Tararua double crossing

There are many classic traverses of the Tararuas; the length of the main range, the Southern Crossing, various mid-range options and many themes and variations on north-range crossings.

Easter provides four days for exploration - the autumnal weather and impending roar introducing interesting wildcards. I have my eye on crossing east-west via the craggy Bannister ridge, returning along the well-traveled Tarn Ridge (with a number of diversions of course).

Before you notice that I didn't fully cross to the other side (the west) ... I admit I didn't take the extra few hours to head downstream from South Ohau Hut to the western park boundary. The climb and crossing of the tops is the challenge I was after - adding the stream section would just have been tedious.


What:     There and back northern crossing of the Tararua main range, plus spot-heighting
Where:   In at Kiriwhakapapa, cross Bannister Ridge, return via Tarn Ridge to Mikimiki
When:    Easter 2018 (30 March - 2 April)
Who:      Solo
Maps:

Large scale

Start and finish

The middle bits

It's dark at Kiriwhakapapa. A bit north of Masterton, this is one of the tidier road ends with shelter, toilet block and smooth grass for camping. Brother number one has (again) kindly offered to do the pick-up and drop-off as I will be exiting at the next road end south (Mikimiki). At the last moment he offers me a reflective vest as the roar is about to start and not getting shot is fairly high on my priority list.

Another party is gearing up - four plus a dog. They are heading to Arete Hut too and joke that they'll race me for the bunks (two only) then say they have tents so no worries. I'm hoping I'll get beyond Arete but it's my first decision point.

7am I head out by head torch. The track up to Blue Range hives off immediately into a Redwood groove but (as usual) there is a spot-height I want to pick up. So I follow the old logging tramway bench south west by a creek until a loop track crosses the creek and climbs onto the foot of a spur. I leave this track to push up through sparse undergrowth and a bit of supplejack to pt 510. The dawn sun angles in between the hills to scatter orange light across the tree trunks.

Dawn

It's a pretty easy climb to join the main track at about 760m to arrive at the ridge track at 8.45.  Judging from marks on the track the other party have been through already.

Blue Range is part of the series of hills that I think of as the eastern foothills of the Tararuas. They are flanked on the west by the rivers (Ruamahanga, Waingawa, Atiwhakatu, Waiohine, Tauherenikau) and the Wairarapa plains to the east. They offer a lot of below bushline offtrack exploration.

Today I follow the track over the top and towards the descent to the Waingawa River, pausing at the odd window that gives views to the tops. I catch up with the other party just before the descent. The day is promising to be clear and hot.

End of Table Ridge

The party are intending to drop to the river then climb to Cow Saddle but decide to follow my lead down a spur directly to the Saddle.  Fortunately it goes smoothly (happy to get myself lost but wouldn't like to be responsible for doing it to others). I'm aware that the route is traveled and there does turn out to be some old markers and a bit of a foot trail but it isn't always that obvious.

There's a couple of lasses that are new vets in Dargaville and their blokes. The lass with the dog seems to be the experienced one with a fair amount of tramping and climbing down south under her belt.

A bit after 10.30 I leave them in the saddle after pointing where to drop to the creek for a top up. The saddle here is broad and shelves gently to the north east (Ruamahanga), there's a couple of tents off the track - a reminder that there will be a few people about because of Easter.

The day is decidedly hot now and I am regretting opting for a bushshirt as I sweat my way up - it will be hotter on the open tops. There's still more windfall on the track than there really should be on a marked route. The wee stream crossing near the bushline is barely trickling today.

Waingawa River

At less than 1000m the bushline is low. The last piece of shade prompts a pause to lose the bush-shirt (retaining the fluoro-vest) and slather on sunscreen. Onwards and upwards.

Apart from the odd fluffy cloud this is the sort of day where you get to identify more and more of the surrounding landscape as the vistas open up with your ascent. I'm most keen to study Table Ridge (which I will be traversing on Monday) and, when they come into view, Bannister Ridge (today) and Tarn Ridge (Sunday).

Table Ridge

There's a few deer barks drifting up from the slopes to the south of Waingawa but I'm more focused on the view so get a hell of a fright when a head pops out of a shrub and whispers a greeting. A hunter is guiding a couple of his mates to stalk a stag just off the north of this spur. He has a sawn-off  soft drink bottle and uses it to give a few roars - prompting a response from the gully. They are the owners of the tents in the saddle and have already got one deer this morning. At midday he reckons it's getting a bit hot and the deer will be heading back into the scrub to rest up, but this one is worth a crack.

I watch for a while before continuing up and leaving them to it - reaching Cattle Ridge about 12.30.

Waingawa - left. Ridge to Bannister runs right

Waingawa itself is an easy wander up. There's a modest tarn on the way up and a larger one near the top but I'm past both before I see them and can't be bothered heading back to top up from the brown looking water. It's a bit surprising that the larger one isn't marked on the map (I had been alerted to this).

From Waingawa I'm expecting it to get interesting. The ridge is reportedly fairly lumpy with some rocky scrambles - it's supposed to take about 4 hours to travel the approx 3km to the main range.  To the left (south) steep spurs and faces drop to Arete Stream up to 800m below (potential exit routes and a hut). On the right, the remote and rugged headwaters of the Ruamahanga River (gorges, no hut and not recommended).

After a while, a fluro pink dot indicates the party of four is weaving their way down through the tussock off Waingawa. A couple of times a bark drifts my way on the breeze. I hear later that the dog was fine most of the time but freaked out on one climb so they had to find a bypass on the north side of the ridge.

Overall the route is straight forward. It's quite physical with lots of up and down and there are about four hand-over-hand sections where you know you have to be careful, but they are generally pretty short. For those of a nervous disposition there are options to scramble through scrub and up gullies on the north face to avoid the climbs.

Although it starts hot, I notice that the clouds are starting to gather in the west. However, running out of water is the more immediate issue.

Climbing to the point before 1513 I see some heads peeking over the horizon above - 5, no 6 deer line the ridge and are gazing down at me with ears perked. They watch for minutes while I swelter upwards, one is a stag with a fairly modest rack. Finally, a hind barks and the heads swing around to follow her down and away.

At the top there is a large and very fresh wallow - a lovely way for a hot deer to cool down. The deer themselves have disappeared down into Bannister Basin and are nowhere to be seen. Later, a hunter tells me that deer will frequently create wallows, including below the bushline. And all this time I have been blaming pigs.

About now I notice that the sporadic fluffy clouds are starting to get organised and hold hands in the west. It's still hot with little wind. At the top of Bannister (1537m and about 2.15pm) the view has disappeared. I'm feeling the affects of the sun and lack of water so keep on at a slower pace. There are a couple of puddles on one of the Twins which I normally wouldn't look at but make an exception on this occasion. I'm pleased that at least the dog is behind me.

The view disappears 

and comes back - last approach to Bannister (I think)

A few breaks in the clag show the basin at the top of Arete stream - it's like a wee hanging valley forming a gentle U from the ridge I'm on across to Arete biv. I reckon it could be a short cut from this ridge rather than climbing right up to the Main Range. Sure enough, a bit later, a couple of cairns lead off the side of the ridge into the cloud. It develops into a ground trail which sidles then drops into the basin. At the bottom I expect to see a stream but it seems to be buried. There's an old sign indicating that the hut is not so long away, I work my way up the other side and past the loo.

It's 16:15, cloudy and still. There's one chap at the hut and I quickly bags the other bed before guzzling down a belly full of water. There's plenty of daylight left but the options for going further would involve finishing under torchlight and camping out - put it down to heat stroke but I'm wimping out and staying put.

The other chap has been out for a few days already compared to my one. We are shortly joined by another solo tramper who admits he hasn't got a tent and claims the floor. Chap number one gives him a hard time about turning up at a two bed hut at Easter with no tent - then admits he doesn't have one either. I don't mention that I have a fly and biv bag.

Voices drift out of the mist from above (Arete), and from the basin I crossed. It seems a party of three is descending from the main range and the party of four is dropping from Bannister Ridge into the basin (it turns out their voices were carrying about 500m). It looks like 10 people and a dog have designs on a two bed hut. 

Three voices must have got wind of four voices because they turn around and head back over the top. The clag parts and four voices (plus dog) become briefly visible making their way down into the basin. When they arrive I find out that the hunters got their second stag and we exchange our experiences of the crossing. They then get busy pitching their tents among the tussocks.

Much to the delight of chap number one, it turns out that one of the tents has arrived sans poles. It's not easy to bodge a fix for a modern, flexi pole tent without its poles. However, a couple of walking poles and the collective creative capacity of the group is up to it (I don't mention that I have a fly and biv bag - but prepare to produce them if needed).

As the shadows lengthen, the clag recedes and Bannister Ridge emerges into the afternoon sun. Soon after the shadows have chased the last of the light up the slopes, we are treated to the full moon rising over Bannister.

Bannister Ridge

The hut is comfortable - more so when the wind comes up during the night, periodically buffeting the hut with squalls of rain. A little before dawn, raised voices outside indicate that the bodge job has given up and the tent has collapsed. We wait for a knock on the door but the party packs up and heads off while I'm still drowsing.

Morning light reveals the sort of day best stayed in bed for. It is also the sort of day where the camera stays wrapped up - so no pictures I'm afraid. The other two get sorted and out while I potter about giving the hut a tidy before rugging up and following them.  They are both heading over Arete towards Te Matatwai.

In the conditions (and still feeling a bit drained from yesterday and the lingering effects of a cold) I've decided not to pursue the more ... optimistic option of climbing to Dundas and following a spur to the Mangahao valley. On the ridge, the wind is whipping up from the western slopes carrying a bit of rain. 

Over Arete and down, then a short rise to Pukematawai - a good ground trail and no navigation challenge despite the low visibility. This area is an interesting nexus. Major river and stream systems originate nearby and radiate to all points of the compass - the Otaki, Park, Mangahao, Ruamahanga, and Arete Stream (flows to the Waingawa). It is also where the main range intersects with the two significant northern crossing routes and Te Araroa heads off south.

I pass chap number two on the way up Pukematawai then hunker in the tussock to wait for him after taking a bearing for my spur - the last thing I want is to have him follow me off the top in the clag.

After he follows the track through, I head north dropping easily onto an obvious spur which, if all goes well, will drop me gently down to the Mangahao River. 

It starts well, tussock with some ground trail - but there is fairly extensive scrub. Sometimes there seems to be an old route through but it is easily lost so there is a lot bashing. In the clag I keep a close eye on the compass but there is one spot (about 950m) where I drop off the main spur - the clag clears just enough to take a bearing on Girdlestone Saddle and correct the deviation. 

Finally, below the  bushline the going gets easier and the faint trail is back again. On the lower reaches there is even evidence of an(other) old hunters camp. The rain is steady but not too cold and, at the bottom the river is crossable (unlike last (and first) time up this way).

Back on the track I head down river diverting once onto the base of Triangle Spur to pick up pt 630. There is a trail on the spur marked with sporadic pink tape but I lose it at the bottom to follow my nose across a broad terrace back to the track.

The rain settles in and I just about walk into a party coming the other way - I think it's the first time I've seen anyone else on this track although it is reasonably well travelled.

The next order of business is to drop to the river and climb the east valley wall (after sheltering under a tree for lunch). There's no trail on the steep spur I choose but at the top there is a faint old trail along the ridge. I head up ridge a short way to pick up pt 918 but flag the more distant pt 1025 as it's a bit scrubby and the weather is getting worse.

Coming back along the ridge I reach familiar territory at the spur down to North Ohau Hut. The track is now pretty easy to follow with old tape marking - we part company as it starts to drop towards Girdlestone Saddle. I navigate to the spur that drops towards the location of South Ohau Hut. It has some trail and is mostly good going with just a couple of tricky points. The bottom is mucky and loose as usual but I pop out in the right place in sight of the hut.

The Ohau is up but I'm comfortable making the crossing to the hut which is empty. It's 5.30.

The hut is a bit of a favourite, on a terrace at the junction of two streams - a pretty location.

View from hut

In the morning I'm heading out just before 7am - water levels have dropped and the rain has cleared. My route is upstream (wet feet) to Dowling Falls and Girdlestone Saddle. It's easy to follow although the first junction is not brilliantly marked (pretty obvious if you are following the map though). There are a few goats around this morning.

The junction to Dowling Falls and Girdlestone Saddle is well marked (not signposted). What the marking indicates (and the map doesn't) is that you climb the foot of the spur just before the stream junction.

I head up the stream bed which is narrow and slippery. The falls (7.35) are a short distance up and it is immediately apparent that you don't try to climb up the series of cascades. There are log jams and its all lethally slippery.

Rather than head back to the junction I bash up an old slip covered in rotten trees and bush lawyer (yeah ok, it probably does sound a bit stupid when you describe it like that).

On the spur top there's a marked track through some ridiculous tree fall. The track drops back to the stream aways above the falls and (I assume) meets a marked track to Girdlestone Saddle - I figure to bash straight up the spur to the track above the saddle. It's steepish but navigable - the sun is now beaming in but not quite enough to dry wet gear. On the way up a Piwakawaka takes an interest and approaches within 40cm of my face.

On the ridge (8.50) I turn right and follow the broad track to the intersection leading right to Te Matawai Hut (9.10) - I turn left for the climb to the main range under a clear sky.

Spur to Pukematawai 

There are some fresh prints on the track and a couple of figures high above - I close but don't quite catch them before they head south at the top.

On the way up I am treated to the sight of the spur down from yesterday morning - now naked to the sky. It's also clear why there are 'here-be-dragons' warnings about dropping into the Mangahao headwaters from Pukematawai - it is steep and the water course has some spectacular cascades.

At the ridge I head north to rejoin my tracks from yesterday - with plenty of pauses to look at the views.

Mangahao headwaters

Yesterday's spur

Yesterday's spur - Girdlestone Saddle behind

Arete

Across upper Park Valley

Spur down on right, up on left 

Pukematawai - yesterday's spur running right



From Arete to Mitre 

Bannister Ridge from south east face of Arete

Arete Hut terrace

Back at Arete Biv around 11am, I make a note in the log and head off for Tarn Ridge. I traveled part of this route with some mates when I was at school, but have no recollection of which bits - just that it was clagged in and we kept on getting blown off our feet. So, this is pretty much all new.

There's a bit of cloud in the west that periodically blows in but it stays pretty clear.

Rather than take the direct route along the ridge to my destination for the night (Tarn Ridge Hut) I have two side trips. A short one up to Lancaster (1504m at the top end of Carkeek Ridge) and a longer one to a spot-height (1295) on Pinnacle Spur (on the route down to Arete Forks Hut).

Lancaster takes a few minutes and gives lovely views over the upper Waiohine Valley and along Carkeek Ridge - reviving memories of another trip. It's about 12.10 now so plenty of time in the day.

Bannister Ridge

  

Upper Waiohine 

Tarn Ridge to right

Pinnacle Spur is not so quick - it's a steep descent with a number of lumps. There's a reasonable trail but still a bit of a scramble. It goes give nice views though - north east across the valley, the afternoon sun throws shadows that accentuate the rugged faces of the Bannister Ridge. At 1pm I'm still relaxed about the time.

Pinnacle Spur (right) and Bannister

Pinnacle spur towards Tarn Ridge Hut

Bannister Ridge 

Back on the ridge there's a few lumps to navigate before the broad flat top of Tarn Ridge. I can imagine that this would be interminable in clag and somewhat difficult to find the right exit point.

Another lump

There's a wee saddle after Tarn Ridge, then a few lumps before the hut. On one of these is the grave of a hunter that perished in atrocious conditions (1959). The cross is well weathered, and the remains are propped in a cairn. behind is the hunter's intended destination - Dorset Ridge.  

Back to Tarn Ridge

Waiohine Valley, Dorset Ridge on left

Shortly after the grave the next knob gives a view of the hut.

There are clothes hanging on the deck - indicating zero chance of an empty hut. At 1530 I could keep going over the top but I've had enough for the day.

There's one crook hunter in his pit and a messy hut. His mates are out hunting down into the Waiohine basin. I give him some panadol and relax in the afternoon sun.

The hut has two double layer sleeping platforms so there's plenty of space for four of us. They're not too noisy but I'm not feeling chatty so pretty much keep to myself.

The morning brings clag and wind. The hunters are heading out via Mitre so I'm up first and out at 7am, before anyone else stirs. 

Although not cold the wind is strong and there's a bit of all-fours required to get to the top of Girdlestone. From here is new territory. There's a good ground trail along to Brockett (0800) but from here I leave the main trail to Mitre and head off along Table Ridge. 

In the clag I pause often to take bearings. It would be a doddle on a clear day but in order to stick to a bearing I find myself (more than once) among clumps of spiky spaniard, and once plunge thigh deep into a foot width hole.

The wind is smashing into the nor-west slope and howling gleefully over the tops. I lurch and stagger along like a drunken sailor but there are no real challenges until dropping into the saddle after pt 1478. It's a bit rockier and the ridge is sharper. There's cause to pause in the lee of the ridge a few times to regroup and a few diversions to avoid the most exposed edges in the wind. 

I reckon I've got to 1390 - the last high point before I find my spur down. The top is broad again and it's still clagged in so I'm taking bearings when I sense a lightening in the sky. I race for the edge of the ridge and sure enough, the clag swirls away to reveal a sunlit spur plunging to the bushy valley far below (a little to the left of where I was aiming). It disappears quickly but it's enough.

It's still quite a proposition to get off the tops - the wind chucks me over more than once and, although there's some ground trail, it's quite a staggery, stumbly course that I set. The lower I get though, the more the clag is shredded off the tops and the more sunlight on the tussock.

At 0950 I hunker down inside the bushline and take a breather - the wind is slashing through the low canopy but my ringing ears are settling and it's calm on the mossy floor.

It takes about 1hr10 to the bottom (1100) picking up the spot-height that is the objective of the exercise (550). The spur has a good shape and a ground trail most of the way. There's a bit of a mucky bit towards the bottom where it is somewhat broad and indeterminate, but nothing the compass can't solve. It would be a good route up.

I'm now following the main trail down the Waingawa but leave it to scramble up to pt 610, finding a hunters rubbish heap on the way (beside the stream just north of the Mitre peak track spur).

610 

It's approaching 1pm and I have a river and a ridge between me and the road end at Mikimiki. The wind is still strong and more than once I find myself casting a weather eye upwards for branches. It pushes me around a bit on the river crossing but I'm soon back in the bush climbing steeply up towards Lookout Point.

I don't know why it's got that name because there sure ain't any view spots - today I figure it is a warning about falling branches. Where there is a choice I am avoiding areas with higher likelihood of branches dropping on one's head.

The canopy starts high but towards the top it has dropped and there is a lot of totara and other saplings. About 1435 I have reached Bruce Hill and found a trail with milk bottle cap markers. Last time I came through was a day trip the length of Blue Range - I got tripped up a bit and ended up on the wrong spur whilst negotiating a change between maps. This time the strongly marked track running south east is my friend. 

Part way down there are some breaks in the canopy and I can see cloud, rounded by wind, still hugging the tops.   
   

Someone has gone to some effort to mark the route down. There are patches of windfall though, so more than once I have to cast around to find the trail again - still, progress is a lot quicker than I was expecting. I lose the track near the bottom but not before I have polished off the final spot-height for the weekend - 535. I crash down through supplejack and slide over a steep bank to drop onto the tramway track. Suddenly it's literally a stroll in the park for 10 minutes to the park boundary. 

At the boundary a sign informs me that it's two hours to Kiriwhakapapa via the old tramway - I reflect that at four days, my route was hardly a short cut, but it was far more interesting.

It's a lovely sunny afternoon so it's no hardship to wait while brother number one works out he's at Kiriwhakapapa and I'm at Mikimiki.

Postscript

Quite a productive (long) weekend. Some really varied terrain - the Bannister ridge is great fun; some weather challenges and a bit of scrub on the Saturday; great views along Tarn Ridge; and a bit of a hiding from the wind whilst navigating Table Ridge. And of course, at least 26 new spot-heights knocked off (possibly more if my recollection of the trip with school mates plays me false).

Poads Road to Waiohine

Easter is looming and a few ideas are percolating around possible routes. Otaki Gorge being closed puts a dampener on a few plans, but eventually Plan A crystallises: Thursday arvo follow Te Araroa  into the north-western Tararuas (behind Levin), travel down the Main Range to exit via Waitewaewae, Otaki Forks and Waiotauru to Akatarawa Saddle. However, a number of Plan Bs are noted on the intentions sheet left with home command ... the main one being to connect at Waiohine with Mike, Angela and Toby who are over-nighting Saturday at Totara Flats. That is provided I can call-in the change - how did we ever tramp without cell phones?

Thursday 24th

We leave for the coast about 2pm smug in the knowledge that we will be beating the usual long weekend Kapiti traffic fiasco. Wrong; nose to tail until Waikanae and over an hour later than expected.

       

Kapiti traffic - Roll on the Express Way.

Much better at Poads Road Bridge
A little gloomy though.

Ready for action

At 5pm with sunset due around 7.30, the trip up to Te Matawai is looking ever more likely to end  in a bivvy beside the track. Te Araroa heads up Waiopehu Ridge giving the opportunity to stay at the hut at the bush line, but I'm taking the Ohau Gorge Track and up Gable End Ridge - so named (I assume) because it's a little like climbing the side of a house and wandering along the roof.

It's overcast and warm, so much so that at the bottom the shirt goes into the pack. The light gets dimmer until (7.15pm) the last gasp of evening sun angles in just under the cloud bank and just over the Waiopehu Ridge. The dim bush takes on the golden highlights for a few short minutes before fading into deeper gloom.

The track is reasonably easy to follow but eventually the fading light calls for the head torch. There's no signs of life from Waiopehu Hut across the valley as I come up and over Richard's Knob and join Te Araroa. The lights of Levin and possibly Palmerston North are briefly visible through the cloud.

It's quite a different proposition in the pitch black but I manage not to lose the track or fall off the edge. As it drops towards Butcher Saddle I'm concentrating on keeping upright on the slippery roots and only gradually notice the white noise of the river filtering up from the valley below. A couple of Morepork are exchanging calls from close by but not a chance of seeming them, otherwise it's a still and humid evening.

In the saddle the cloud filters through the trees scattering the headlight but finally there's a sign advising that left will take you to South Ohau Hut via Yeates Track or half an hour upwards to Te Matawai - and that's pretty much how long it takes, arriving a little before 10pm.

Judging by the log book, Te Matawai gets pretty good use and I'm lucky to have it to myself. The log is full of references to 'NOBO' and 'SOBO' - finally it clicks - it distinguishes between the NOrth BOund and SOuth BOund Te Araroa travellers.

Flashes and grumbles from a distant thunderstorm fail to materialise into anything more than some heavy drops on the roof and a bit of wind during a restful night.

Friday 25th

It looks pretty foul on the tops as I head away from the hut bright and early (well, 8.45). Pukematawai and the range to the north are invisible, but my route south down the main range intermittently peeks through. The view behind (norwest) however remains bright, with Te Matawai Hut gleaming in the sun staying visible most of the way up the ridge.  Beyond, Waiopehu Hut is just discernible if you know where to look.

Looking Back - Te Matawai Hut is the bright spec mid-left.     The near ridge runs down to Girdlestone Saddle, Gable End Ridge behind it and Waiopehu somewhere on the horizon

Looking up towards Pukematawai (obscured)

A little over an hour after leaving the hut, Pukematawai is inside a cloud with a decidedly cool and boisterous wind whipping over the ridge and trying to nick my cap. The sign at the top looms out of the clag with the cheerful advice that Dracophylum and Nichol Huts are a mere 3 to 7 hours away ... unspoken is the amount of exposed ridge between here and there.

Top of Pukematawai 200m away 

However the ridge drops away from Pukematawai and soon there is a reasonable view ahead with the Park River head waters below to the left and Te Matawai yet again visible in the distance - to the north now. I'm even thinking I might need to crack out the sunscreen. However, for the rest of the day there's more wind and clag and very little view to the east.

A more encouraging view south above Park Valley. 

The track is good going and easy to follow although the cloud soon closes in again. Across the valley a helicopter is operating - possibly on Carkeek Ridge - hopefully hunters and not a rescue.

I had been thinking of stopping for lunch at Dracophylum Hut, which is a small cheerful looking two berther, but it's only 11.30 so elect to head on for Nichols.

One for the hut baggers.

Coming over Nichols it's getting more seriously unpleasant and I'm conscious that there's a good few kilometers of exposed tops ahead including the highest point of my trip at Mt Crawford. I'm looking forward to a bit of shelter and a chance to fill up and rug up at the hut, which proves to be in good nick.

Around 2pm, cheese, salami and pita bread feed the inner man and raincoat and other pieces of kit are relocated from pack to person. The forecast is for the weather to clear. I'm quite comfortable in the conditions as they stand, and have extra layers should it deteriorate, so am happy to leave the hut and head on.

Leaving a perfectly good hut - Nichols.

With little view there's little point hanging around the tops so I count off the spot heights to and past Mt Crawford. I also grumble at myself for bringing glasses instead of contact lenses - the east-most lens misting over rapidly after each abortive wipe. Things are going well and I'm feeling pretty good so fish out the cell phone and text my intentions to switch to Plan B and the Waiohine Road end. A confirmatory response means a short stint further along the ridge to Anderson's rather than the long plunge to Waitewaewae.

There's two sets of fresh foot prints on the track so I'm half expecting company when I arrive at Anderson's Memorial Hut at 4.30. However, the log book indicates that the owners of the feet are heading on to Aokaparangi Hut. Being a two bunker I figure I might be a little less than welcome if I follow them, so call it quits for the day, hoping for another night with a hut to myself.

Anderson's Memorial Hut.

I was taken with this hut the first time I passed through with its situation on the edge of an alpine terrace enfolded on three sides by the bush. It's pleasing to see it in good nick and with an intact log book including my entry from three years ago.  There's also one SOBO entry from a poor soul who missed the Te Araroa turn off at Junction knob and has a little back tracking to do.

I don't need the fire as I'm looking forward to an early dinner, bed and undisturbed sleep.

Saturday 26th

The clag is still drifting past the windows in the morning but it could be a bit thinner above, so I'm hopeful of some better weather today. The clothes are not noticeably drier than yesterday afternoon, but it's not cold enough to be unpleasant. 

Departure time

The track dives straight into mossy beech forest to dip and then climb. 35 minutes after leaving I'm looking back from the flanks of Kahiwiroa at a bank of cloud with Mt Crawford above in the distance.

Mount Crawford and the range disappearing to the North

An hour 45 after leaving (and having shed some kit) I'm enjoying changing cloudscapes from Aokaparangi. A lot of the ridge travel may be in clag but the wind is light and the breaks provide some beautifully typical Tararua views.

North from Aokaparangi

I'm still following the footprints from the party that came through yesterday afternoon with some occasional fresh deer prints. After the turn off to the hut, the prints re-appear fresh so they have clearly regained the trail after a nights rest.

The way forward and South - a little gloomy

Forty five minutes later - much better!

My recollection of the next section is of several steep clambers and losing track of the number of spot heights. I do a little better this time but it is quite lumpy and I'm still expecting one more when I realise I'm ascending Maungahuka. The clag drops away behind and more of the main range is visible north and south. The wind has also dropped to a most uncharacteristic calm.

North from the shoulder of Maungahuka ...

... looking up to the hut ...

... and southwest to the Tararua Peaks ...
I swear I could see the ladder when I took the photo but can't spot it now.

Just before 12 I stop in at the hut to find that the footprinters have left 45 minutes ago after noting in the log book their nervousness about tackling the ladder.

At the top of Maungahuka I see two figures angling up a steep face beyond the peaks and can hear their voices in the still air.  They have clearly overcome any nervousness about the clamber but are too far away to be able to exchange information.

The peaks scarcely register with climbers but they are a little daunting to trampers for the first time. I was a bit hesitant about tackling them on my own so follow their progress with proprietorial interest, imagining how they'll be feeling and expecting that their enjoyment will be all the sharper for the passing nerves.

Decisions

Although it's tempting to carry on along the range, about 1230 I turn my back to follow my ridge down into cloud and a thousand metre knee-curdling descent.  The sun is hot for a brief period but thins as the mists thicken long before the bushline (1100m).

Down into the gloom

There's not much to say about the rest of the descent - the 100m rise over Concertina knob prolongs the agony but is a good excuse to stop for lunch. I also pass through the territory of a couple of fantails who flick by to see what's up and three rifleman who just go about their business barely giving a glance to my pathetic attempts to imitate their high-pitched sounds.

Eventually there are glimpses of bush rather than cloud across the valley and river noise from below. After the final scramble down, the trees open to show the crystal clear Hector River flowing over clean grey boulders. Also the gleaming white form of a naked man gingerly easing himself into the frigid water. I pause briefly until he's fully committed then trot out onto the swing bridge calling a cheerful greeting and condolences about the cold (hmm, that could be misinterpreted).  I'm probably the first person down the tracks in days so his luck is not in. Kudos to him though for a full immersion in a cold river on a cloudy day.

Naked man just out of shot to the left

It's 2.20 and Neill Forks Hut is just across the bridge. It's also full with a party from the Hutt Tramping Club including Naked Man. There's a couple of semi-pointed remarks about my intentions and the number of bunks, so I accept a cup of tea and indicate that I will be heading on.

Half an hour later I'm on the way up Cone Ridge for the second time in as many weeks, but from a different direction.  The knees quite rightly grumble about a 600m climb after the mistreatment down from Maungahuka. However, an hour later the ridge provides for more relaxing travel south in recently familiar territory.

Phew.

It's a little before 5 when I reach the tops at Cone. The cloud keeps coming and going and it is a little different to a couple of weeks back ...

Cone

Then and now ...

I figure I can make the road end before it's too dark, and there's cell coverage, but Brother Number 1 is away from home so can't do a pick up, and I don't relish camping at the road end. Cone Hut it is then.

It's a pretty quick trip down the ridge to the saddle stopping briefly for (another) fruitless attempt to capture the magic of sunlight through goblin forest.

As good as I think I'll ever get on my phone

There's another pause when I run into the tail end of a party of seven. It's 5.30 and he's going pretty slow, so too is his wife five minutes further on, and two young woman another five minutes later. At 6pm at the Saddle the other three are not particularly concerned about the progress of the rest of the party and elect to follow me down to the hut - I'm figuring the rest will be hobbling in well after dark.

At 6.30 I'm first at the hut and get dibs on the sleeping platform. A solo chap soon turns up from Kaitoke having eschewed the crowded Tutuwai, despite which he's keen for a chat and a chain smoke.

A little later the two women from the saddle turn up having left the third chap behind. The mystery of the mixed party is resolved - four of them are from Marsden College doing a Duke of Ed. trip accompanied by the required adult supervision that they arranged via face book. The son of said adults makes up the party. The parents and the other two students eventually turn up just before 9pm - much to my relief as, very selfishly, I wasn't keen on being on a search party.

They are having a fairly eventful time - the trip from Totara Flats Hut via Cone Ridge has taken almost 10 hours; one of them has impressively bruised her ankle (and is pretty upbeat about it), and the father is going through all sorts of agony due to various health conditions including the aftermath of a broken back.

After a few days of my own company it's pretty full-on, but the students are quite competent with what they are setting about and considerate.

The sleeping arrangements resolve into six in the hut, parents under a fly (by preference), and the solo chap on the table outside. I thought this was a little mad but it didn't rain and he was adamant he didn't require floor space in the hut.

Sunday 27th

There's is absolutely no hurry for me in the morning so I let the mayhem clear a little before I exit pit and arrange breakfast. Solo chap is tossing up exiting via Marchant or Dobson Loop and the other party is aiming to exit over Mt Reeves. The lass with the injured ankle is strapped up and the father decants gear to his family to lighten his massive load. The Duke of Ed team are packed first and have remarkably economical packs. Eventually the last of them head off and the hut is suddenly quiet in the morning sun.

Built in 1946 Cone hut has survived some recent vandalism but shows signs of continuing graffiti assaults by the mindless. A rather nice slab woodshed has been built with a small water butt from the roof and the uneven dirt floor has been covered with tidy plywood. I remember being very relieved to reach this hut on a previous occasion and hope it serves for many more years.

The sun streams through the trees for the trip over to Walls Whare which is becoming quite familiar. I meet a man and woman with rifle and dog on the way up but no-one else until the swing bridge. About an hour and a half after leaving the hut I'm hunting out Mike and Angela's car on a hot sunny day. They turn up a couple of hours later with Toby having enjoyed camping out on Totara Flats. In the meantime I've had a wash, dried my gear and brewed my last coffee sachet.

Coda

I was happy with how all my kit performed and it was great to finally negotiate the territory from Pukematawai to Junction Knob. The route was interesting and varied, with the capacity to be significantly challenging in bad weather. I reckon it would be doable in two days by the fit, but two and a half to three allows a little more time to enjoy the views, take a few pics and not have to leap out of bed early.

All up, a mighty fine long weekend.

Gear notes

Mostly used standard kit. The penny stove performed fine inside and in the open at the Waiohine carpark. Still wouldn't want to rely on it for trips not involving huts. Macpac bivvy tent was carried but still remains to be rigorously tested. Zamberlan boots continue to impress with their comfort, lightness and (so far) durability.