Lake Colenso

I've commented before how the Ruahine Ranges seem to have kept more Maori place names than the Tararua Ranges. This is a good thing, although I do regret my inability to discover the associated history.  One exception to the predominance of te reo, is the name William Colenso which adorns a spur, a lake, and a hut. It's also scattered through the flora if you know where to look.

This weekend I have my eye on the lake, hut and spur and suspect I will see a fair amount of Oleria colensoi. Because of the access problems in the west the route will be across the range from Makaroro River in the east to Colenso Lake. I plan to explore a couple of ridges (that I can find very little out about) but in the end have to pull the plug on these. All going well though I will see three new huts and a chunk of new territory.

So who is Colenso? A quick Google and you'll find a Te Ara Encyclopaedia entry with plenty of info on Colenso the printer, missionary, explorer, politician, and rat.  As a missionary I guess he's as guilty as any for the impacts on Maori culture and society, as a botanist he has left his name scattered through the latin names of our flora (blue tussock - Poa colensoi, leatherwood - Olearia colensoi, rata ...).

He was a difficult character but did apparently try to point out that many Maori did not understand the Treaty they were signing and he stood up against some Maori land sales. He also had a child by his wife's maid which caused some serious damage to his position (his missionary position?).

Anyway - the DOC sign at the road end adds that his exploring and missionary zealotry saw him become the first European to reach the summit of the main Ruahine Range in 1845 from his mission station at Waitangi, guided by Paora Kaiwhata. They didn't complete the crossing that time but returned to finish the job in 1847.

The bush would have extended a great deal further in those days but he probably didn't have to contend with landowners refusing access.

The topo map has a red star at the base of Colenso Spur which caught my eye a while back - it marks a historic site which I understand is a cairn commemorating Colenso.  I'm hoping to be able to find it.

What:     Navigation trip
Where:   Makaroro River to Lake Colenso
When:    22-23 Feb 2020
Who:      Solo
Map

The DOC info board and carpark at the end of Wakarara Road look new. There's a bit of local history and track descriptions. The times I note are 2-3 hours to Barlow Hut, 4-5 hours to the main range, and for later reference, 3-4 hours to Gold Creek.

It's after 8.30 when I leave the car. The road continues through a gate and down through pines to a terrace below.

There's a historic site marked on the map near the river - the DOC info board reports that there used to be a milling settlement complete with school but it disappeared along with the timber in 1963.

In an effort to keep my feet dry I head a little way up from where the road crosses the river then try to cut back across the terrace to meet it again. This proves to be a bit of a mistake ... first - the terrace has a healthy crop of blackberry, second, I emerge (minus a bit of blood) onto a 4WD track that I find out later is the wrong one ...

Full disclosure so that others can learn from my mistakes: the start of the trip is on the map in my pack and I was a little over confident in my casual glance before stowing it. I thought the route followed the river when in fact there's some much easier forestry roads on terraces on the true left. The DOC marking is somewhat haphazard though - more on that later.

There's quite a solid vehicle track up the river bed which is generally easy going. I spy what looks like an old 4WD track on the true left at one point but drop off the side when it looks like it is climbing too high onto a terrace.

After about an hour, I've reached what looks like the start of the bush proper, when I spot a hunter emerging from a side creek. He's happy to stop for a chat after an unsuccessful morning and can give me a bit of intel - including that there's a track directly opposite the stream junction that takes you up to forestry roads (the way I should have come in).

It's about 9.50 and, working off the (wrong) map in my pocket I'm thinking I'm at the bottom of the Colenso Spur and have a bit of a hunt for Colenso's cairn. Unsurprisingly (in retrospect) unsuccessfully.

Thinking that Barlow hut is not too much further up river I potter on. There's still wheel tracks in the river bed and rounding a corner I find a ute with dog boxes. Quite a long way into the park.

The river valley is pleasant enough but suspicion is dawning about how dim I've been. I reach a large side creek which must be the junction at the foot of Colenso spur - accept that where the map shows the cairn and track there is a bit of a cliff. I side track up the stream a little way but no dice. Returning to the river I follow the cliff face a short way and see a DOC sign on the bank above my head: "Lake Colenso 6 Hours" - some one has scratched "9+" above the 6. It's about 10.50 so the morning is starting to get a bit old.

If you're looking for this track - for a start, take both maps and follow them so you know where you are. The spur track comes out on the main river valley just up from the stream junction, there's a wee scramble up to the DOC sign and the cairn is just around the corner on the track.

Looking down river from bottom of track - stream around to right,
main river on other side of 'island' close on left

Wee scramble up to start of track

Look closely and you can see someone thinks this is a bit optimistic

The cairn is modest but has some significance - there's not many sites like this in the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges that I know of so I'm pleased to have found it.

Knowing where I am now I'm a bit happier. After a bit more river bed wandering, at 11.20 an orange triangle on a terrace marks Barlow Hut.  A bit under 3 hrs from the car so the DOC sign is a good indication (2-3 hrs).

It's black, lockwood and in good nick. Three packs inside and a deer head by the steps indicate that hunters are in the vicinity although there's nothing in the log.

By the time I have topped up water, filled in the log and had a bite it's 11.40 and getting unlikely that I'll make Colenso Hut via the planned ridge route. If the mystery sign writer is right and it's 9+ hours by the creek route, it will be well dark by the time I get there.

I can't see any track markers around the hut so waste a bit of time popping down to the river to see where the marked creek joins - nothing to be seen. Back at the hut I have a closer look and finally find a triangle on a tree by the loo.

Another tip - the track does exactly what it says on the map but the marked stream may be notable by its absence.

The track starts climbing and quite soon I can hear the stream cascading down on my right - it must disappear into the ground - anyway, I completely forget to look for the marked pond on my left.

It's a pretty steep grind 300m up to the spur proper where I rejoin the track from the cairn. DOC is insisting that it is now only 5 hrs 30 to Lake Colenso.  It's 12.25 and I take a bit of a rest after the first climb and am a bit surprised at how tired I'm feeling - I should be a little more spry than this.

The next section is a very pleasant amble through forest which gently climbs before hurling itself upwards again. I have visions of Colenso strolling the same route and wonder who would have been in his party besides Paora Kaiwhata, what they would be carrying and how long they would have taken to cover mostly trackless and strange country (although his guide probably knew perfectly well where they were going).

An hour later I'm at the bushline and have another break looking out below steely clouds towards bone dry farmland. The weather is still holding off, for now.

Snowberry (karopuka) is fruiting in profusion. There's a mix of white and red fruit with some pink thrown in (I think not on the same plant but can't swear to this). They don't taste of much but look beautiful and have a pleasant texture - there are so many I wonder if anything is actually eating them apart from the occasional tramper.  You can imagine that kea would love them and maybe even kaka, but in their absence what other birds would be cruising about above the bushline that would have an interest and the right beak?

Colenso Spur

Just after 2pm I'm dragging myself onto the top of Te Atua Mahuru when something catches my eye - the remains of the trig which looks like it's been blown off the top. Sure enough there is a trig stump at the top and a not blown over cairn.

North along the tops

Range south - to Maroparea and other familiar places 

It's taken about 5 hrs 30 from the car by the longer route so the modern DOC times are still holding true (4-5 hrs direct to the range skipping Barlow Hut). I pull on another layer and coat and collapse in the tussock for a lunch. Given the time the most sensible route now is my first contingency plan: follow an old track off the ridge then the stream to Colenso Hut.

Home command acknowledges the change as a few fat spots of rain wring themselves from the lowering cloud.  Mercifully for me (but not the parched land) that's all it manages for now.

The slip on the NW face of the ridge just SW of Te Atua Mahuru is obvious, as is the wee knob on the ridge above the true left edge of the face. There's a stick with a couple of DOC triangles wired to it propped in a pile of rocks.  It doesn't look very permanent but it confirms this is the right place to start the descent (2.35).

There's barely any foot trail down the steep spur at the side of the slip face but another stick with markers confirms the route.  After this there's a bit more foot trail either on the edge of the slip face or on the crest of the steep wee spur. The trick is not to be lured left into the gully and I suspect the erosion chutes on the right would get too steep.

The trail drops into stunted beech and then into taller forest - it's often unclear and it's easy to drift too far left. After about 25 minutes I see I've drifted onto a side spur and make my way right to find some DOC triangles. I follow this spur down losing and finding the foot pad.

About 45 minutes from the top I pop out on the side creek's shingle fan, a little above the valley floor. Looking back there's a large triangle high in the bush edge but you would have to be looking out for it.

Just off the spur on the side stream
looking down the valley

Bottom of the spur - there's an orange triangle there somewhere

The valley floor is a bit of a jumble of rocks but it's not too bad and an hour after leaving the ridge I reach the junction where the stream takes a hard left and starts winding down the steep sided valley between the two ridges I had been intending to travel this weekend.

It's pretty good going - a few minor gorgy bits, but with the river at low flow I keep my feet mostly dry. There's some spectacular cliffs and you would want to be very careful about dropping off the ridges above.

The fatigue that has dogged my morning hasn't gone away and my frame of mind is not helped when it starts to rain. I'm thoroughly fed up with the stream travel but the hut can't be too far so I stump on muttering and swearing as the river bed gets progressively slipperier.

Fortunately, the next corner brings me onto broad flats covered in lupin with Colenso Hut on a low terrace.

Flats from the hut

It's 5.35, so 9 hours from the car and 5 hrs from the DOC sign on Colenso Spur that said 5hr 30. So, as you'd expect, the older DOC signs can be a bit on the lean side for a larger party or in poor conditions.  Given my light pack and low flow conditions it probably pays to add a bit of allowance.

The hut is tidy and empty. It's another one that gets a lot of use by the Whio Protectors and is accordingly, immaculately looked after. The last log entry is over three weeks ago.

The lake is about 300m away so I pop along while it is still light. The surrounding forest is beautiful with huge emergents, a rich understory and mossy banks.

The track arrives at the lake edge without ceremony; there's a bit of a window but it's a little difficult to get a perspective of the lake's size. An upside down duck gets a hell of a fright when it rights itself and hears someone say boo.

On no authority I would say it's the biggest natural lake in the Ruahine or Tararua Ranges and its interesting to speculate how this large flat area with what is probably a quite shallow dip was formed. Looking at some of the surrounding scarps I wonder if it is a harder limestone layer remaining after softer overlying sediments have washed away.

Whatever - despite the rain dulled surface and mist shrouding the ridges behind, I am enjoying the simple novelty of a vista that is unusual in this part of the world: forest on the far side of an isolated lake.

Back at the hut I settle in for dinner. The main task for the evening is to plan tomorrow's route so I can leave an accurate plan in the log (as it will differ from my original intentions).

I'm reluctant to give away my planned ridge route to Maroparea via the high point Waikamaka, but have to accept that it would be a bit fool hardy to load the tough stuff into the start of the day. I figure there will be plenty to see on the track via Unknown Campsite to pt 1293 and a bit of untracked ridge up to 1450 will give a bit more interest. After this I can pick an exit route based on rate of progress and level of fatigue. Satisfied, I drift off to the sound of rain drumming on the roof.

I have a good sleep despite the odd twitches or twinge of cramp reminding me that my body hasn't handled the day as well as it should.

In the morning there is little wind and although the rain has stopped it feels like it is lurking not too far away. The clag is gathered around the hills and the basin looks like a film set for Jurassic Park.

Despite best intentions it's 7.15 before I get away. The bush is damp but you can almost hear it inhaling the moisture after the long dry.

The track meanders along then drops towards the river before starting to climb. There's a marked junction (7.40ish) to Iron Bark Hut but I'm following the track over the ridge to Unknown Campsite. There's a bit of a steep climb on a sharp spur with the land dropping steeply to the basin below. The lake is almost visible through the mist below - it must be a pretty view on a clear day.

Through out this area there seems to be a lot of new traps

The track drops into a long flat saddle with more tall forest before a bit of a mucky drop into the next valley - depositing me at the stream edge at 8.25. It you're coming up stream, the marking is not obvious - there's a wee limestone bank on the left before a log jam then the track climbs up a steep ferny bank.

Stream just below where track heads up to left

The narrow stream valley has some interesting rock formations with sections of river bed that look like someone has dumped the contents of a concrete truck.

The stream abruptly emerges at a junction with some flats - Unknown Campsite. Not so unknown now - there's a big flat area above the junction with a frame and tarps already to set up a large camp. Time to top up the water and start the long climb to the main range.

The track is good quality, climbing steeply at first it eases then rises gently on a broad ridge under a high canopy. It really is beautiful forest here - well worth the effort of admission.

I notice that the trap numbers are counting down and work out that they are about 100m apart and that trap 1 will be at the track junction east of Puketaramea. This is a good and a bad thing - telling me both where I am and how fast I'm not going.

I stop for a breather at the last trap of the U(nknown) line and break out the coat. The weather is cooling and to the south rainy looking mist haunts the valley.

The track drops to a saddle then climbs to pt 1293 where it drops to Maropea Forks Hut and I leave it to continue along the ridge. I figure that it's inconceivable that lots of someone elses will not have done the same.  It's hard to tell - there's signs that people have come this way but not what you would call frequently.

On the way out of the first saddle a deer crashes away up slope so I bark. It barks back and we keep it up - it stays just ahead out of eyesight until near the top when it must have got my wind and scarpers off the side of the slope.

It gets colder again and I now have gloves and balaclava on. At one point there's a clearing with a clay area and a cairn - possibly marking the top of the spur pointing directly down to the Maropea Forks Hut. Then it's a cold damp climb to 1450 and the track.

It's similar conditions to last time but this time the clag starts to clear as I head ENE towards Maroparea. It comes back again but not before I have rectified my previous mistake and sidled the top to gain the ridge.

After a final few flurries the clag mostly retreats and I can saunter along enjoying the novelty of having a view.

North to Maroparea - pt 1450 on left 

On the climb to Orupu a shape catches my eye - it's a falcon that has decided not to stick around as I approach. It cruises easily up the slope to disappear some where just below the top. In level flight they certainly don't give the impression of a bird capable of eye-watering top speeds.

Second time along I manage to pick some better lines and avoid a bit of scrub but I'm still not sure where the trail runs the last little bit to the warratahs marking Sparrowhawk Biv - never mind, I drop down to the Biv with lunch on my mind while the clag creeps back like a guilty dog. It's 1.45, 5hr 30 from Colenso Hut.

My game plan from here was to head up to 1476 and take a spur down to Gold Creek Hut. I'd read a report of someone trying the spur to the south of Maropea but it sounded a bit horrendous so I hoped the next one south might be a bit better. However, if it doesn't go well I will be running short of light - the alternative is a quick exit down Sparrowhawk track from the biv.

By the end of lunch I've made up my mind - I've already dropped two planned ridge routes this weekend and I'm unwilling to chicken out a third time. I know the river bed will be navigable by torchlight.  I head off about 2pm.

Shortly after leaving the biv another falcon cruises away at my approach. After that it's an uneventful trudge uphill, over Maropea, down into the saddle and into the next steep climb. I save a bit of effort with a well timed sidle that brings me directly across slope to the edge of the scrub above my spur. Just over an hour from the hut.

It's not too bad down through the scrub into the stunted trees - it's pretty overgrown but a very old cut branch indicates someone has used this route previously. Stunted beech gives way to taller forest with cutty grass under foot (great at hiding windfall and stumps). Most of the way down it's overgrown and basically game trails.

The spur is often hard to distinguish but I stubbornly persevere until I'm teetering along a knife edge between the creeks to a final steep scramble to the bottom.  The hut is just a few minutes walk upstream.

It's 4.45 so it's taken 2 hr 45 to get from Sparrow Hawk Biv and down the spur.  Gold Creek Hut is another standard orange number and doesn't seem to get a lot of visitors which is unsurprising given that it's not on the way to anywhere for most sensible trampers.

At 5pm I head a short way upstream to a DOC sign indicating where the track climbs out of the valley to the ridge - 3 hr 30 to the Makaroro river, which I hope to trim a bit.

It's a short steep climb out of the valley onto the ridge. Once on top a wide rolling track leads gently along and down and I can clip along at a reasonable pace.

Eventually it seems that I have dropped a lot of height but the track pops out above farmland with enough height to give a good view down the river with the tawny dry flats catching the afternoon sun.

View down Makororo River from the tail end of the spur

A DOC sign informs me that the track follows the fenceline for a kilometre and pops me through a gate. It's steep and a bit slippery but pretty quick on the edge of the farmland. I'm soon at the bottom of the spur at another gate. It's pretty overgrown through the second gate but there's a DOC sign (pointing up the wrong side of the fenceline - tip:  if you're going up, ignore it and head across the bottom of the spur to the gate into the paddock). Immediately after I'm on a bank above the stream at another DOC sign.

At 6.20pm it's taken an hour 20 to get here so I'm relaxed about the daylight now.

Straight across the river from the stream mouth (exactly where the hunter pointed) there's the start of a track. It's unmarked but there's a cut branch and a bit of a dirt slide on the bush edge. After an initial scramble it follows a good bench that zigzags up to the terrace above. This follows an old road that suddenly spits out onto the end of the forestry road (older maps may label this Makororo Road - it took about 13 minutes from the bottom of the spur).

The late afternoon sun sends a long shadow ahead as I trudge along in the dust. This sort of walking is a bit tedious (which is why I could never do the Te Araroa Trail) but it's not long before I reach some DOC signs marking where various tracks hive off.  It's just before 7pm.

After this the DOC marking is a bit remiss. The right turn to get back to my road end is not marked except with a forestry street sign so I stroll straight past it. Before too long I get suspicious and hook out the map. Returning to the junction with a few choice expletives I follow the narrowing and overgrown road, it drops off the terrace then widens and pops out at an unmarked intersection where I drop left to get back to the river.

I wade in and let my hot boots fill with cool water.

On the other side the flats are losing the sun but it's lingering on the clay cliffs across the river.  I plod back up the road to the car arriving about 7.30.

Postscript

Setting aside the initial absentmindedness ... Colenso cairn - box ticked, Barlow Hut - ditto, stream route to Colenso - very pleasant, Colenso Hut - box ticked, Colenso Lake - very pleased to have got there and some really beautiful forest from there through to Puketaramea. Ridge from 1293 to 1450 - not heavily travelled but better than dropping to the river that's for sure. Nice to see the tops this time and stoked to see a couple of falcons. Spur from 1476 - doable but a bit manky in places, if you must do it, drop off it before the hut rather than riding it to the junction. Gold Creek Hut - tick, Ridge Track out - pretty enough.

My slack map reading aside here's a few warnings about the maps and signage for this road end:
The DOC info board and carpark is obvious, it's just before the road takes a sharp bend through a gate and off the edge of a terrace through pine trees. The surface was pretty good but it says 4WD only - it's only about a km to the river anyway.

The newest online map shows the road ending by the river at an historic mill site ( I didn't look for this). Older versions (including some online versions and the one above) show the road crossing the river and continuing up the other side before taking a hard right and heading off east then north. The newer maps have renamed the road on the other side as Makororo Rd.

So, you've parked and followed the road down to the river.  You can walk up the river bed - it's not too bad going - but I think it is quicker to cross the river and follow the 4WD track (marked and reasonably obvious) into the trees, bear right at the next intersection and follow up the terrace edge to a large gravel forestry road. Follow this NW to the DOC signs for Yoeman's track, Park Peak etc. keep following the road marked on the map west until it runs out at the end of a straight and at the end of the pines (noting that the forestry bods might continue it left at some point). From here an old trail leads through regenerating bush and eventually turns into the track off the terrace (marked on the map).

From here the track to Sparrowhawk is quickly found as marked on the map but see my previous comments about cutting across the base of the spur to the paddock before starting to climb to Gold Creek Ridge.