.

Oh yeah - and the weather forecast is rubbish. The are no rivers but a couple of the streams could get gnarly.


What:     Navigation and spot heighting weekend trip
Where:   Makahika and Makaretu
When:    3 - 4 November 2018
Who:      Solo
Map:

Makahika - around and off Te Araroa 

The wipers are on for most of the drive up, but at least the Waikanae bakery is open for breakfast. There's a very old and battered camper van by the style as I leave the car at 8am. Someone slept here last night judging by the chock under the front wheel - no sign whether they are in residence or not at the moment. I head of across the farm land under steady rain.

Last time through was by headlight (also in the rain) - distances are shorter and I smile at seeing how close to the trail I was when I staggered into a pool full of farm rubbish. The stream crossing I was worried about is a non-event although not as high today.

There's a bit of stock about and a pair of paradise ducks take more umbrage than my presence surely warrants.

A wee camping spot with a long drop marks where the trail starts its transition into the quiet of the bush. It's very pretty here with some lovely groves of ponga. The old tramway is a great platform for the track as it meanders back and forward across the stream. Water drips through the canopy but down here the weather becomes a secondary consideration.

It's the usual challenge to find where to leave the stream and hive up to the first spot height (293). Once on the spur there's a trail with old tape markers which I didn't expect to see - I overshoot the spot height to be sure I've passed it then drop to scramble down a stream to the track.

Where the track crosses the watershed between the Makahika and Mangaore Streams is my signal to follow a stream north and down (pretty good going - no tricky gorges).

The Mangaore is discoloured and up but not an issue. The climb onto the next spur is a bit steep though. I don't see any markers but further up there is a light trail that misses the worst of the supplejack. The odd rewarewa flower on the ground or growing like dark red coral from a black trunk give a clue to the specie of some of the trees. The rain keeps raining.

At 493 the forest looks like every other bit - it's 11am and two down for the day.

493

I blunder back down drifting off the spur a couple of times on the way, then dropping further upstream in an effort to miss the steepest bit (successful). The Mangaore is as brown as before. It keeps raining.

A short way downstream a wee cascade marks the point to start another steep scramble which eases up to 371 - near the top another taped trail crosses my path. I strike a different line down to pick up the track again and start heading out.

As I climb to 370 I'm not 100% sure I'm in the right place (a familiar feeling throughout this weekend). The top is broad, flat and generously supplied with supple jack (also to be familiar). I nominate a lump and call it 370 and take a bearing to get out. If I'm in the wrong place it will drop steadily to a stream; if I'm right I will follow a gentle ridge down into scrub.

I blunder onto another taped track - this one looks like an old logging trail - it's quick going and there are a lot of foot prints. It descends as gently as hoped.

Just as clearings start to appear the tapes head off to the left and start descending - this suits me fine as I suspect there would have been serious gorse ahead.

I lose the trail towards the bottom but the vegetation stays ungorse like. I wade across the stream and join the trail again at the camping spot at the edge of the bush. A fresh set of prints show someone has walked out since I came in - probably slightly unhinged to be out in this weather.

It's 2pm, the campervan is gone, as are the first four spot heights.

The area has better bush than I expected. There are lots of informal trails and plenty of opportunity to wander about off track. No views to speak of though.

Makaretu - tricky navigation and supplejack

With the weather forecast as rubbish as it is, the troop needs some encouraging not to stay in the car and just keep driving for home. Common sense is confined to the glove box and I turn off at Poads Road.

The park by the narrow bridge has the scattering of "bourbon 'n cola" cans associated with the sort of place you don't want to leave your car.

It's almost 2.40pm as I head for Makaretu Stream - overnight-pack sitting comfortably (and more heavily) on my back. The stream is usually no problem but it will be up today and I'm not sure if the gorgy bit will be passable. However, although it is flowing fast and discoloured, a river stick helps with the myriad crossings and there is only one cascade which has me temporarily stumped. (I find a taped route on the way out which bypasses most of the sketchy bit).

The stream route is the way I've been before but it is across private land with a sign warning off hunters (to little apparent affect). I think there must be other access points but haven't investigated. The block of land is the toe of a long ridge that runs into the depths of tiger country. Lots of informal routes but no DOC tracks. With the area regenerating from logging and farming there are flats by the Makaretu stream and clearings that attract hunters.

At 3.15pm I'm at my side stream. A short scramble up and I'm confronted by a 5m waterfall. The pool at the bottom is ale brown with a foam head to match. The true left is impassable so I find a way to clamber up a sharp spur on the true right to rejoin the stream higher up.

The stream is well worth an explore - there are terraces with an old tram route and a good track. I reluctantly leave it to follow a wee stream up to the 'plateau' (not strictly a plateau but relatively flat for the Tararuas).

Not for the last time I know I am in one of two places and little to tell which. It's mucky work following the creek and the top end is choked with rotten logs and supple jack. I work my way up to what I think is point 314 - there are no views and I can't swear I'm not at 311. There is another marked route though.

The bush up here is mixed - lots of ponga groves, some rimu and other tall emergent but mostly mixed forest species in the process of recovering from old clearance. The understory varies from ambling easily over ponga fronds to scrambling over rotten trunks or tangling through vines.

Navigation becomes a series of questions - if I'm here and go in that direction I will see the land do this and if I'm in the wrong place I will see it do that. The land keeps doing 'this' until I get to what I think is 311 by which stage it is getting dim. Meanwhile, the rain rains.

I get a bit muddled after 311 and decide to work it all out in the morning. My chosen spot for the night is on a flat area near a trickle. I find a log and pitch the fly against it, scattering some dry ponga fronds - more for effect than padding.

It rains heavily during the night - I manage to keep dry and try not to think about what may crawl out of the log and into my sleeping bag.

In the morning the rain has stopped but I can't see the sky yet so the jury is out on the weather. The plan is to head norwest to get to the edge of the plateau (and hopefully a view) then follow the edge upwards to the next spot. I drag on sopping clothes and head off about 8.20am.





Home ...

I cross a few other ribboned trails on the way and drop in and out of gullies that may or may not have been on the map. It's all very confusing but eventually my route starts climbing as expected and I figure I have got to 370 (9.30am). There's a well formed track nearby which takes me quickly to a marked clearing and finally I can confidently say I know where I am and I was always around about where I thought I was (if you follow me).

I suspect the trail I found would take you up to Panatawaewae if you were of a mind.

The clearings turn out to be old pasture slowly being eaten by the bush. Pigs evidently find them a good source of nourishment. The day has even got the odd bit of sunlight going on.

Looking back - 370 on the left.

The next spot (415) is going to be a challenge. The land forms are confused and it looks indistinguishable. I reckon I can find it if I sidle along the slope for a while then pop up to the low ridge. It's a bit tricky but this is pretty much what happens - apart from a few false starts and a bit of clambering across unexpected gullies.

There's plenty more opportunities to get involved with supplejack

From 415 there are two spots to go. They are on the way out and are on an intriguing looking ridge.

My bearing takes me towards a creek but I immediately blunder into more tape which is going in approximately the right direction so I follow it. In retrospect, when I finally lost it, I strayed right and dropped into the wrong creek. I find myself sitting at a junction of two streams working out that I am at one of two quite different spots (again).

The choice is simple - climb the hill on the right or the left? I think it is the left - it also happens to be gentler and will more quickly tell me if I'm right or wrong.

Back on the correct ridge I find more markings - possibly the track I lost earlier. In this manner I find myself pottering along a narrow top with a stream in a gully below on each side. I also cross the next spot height (295) and head for the final for the weekend (280).

It feels like the end is in sight - it's a long straight ridge and pretty good going. The trail becomes very well established with a lot of marking and all the indications of having been cleared at various times in the past.  There are at least a couple of points where you could drop norwest into the unnamed stream I came up yesterday.

As the ridge starts dropping the track heads left and I want to go right (1.20pm). There's no trail but it's a pretty straight forward scramble down to a large terrace above Makaretu Stream, and another track.

I'm back at the mouth of the unnamed stream at 1.45pm. The Makeretu is still up but running clearer.




Entrance to unnamed stream

I keep my eyes open on the way down and find some interesting tracks on terraces on the left. Including a long diversion which leads up to the edge of farmland and skips the cascade. I find a way back down to the stream and follow it back across the farmed flats. The day has continued fine but windy. It takes about the same time to get back to the car (40ish minutes) but a lot easier than the trip up stream.

Postscript 

The only thing left to report is that, aside from 10 spot heights down (and 73 to go), myriad informal tracks and trails, and heaps of polythene left by hunters - I stumbled on a hut. I'd heard tell of a ponga hut somewhere in the northern Tararuas but never thought about trying to find it.

There's a few references on the intranet but I couldn't find one with a location - so I'm not 100% sure this is the same one. I'll not make it too easy - if you want to retrace my route (bearing in mind that a chunk of it is estimated on the map) you might find it. Or if I know you I'm happy to divulge.

There's carpet on the dirt floor, plastic walls, some ponga posts and wall cladding, tin roof, potbelly with chimney, a long drop, a bench outside, even old sleeping bags on the beds ... It's rough but dry and comfortable inside.

Wasn't expecting this ....

"The Ponga Whare"