Kaitoke Waterworks to Mt Dick

Each week my list of must-visit-places seems to get longer, so the chance to string a few of them together can't be passed up. This weekend I'm planning to knock off four and still have time for dinner in Martinborough.

The candidates lined up are: the ridge running east above Phillips Stream from the Kaitoke Waterworks, the spur north from Marchant Ridge (1038) down to the Eastern Hutt River, the spur from Eastern Hutt River up to Alpha Hut, and finally the winding ridgelines from Waiohine Bridge to Mt Dick.

What:    Convoluted route to Carterton

Why:     Nav practice

Where:  Kaitoke, Marchant, Eastern Hutt, Bull Mound, Waiohine, Mt Dick

Who:     Solo

When:   4 February 2017

Map:     Map

At half past six the long suffering support crew has nobly foregone a warm bed to drop me at the Kaitoke Waterworks info shelter. She watches me trot off across the field towards the hills and heads home - no doubt thinking that the next thing she'll be hearing is a PLB call out for a broken leg in a creek somewhere.

I take the short route up the clay 4WD road. It climbs steeply for about half an hour to the top of the Norbet Track, where I start looking out for any signs of a route leading east along the ridge. I don't know if there is one but it looks like there should be.  There are some nice views back over the morning sun on the hills though.

Rearing to go

Kaitoke water works tucked below somewhere - Ridge track in the mid-ground

A few minutes after Norbert Track the road disappears into a tunnel of trees. About 20m in I think I can see a faint track on my right, and on a closer look there's some plastic tape on a tree. This works for me - I take a bearing from the map and duck in between the spindly trunks. There must have been a burn sometime in the past as the trees are spindly and close growing, but recolonising nicely.

Start of the ridge route - honestly!

It's quite a gentle ridgeline and the route is pretty easy to follow with intermittent markers. There are a few points where I follow off on a dud trail but it is quickly detected and sorted in each case. Occasionally there's an opening giving a view towards Wellington or up Quoin and Marchant Ridges. The day is promising to be a stunner, although there's a bit of clag lurking in the west. Further along the ridge the bush is more mature than I expect, and consequently quite good to walk through.

Quoin Ridge

Across Kaitoke to the Hutt Valley

Parts of the ridge are fairly wide and flat and it's easy to wander off line, including at 630 where I am starting to bowl off a spur into Phillips Stream, before realising I've missed the line to the next saddle. At 8.50am I'm in that saddle, where I leave the marked route to drop down a short slope into Phillips Stream and the foot of Marchant Ridge. I can't see any tracks up the ridge but the bush is fairly open and it's not a hard scramble up. A bit of a trail develops further up.

Before long the bush gives way to scrub (I assume the edge of the old burn) and more spectacular views. I have an unrivaled angle on the route I took a few weeks back from the Puffer Saddle, along the Pylon Track, and down a spur to Smith's Creek. Further along there is a similar perspective of the tricky spur down from Tauherenikau from the same trip. You make the most of days like this, to build up a better mental model of these hills.  

Looking south from Marchant Ridge to the spurs above Smith's Creek and the Pylon Track

Spur running down from Tauherenikau

Initially the scrub is easy to navigate - there is always a route of low resistance to be found if you cast about. This doesn't last and it takes an awfully long time to struggle up to 967 and connect with the marked Ridge Track. There are animal tracks all over the place, but old logs and thick scrub seem to collaborate to frustrate progress. It's 10:40am when I finally break onto the track after almost 4 hours on the go.

Unnamed stream off Marchant

Marchant Ridge is easily familiar. I wander along glancing across to the Tauherenikau Ridge on the right and Quoin on the left. After the track enters the bush again I start looking for signs of a route to my spur. I don't see anything so eventually just take a bearing and strike across the flat topped ridge. It feels like I'm going nowhere in particular but eventually a spur starts to form. There's still no foot trail. Then I spot a wee bit of red insulation tape on a tree. There are very few markers on the way down but the spur is mostly pretty well formed - the foot trail not so much. Towards the bottom I'm pretty sure I've wandered off the old trail but don't have any problems working my way down to the stream.

About 1210 I cross the creek and head up the flats towards the river. The navigational challenge shifts - now I need to keep an eye on the rate of progress up river, count off the tributaries and keep an eye out for the specific junction that marks my next spur.

First view of the Eastern Hutt River

It's hot and sunny in the valley bottom, so it's not too much hardship to get wet feet with the frequent river crossings that are required. I have to admit that the thought crosses my mind as to how long it will be before some of the water that is flowing around and through my boots will be coming out of peoples' taps in Wellington.

Another side stream

The river is swift, clear and clean, and there is little sign that people travel this way, although the bush on the occasional terrace is easy to navigate. It's one of those places that is an undeniable pleasure to travel but you're happy not to camp as it would be so easily spoiled.

Despite mild concerns that I might miss the junction, after about an hours travel upstream it is pretty obvious. The side stream is sizable and it's easy to take a bearing on the line of the river. The spot is idyllic.

The junction

There's a dense wee copse of trees growing on the spit but a couple of meters up the main river there is an easy route into the bush. The spur starts immediately with a clear trail.

A couple of bugs locked in mortal combat catch my eye. They seem to be fighting to the death over a hole in the track. It's one of those little things that distracts you and I watch for quite a while until one is seen off, apparently none the worse for wear. The victor inspects the hole and peace is restored. However this isn't getting me any closer to the bushline 700m above.

I work my way up without seeing much in the way of markers. There are a few riflemans about and I hear the odd shining cuckoo. The shape of the spur comes and goes. A steep eroding creek appears on the left, so I follow it up for a bit but figure I need to be further across so head back around the spur.

The Tararua Footprints page records this route but is somewhat vague about the top, merely noting that a notch develops in the east of the spur towards the top and you work your way right and up. No indication of the elevation. 

There's a number of possible trails in the bush but in the end I find myself fighting up through steep scrubby bush eventually to emerge on the tops about 50 meters from the Southern Crossing Track. It's about 2 hours since I arrived at the junction far below, so not speedy progress. 

Marchant Ridge

This is the bushline on Alpha and today it marks the boundary between wind and clag in the west, and summer in the east. The spur I've come up is out of sight, as is the valley floor, but I can see Marchant Ridge in all it's glory and the line of the spur I came down. Five minutes later an empty Alpha Hut provides shelter from the wind.

I take a good long break to fill in the hut book, have a bite and drink, and a wee snooze with head down on the table. It's a good 40 minutes (3.50ish) before I'm underway again with coat on against the cool air.

This is one of the classic and well traveled Tararua tracks - it is wide and solid through open, mossy bush - and very pleasant walking as the clag drops behind and the sun comes through. A party of three I meet, shortly after leaving the hut, are the first people I've seen all day. We don't stop and chat, although I assume they are staying at Alpha for the night.

I'm sort of tired so the up hill bits are slowish, but fortunately there's a whole lot of down hill before Cone Hut. From the bottom of Hells Gate it's a short climb to the well marked junction to the Bull Mound Track.

Old school signs

The track is pretty flat at around 1100m and there are great views to be had. Of particular interest is a well shaped spur running from the Tauherenikau up into the clag; according to the map, all the way to the Beehives on the Southern Crossing. Another addition to the 'must do' list.

East from the Bull Mound Track. Clag on the main range and a very interesting ridge almost hidden towards the right

The tops along to Bull Mound have large patches of boggy herb land with scrubby margins. It's relatively dry today. Another interesting looking spur appears that runs north from Bull Mound and also slips onto the 'must do' list.

South from the Bull Mound Ridge

Emerging onto the final clearing, I surprise three deer about 100 m away they pause to check me out then slip into the bush.

Across towards Mt Reeves

There are a few final views down the Tauherenikau Valley before the bush closes over head and the afternoon sun is replaced with dappled light under beech. The track is good and it is only my protesting knees that slow the downhill progress.

It's unlikely that I will come across people heading up to Alpha at this time of day on this track, so I get quite a start when I blunder into two chaps sitting in the moss. They are intriguing specimens; their packs have things spilling out and hanging off and they are hardly dressed for tramping. The usual conversation elicits slightly odd responses - they don't seem to have a map and don't seem to have much idea about the terrain they are heading into. They are about 200m from the valley floor with 500m to go, yet have taken an hour to get this far and think they are near the top. They do however have a tent, and I make it very clear that they are likely to be needing it tonight. While we are talking another couple of chaps turn up - they are heading to Alpha and seem likely to make it. They are thinking of heading down Quoin Ridge tomorrow and ask a lot of questions, also exhibiting a bit less preparation than I would be comfortable with.

I find out that the river is up but that there is fallen tree that spans the torrent. This is a bit of a relief. When I reach the bottom just after 6.15 it is better than I could have hoped. The river is high enough that I would be thinking carefully about crossing but the fallen tree spans the river efficiently and right at the bottom of the track. It's solid and large - I clamber on and walk across, pausing briefly where there is a hand hold for a photo.

Natural bridge

Looking back at the bridge - log on left has come down the river

 Cone hut

Across the river is the helicopter pad then a short walk to Cone Hut, arriving at 6.25, just under 12 hours after leaving Kaitoke.  The place is like Victoria Station: there's a couple of trampers and two hunters staying for the night (the hunters are just heading out for an evening shoot) and another couple just passing through. I recognise Harriett and we exchange intentions. They are heading up to Alpha via Bull Mound so I can tell them about the other parties likely to be at the hut and the two chaps that are probably not. She is intending to come around to Hector and down Winchcombe/Neil to Walls Whare tomorrow. The trip in reverse that saw two trampers die on the tops not so long back.

I grab a bunk and shortly after a party of three from Tararua Tramping Club turn up. They are planning a fascinating route tomorrow - up to Hells Gate, drop into the upper Tauherenikau  catchment and follow the tortuous river route back to the hut. I am frankly envious but wouldn't do it on my own. They are rightly concerned about the height of the river but have some bale out options.

Another party of four turns up but take one look at the numbers and keep on going to Tutawai.

The TTC party put up tents on the flats but socialise at the hut so there is ample chance to share notes about various routes and trips. While we are talking two more people turn up. It's the two chaps from up the hill. They are not having a great time - reading between the lines I suspect that they had not made it much further up the hill when Harriett found them and probably was pretty direct in advising that they should back track. They are pretty confused about their intentions so I suggest they pitch camp and re-evaluate in the morning. They shamble off to do just that.

In due course the hunters return and there's good amount of yarning to be had into the evening. The only fly in the ointment is that there are two dogs in a very small hut that night - I bite my tongue but seriously - it's almost as antisocial as smoking. It's a fairly disrupted sleep but warm and still.

The hunters stayed up with a few drinks and don't seem to be keen on a dawn shoot so I am first up. Over breakfast there is one of those moments that high lights a hunter/tramper difference; they notice my penny stove and compare the weight to their large bench-top primus. At a guess, their kit all up weighs three times mine.

The two chaps turn up intending to leave a whole bundle of gear before they walk out - even their tent. They are sick of their heavy packs and just want to be home. They don't get the response they expect - the chap from the hut chews them out about even thinking about leaving food and rubbish that no-one will eat, will attract rats, and will have to be carried out by someone else. I feel sorry for them - with a bit of advice they would have chosen a more doable route, carried more sensible kit and had a great time. I doubt they will be back in the bush again or have nice things to say about trampers - the interaction was pretty unproductive. As the chaps wife points out: 'They're just going to dump it all in the bush around the corner.'

Meanwhile, the hunters are thinking of heading up river - I suggest the down river true right flats might be a better prospect and easier travel. They head off and before long a shot echoes up the valley.

It's a leisurely 8.10am when I head out. This is a much traveled route - today it's 8.41 where the ridge route heads south towards Reeves and 9.37 at the Waiohine Bridge. On the way two couples and two singles pass on their way in. Busy.


Waiohine road end to Mt Dick

At the Waiohine Road end I intend to head into the bush, then up the spur on the true right of Fern Stream (Map). This is the stream that you can see as a waterfall from the bridge - my route crosses it on the terrace to reach the spur. I wander around to find a way into the bush, thrash around in supple jack, stumble across the water supply source and finally cross the stream onto the spur.

It's steep and scrambly. There is a little bit of trail and a very old barbed wire fence. The map shows that the spur flattens at 290m but it doesn't. I start to get a bit suspicious, but up is good, so carry on.

 Barbed wire fence going through a beech tree

Top of the spur

When the spur finally starts leveling out I stop to sweat and study the map and compass. Sure enough - I soon work out that I crossed one tributary of the stream and headed up a different spur. This just means a slightly different start on the route to Mt Dick. The going is hot but not too bad up to 545 by 11am.  There are signs of nearby pine plantation and a wee clearing at the top.

I take a bearing and head NE along the ridge. People have been this way and the ridge is well defined - it's pretty straight forward getting through to 632 - 45 minutes later (and back on my planned route). It's a little hard working out where the top is, and I can't see a ground trail turning off, but with a bit of compass and map work I find a way down into the saddle then climb up to 582 (1225). The ground trail is a bit stronger now.  I text my position thinking that it won't be long now and confirm that the support team are on their way.

The evocatively named 582

Holy Totara!

The ground trail is solid and the ridge top flat. I trot along until the track breaks out of the bush and I can finally see Mt Dick - it doesn't look right - it appears that I have overshot. I back track, and recheck the map, compass and altimeter. It's one of those moments when things just won't tally and I can't get a view that provides a clue. I sit down and consider the information available. Eventually
I conclude that I'm wrong about Mt Dick and rebacktrack (?). The compass and altimeter say I'm on track but my brain isn't convinced. The track starts a descent that could be into the correct saddle or off the wrong spur. Ah well - let's see where this goes.

The track suddenly pops into a clearing in the saddle and onto an old bulldozed track (shown on the topo map). It is wide, reasonably clear of scrub and takes a gentle angle upwards to drop me on a gravel road corner shortly after 1.30.

I call the support team who turn out to be up the road a bit but the road is completely blocked off. The map clearly marks where to access the ridge network on a corner a short way past (and below) Mt Dick - but it is not accessible by car beyond Mt Dick.

Sunny day in the Wairarapa

The support team wave from above the road block

Hot and bothered but no longer geographically confused

It took something under four hours to get through from the Waiohine Road end to Mt Dick. There was some quite good ground trail but also a number of places where a bit of navigation was required. A usefully challenging little route and a salient reminder about paying attention.

After all that there's plenty of time for a spruce up, late lunch, lots of hydration then a very good dinner at Pinocchio's in Martinborough.

Navigating the Western Hutt ridges

If you are looking for a bit of a navigational challenge there is nothing quite like flat topped ridges below the bush line. And in the Wellington region it would be hard to find anywhere that is as close to this description as the ridges around Maymorn in the Western Hutt catchment.

This is another trip I'd been keeping up the sleeve for when I was feeling a little more confident about finding may way about with map and compass. The area in question is loosely confined by the Akatarawa Road, the Renata Ridge up to the Southern Crossing and the Hutt River. The plan is to head up the ridge running northwest from Pakuratahi forks to about point 536, head north past 572 then east along Maymorn Ridge for a bit of a look, retrace steps and then head northish to intersect the track Renata Ridge Track near Maymorn Junction and on to Renata Hut for the night. The following day, retrace the route without the side trip to Maymorn.

Nice theory - now let's see what happened.

What:   Navigation trip
Why:    Push the boundaries a little
Where: Western Hutt - Maymorn Ridge area
When:  29 October 2016
Who:    Solo
Map:    Map

The forecast is not great again so an intended trip to the tops around Mitre is postponed in favour of a trip that doesn't involve river crossings or open tops.

The Pakuratahi Forks carpark is empty at 6.45am, and damp. I figure there is likely to be a bit of a route up such an obvious ridge so, after crossing the swing bridge, keep a weather eye out as I potter along the loop track. A couple of possibilities present themselves but in the end I walk to the Flume Bridge to get a good look at the end of the ridge, then back track 100m or so to where the track levels out on an old terrace. Sure enough, a ground trail runs to the edge of the ridge, and a bouldery route leads up. After a bit it's clear I'm on a reasonably well used trail with some useful spray markers.

The ground trail becomes clearer once the track rises above the humus covered lower slopes into the mossy forest above. It's raining and the landscape is sodden but it's not windy, so once the initial climb is out of the way things proceed in a satisfactory manner, with little time spent casting about. There's a bit of wind fall to contend with but not too bad.

A bit of wind fall

An old vehicle track marked from 618m is quite overgrown initially but clears to give good travel. However, working out where to leave it proves to be not so easy, as there are a few well overgrown options. The first possibility starts well but then drops too far and peters out, so a quick backtrack and on to the next one. This one takes a little longer before turning out to be wrong, but I can't be bothered retracing, so just head through a stream and up the other side knowing I'll hit the ridge somewhere around 536m.

I emerge onto another overgrown vehicle track and follow it as long as it is going my way, then follow loose ground trails to the start (end) of Maymorn Ridge.

There's a reasonable trail leading up the ridge, with just a few spots where a bit of casting about and compass/map work is needed.  Once on Pukeruru it get's a little more tricky: travel south for about 500 metres (always further than you think) then east into a saddle (don't miss it) and up the other side. When you have an idea where you're going there are a few trails to follow that seem to be going in about the right direction.

Things progress fine to the scrub southeast of 770m. The cloud is high so the shape of the ridge can be seen which is an enormous help.  The going now promises to be tough. Trails come and go in the thick scrub. Periodically clearings run across the ridge so you follow them to find the next path of least resistance.  At one of these I come across some pink tape which mark a cleared track and progress speeds up markedly.

The view south off Maymorn Ridge - not so impressive today

I follow another clearing north to find, to my surprise, a picnic table. The spot has a panorama from Kapakapanui around to the shoulder of Aston on the Southern crossing disappearing into the murk. Somewhere directly ahead is Renata hut, my destination for the night.

North to Kapakapanui on left, Renata ridge ahead,
route up to Southern Crossing on right

Maymorn Trig

The pink taped route is nowhere to be found so I follow the compass, struggling through thick scrub and low forest, heading on and up until, suddenly; a trig.  Out-competed by the regenerating forest around it, it blends into the landscape into which it is slowly rotting.

Beyond, there is a route down to Hutt Forks. But for me at 2.45pm it's time for a bite to eat (not too long as it's pretty cool) before heading back through the scrub.  At least it hasn't been raining for a while.

The return trip is a different proposition. I have a bit of an idea about the landscape, but it's impossible to retrace the exact route. I find the pink tape again but somewhere along the way lose my long serving black Macpac cap. This is the cap that has been on my head through all the adventures this year; ever since I liberated it from the clutches of number one support crew, to fulfill a far nobler calling. I'm a bit put out.


I get a little carried away on the way back, considerably overshooting the high point after 770. I had thought it would be a potentially tricky spot so had marked the shape of a distinctive tree and a patch of bright green moss, but had whistled past them thinking it was too early. I back-track and find them and take a bearing west into the saddle. As with many descents, there's no clear shape to follow. From the map you just don't want to drop too far south, as that side of the saddle is quite steep. From the saddle it is plain sailing up to the next ridge and north to Pukeruru to a clearing I had marked on the way in.

The route seems more obvious on the way back so it's quick going until I figure it is time to start bearing NNE towards 642. I find it a bit tricky here and make a false start on a ridge I can't identify on the map before cutting across to something more promising. This turns out to be a problem area tomorrow also.

Some old vehicle tracks coincide with my direction and make for fast going for a while but they eventually peter out. The undulating top of the ridge is interminable and confounds any directional sense as the light wanes. I put off getting a head torch out in favour of retaining at least some peripheral vision.

The last steepish climb up to the track is what I am waiting for but the sun is well gone by the time the trail starts upwards. It is quite surprising how the trail although old is still more compacted than the surrounding forest floor so even in the dim light your feet tell you you're on track. However, at some point it breaks right and I miss it in the dark so I keep on struggling up over rotten logs and through moss and humus, eventually giving up and cracking out the light.

Inevitably there is hard track under foot again and the gleam of a track marker. It's a bit of a relief to be able to amble along the well cut ridge track on a firm surface. It's not supposed to be far to the hut, and after a bit an old sign informs me it is only 2 minutes away. Soon after the smell of smoke and disinfectant indicates it is close but then fades. It takes a few minutes to percolate through, but eventually I figure I have waltzed past it in the dark.

It's after 9pm and more than 14 hours on the go when I disturb two women who have just turned in for the night. I don't waste time: hang sopping gear to drip, identify where the loo is (a bit of a walk), grab some food, and climb into bed. There's a bit of rain during the night indicating what to expect tomorrow.

Renata is an old corrugated iron hut with an indifferent fire place. It's not as abused as I expected and there's good company - the women have done some interesting trips and are just completing a loop around Judd Ridge, Renata and back to the Forks via Waiotauru (not so pleasant). One of them is aiming to bag 50 huts this year and has only 10 to go. I only semi-envy them their coffee in the morning as I munch on a slice of fruit bread and salami, and listen to belts of rain battering the roof.

Renata Hut

As expected all gear is still wet and cold but there ain't many options. At 7am I leave them to their preparations and, well wrapped up, ease tired muscles back into motion.

Although my route is no longer marked on the map it used to be well traveled and the departure point is still marked on some maps as Maymorn Junction. I expect to see some obvious indication of it but miss it. In the end I just pick a spot and bash around onto something resembling a spur and start down. Eventually I find something I decide to call a trail and follow it. An old marker eventually confirming the choice. It may as well be a completely different ridge - there's is little familiarity from yesterday and there are false trails all over the place. Even following a compass bearings is tricky as you are never sure whether you are dropping off the edge of the ridge or just traversing another undulation.

I find the old trail again, which turns into a vehicle track and everything is good for a while. Then it heads off down hill towards Frances Stream. Backtrack, another bearing, another bash along what is hopefully the right ridge. This continues for a while with no breaks in the canopy apart from tantalising glimpses of nearby slopes which can't quite be made to fit the map.

The 'ridge' turns into a spur which I follow to a stream to get a bearing - it's flowing in an unexpected direction which means it can be one of two possibilities. That means following that slope up will get me to here on the map ... or here. After a series of such decisions I'm pottering along a ridge at the correct altitude but in a slightly unlikely direction when I recognise a clump of epiphytes fallen onto the track. Oh. Turn around. Backtrack. Take other option at last decision point.

This all happens on the ridge somewhere around 632 to 646 and by the time I've sorted myself out again I work out that I have passed Maymorn Ridge and am navigating past 572. This also proves to be infernally tricky. I describe another loop trying to get onto an identifiable feature.

The canopy is thick and high so the only indication of the terrain is what you can see through the surrounding trees - this will be less than 100m so hardly much to go on. There's also no chance of getting high enough up a tree for a view. At one point I find a fresh pink ribbon on a tree. Clearly indicating something but absolutely no other clues as to what. It is completely frustrating to know that just one little clue is all that is needed to make everything snap into a frame of reference and suddenly make sense.

In the end, fed up, I drop into what I believe is the head waters of the Kerekere Stream - it is flowing in the correct direction and I know I can follow it up towards my ridge and that there are a couple of old vehicle tracks that I might intersect. This time everything goes to plan but there's a fair amount of untracked real-estate between.

Finally I hit the ridge to Pakuratahi and lope along the old vehicle track, promising myself a break and bite at a clearing I recall from the way in.

Feeling the strain - clearing a bit short of 618 

It's not all over yet but at least it feels like the home straight. I call home command from 638 as it's approaching 5pm and if I take a wrong spur I could be spending another night out. 

The trail is pretty good going and I recognise features. I'm also watching the map more closely and keep a good idea where I am as I bump over 641 and 642. Here I pause to take a bearing down the ridge and keep a weather eye out, as there are a few old markers about. At a bit over 500m the ridge splits and its a few minutes before I recognise and carefully backtrack. From here on I spend more time looking for spray markers and less time with the compass as I followed these on the way up.

Finally, with protesting knees I'm negotiating the spur steeply down to where it abruptly flattens to spit me blinking out onto the loop track. I wander along the delightfully flat and smooth surface and across the swing bridge; still a bit of daylight left but not a lot of leeway. There is one car left in the park as I leave about 6.45 pm - almost 11 hours on the go, that's quite enough for one weekend.

Pakuratahi Forks at last

Somewhat more cheerful than last selfie

Postscript

Quite an experience. The body took a bit of punishment - numerous scratches and bruises from thrashing about in scrub, skin on left thigh went sort of numb and still not quite back to normal two weeks later, weird skin rash on face from stumbling into God knows what, something like a stress fracture developing in right foot ... i.e. normal sort of stuff.

It was certainly a navigational challenge - I really can't say I nailed it. Best claim is I ended where intended but with a fair amount of wasted effort on the way (especially day two). 

Did I learn anything? I don't think I got much better at not getting lost but I think I got a little bit better at coping with being lost while working out how to get found again. After all, I spent a fair proportion of Sunday not knowing exactly where I was but not being particularly concerned about it. 

Quoin Ridge

Every tramp has its moments, whether it's the views, a physical or mental challenge, a particularly stunning area of bush, or interesting people. Rarely, a tramp will stand out for many reasons - this is one of those trips.

What: Navigation trip up Quoin Ridge and around to Elder hut, return down spur into Eastern Hutt catchment and down river to exit.
Where: In and out at Kaitoke Waterworks
Why: Navigation practice, two new huts, explore Quoin Ridge and Eastern Hutt River.
Who: Solo
When: 4-5 June 2016

The main range of the Tararuas is largely well tracked and traveled apart from in the south where the tops peter out down from Alpha via Quoin Ridge and eventually into the water catchment at Hutt Forks.

My memory (from the '80s) is that you were not permitted to go into the area at all. As teenagers we would look longingly across from Marchant Ridge at this terra prohibita and vicariously enjoy the tales of trampers that had gone in there anyway. So it's pretty much remained as unfinished business for three decades. With a good forecast, a free weekend, and a bit of navigation practice under the belt I'm finally set to knock the bugger off.

Looking at the map, and reading a few reports from other trips, I figure that navigating up the ridge and returning the short route down a spur will be the most straight forward. This will give the experiences of travelling the length of the ridge, dropping down the spur, visiting the Eastern Hutt Hut, and returning down the river. The only remaining question is where to spend the night. I haven't been to Elder Hut before so that becomes Plan A but it seemed a bit of a stretch in limited daylight hours so Plan B is the shorter trip to Alpha Hut.

I'm a little late leaving, after some last minute problems with a leaking camel back, so it's 7:40 on a decidedly crisp morning as I leave the car next to the information shelter just inside the Kaitoke Park gates. There's a sign to the Norbert Creek Loop and a good quality 4WD track heads off across the paddocks before splashing across Farm Creek and up the hill. The view behind is of white frosted paddocks and dacron mist in the Pakuratahi Valley. The Hutt Valley is already enjoying the full sun.

Near the top of the first hill looking south(ish)

The rules

The Norbert Creek turn off is well sign posted and is just before where the road levels and heads under shady beech forest, before topping out (about 400m climb), then dropping into the valley beyond. The road ends at a well marked walking track down to the Hutt River.  A few minutes later at the river there is a large sign noting where to find the track on the way back, and a well trodden path heading up river to the swing bridge. The bush is rich and dense with punga crowding in around the track.

Sign to find exit to Kaitoke

First view up river

About an hour after leaving the car I'm gingerly picking may way up slippery, frosted mesh onto the bridge. There's a view up and down river from the middle; a good excuse to pause for a few photos - however it will be a while before the sun makes its way down here so it's still a little dim.

On the other bank there is a choice of up or down river. The map shows the route as being left and down river to reach Quoin Ridge but, after reading a trip report from TTC, I'm heading to the spur above the gorge for what looks like a more graded route to the ridge.

The track is well marked and easy to follow through lush bush. It's lovely and flat for 300m then it dives into a creek and climbs 160m to the top of the spur. Someone has left pink tape at various points along the route: once to warn of a wasps nest, and another marking some mistletoe. There's two wee pink plastic squares on a tree, and a ground trail  marking where my route leaves the track at the top of the spur, about 30 minutes after leaving the bridge.

Pretty easy to find the start of the route

The ground trail comes and goes, and there are few markers remaining on trees, but it's generally pretty obvious where to go: up. Coming down it might be a little easy to drift off the spur near the bottom. Just before the top there is a bit of scramble through some fallen trees, on the other side is the ridge top and more pink markers. The route along the ridge has a more obvious ground trail and at this point there are a number of orange markers indicating the normal route down to (or up from) Hutt Forks.

Where the Spur meets Quoin Ridge - through the wind throw to the left
Looking south down ridge

It's good travel through forest and I hardly need to use the compass, even when the ridge levels off. Occasionally the forest thins into scrub and tussock - one section is marked with a sign warning about sticking to the track to protect sensitive vegetation. It's harder going in the scrub and easy to lose the route but overall pretty good travel and the brief openings give increasingly stunning views to Wellington, Wairarapa and parts of the Tararuas not hidden by Quoin and Alpha.

Translation: please try to find the few remaining markers
while you feel guilty about what you might be stepping on

Briefly out of the bush and first view across to Marchant Ridge

And looking across the western part of the catchment and Maymorn Ridge

The top of Quoin is open and there are small patches of snow. It's like a large, rounded and very soggy cushion; apart from the ice on the puddles. The views are panoramic and spectacular, although I am most interested in getting a look down across the Quoin Stream catchment at the spur I intend to descend tomorrow. It looks great from this angle! The clouds just to the west are less welcome, although there's virtually no wind, so they are just hanging around and don't look threatening.

Top of Quoin; peaks along Southern Crossing behind

The spur running down from the left. Quoin stream somewhere below
From top of Quoin 

There's a saddle to negotiate which proves to be the trickiest travel on the ridge - it's possible that I missed the track dropping off the east of the ridge into the trees as it's a bit of a struggle through scrub and grass. It's also longer than it appears from the top, taking over an hour to get through.

The climb out of the saddle is onto a knob south west of spot height 1308: the top of the spur of interest. Try as I might, I can't see the hut in the forest below (it turns out to be painted green and sits in quite a small clearing). Across the valley is the long undulating top of Marchant Ridge.

Looking back at top of Quoin

The snow underfoot thickens during the final walk up to Alpha and a sign marks the transition from the catchment to the forest park.  It's absolutely quiet apart from the sca-runch of my steps and occasional skitters of melting ice. Across the valley, the ridge from Aston to Elder drops from the snowy tussock into dense, dark bush. There's still plenty of day left so it looks like plan A is on.

Destination: Aston on right with ridge running over knob and down to Elder on the left 

Regional Council hands over to DoC, or vice versa

There is a tarn on top of Alpha, and others at various points up the ridge, but many were a bit manky looking so I'm glad I carried my own water and for future reference wouldn't rely on getting water on the ridge.

Alpha is where my route joins the well trodden Southern Crossing. I have to admit I have never climbed the few meters off that track to the top of Alpha, mainly due to the close proximity of a warm hut and the state of the weather on most previous occasions. This time I stop for photos, lunch and check in with home base to confirm that I'm continuing to Elder.

Top of Alpha looking south

Top of Alpha looking north, false spur ahead

Over fruitbread, salami and cheese I sit on a rock soaking in the sun and the views: snow on the peaks and sun on the plains. At about 1:20 it's 5 hours 40 since leaving the car.

Aston is under the edge of the stubborn cloud which isn't moving and I don't really want to be stumbling around in mist when the light fades so I keep on. No-one has been through since it snowed so I have the pleasure of breaking the crust and cracking icy puddles. The snow is a bit thicker on the way up to Aston but presents no difficulties beyond the need for careful footing above some of the steep southern slopes. The shape of the ridge from Alpha to Quoin becomes apparent close to Aston but I'm still a little surprised by how long it took.

Looking back to Alpha (left) and ridge down to Quoin

On Aston

The Southern Crossing keeps going but I'm heading off to the left

An hour after stopping for lunch in the sun on Alpha I pause for photos in the cloud on Aston. There's still very little wind so it's not unpleasant. I resist the temptation to continue around to Atkinson and instead follow the markers over the edge for the steep descent. Once off the tops the track is easy to follow through typical mossy forest - it's absolutely lovely.

Ridge to Elder as the cloud starts breaking

Elder hut

Around an hour twenty after leaving Aston I pop out of the bush to find Elder hut just below, tucked in behind the knob. It's a pretty new and tidy four bunker, well built and double glazed. There's an older gent in residence who has come up the long and winding ridge from Renata. But the log book indicates no other visitors in recent weeks.

Two is a good number for the size of the hut and he's good company. We chat about this and that as we prepare our respective meals. He's doing an interesting line in DIY dehy, whilst I am staunchly light weight: penny stove and Back Country eaten from the pouch. We are both quite happy to settle down for the night in the pitch black by 6.30.

It's a cold night and I have tights, socks, two tops and a hat inside my bag to keep it at bay. The obligatory excursion to the nearby long drop in the wee smalls demands a brief and chilly pause to view the stars and the lights of the Hutt and Wellington in the distance, as well as diverse small towns on the Manawatu plains. The lights show an oily sway with the air movement across the distance, although there's no wind here.

Mercifully my companion is not a snorer and we are both surprised to find that it is a little after 6.30am when we wake in the predawn light. Outside it is cloudless, decidedly crisp and again the views are captivating, this time the snow on Taranaki catches the sun and Ruapehu looks impossibly close.

Kapakapanui catches first light

I'm first off, as he has an easy day to get down the ridge and is in no hurry. The sun is still well hidden just before 8 although it is colouring the horizon and touching the hills around Kapakapanui. A steady pace sees me at the top of Aston in a little over an hour. I note three figures on the ridge line from Alpha and they arrive at Aston shortly after me. A couple and a single have overnighted at Alpha and are heading to Maungahuka, Neill Forks and out to Waiohine via Cone (single) and Totara Flats (couple). A good trip to do some day. They have crampons which I suspect they will be needing before the top of Aitkinson. The snow is harder after the cold night and the ice on the puddles is much thicker making it a little skatey in places.

Top of Aston has a view today - Quoin on left, Hutt and Wellington in the distance

At Alpha 45 minutes later it's a bit early for a break but it's so clear and the views are just to good not to stop for a bit. East is the Wairarapa Plain bordered by wrinkled hills rising to the Haurangis in the south, the slips on Mt Matthews in the Orongorongos are visible. The view also extends to the Hutt, truncated by perspective and separated from Wellington by a wedge of harbour. Beyond and above, the snowy Kaikouras hover. The eastern peaks of the Tararuas lurk in the distance to the north and close by the dress circle curves around to Atkinson.

The dress circle without cloud

Marchant Ridge - Mt Reeves on ridge behind

Ridge down to Quoin, Rimutaka range on horizon

Dress circle again - note Kapiti Island on left

North over top of Alpha - Holdsworth will be in the middle there somewhere

I follow my foot prints from yesterday down the ridge to the top of the spur. It's a simple descent to the bush line with a bit of a ground trail to follow. I lose it before the bush edge at 1000m and elect to follow down the side of a clearing to 900m after a couple of abortive sorties beneath the canopy.

1100m on the spur - Rimutaka range on horizon

 It's a pretty mixed bag with dense undergrowth in places, a few areas where the spur is not so clear, and others where the ground trail is obvious and travel is fast. The compass gets a fair amount of use but I think it would be pretty straightforward in the other direction. There are quite a few old black tunnel traps with pink tape markers - they look fairly recent until I note that a piece of tape wrapped around a tree is riddled with neat little holes where the bugs have exited the tree over some considerable time.

At the bottom it's the work of a few minutes to cross the river and find the hut on the opposite terrace. It's taken a little under an hour and a half to descend 800m so not exactly rapid travel. The hut is catching a bit of midday sun but the clearing is still frosty.  A standard 6 bunker, it is in good condition. The last log entry is over a month ago and the entries are uniformly for people on day trips.

Eastern Hutt hut

Over lunch I study the map and figure that it will be under 90 minutes to the top of the gorge where I have to find the track over the spur. Rather than map watch the whole way I'll just fossick along for an hour then work out where I've got to.

I try to follow the left bank for a bit but it's not working so I revert to the river, crisscrossing down valley.  The river is mostly fairly closely hemmed in by trees or the valley sides and I end up mainly either in the river or in dense bush on a terrace, so there's not a lot in the way of views apart from along some of the longer stretches of river. The bush is stunningly beautiful; rich and thick which makes it a little tricky to navigate, although on some of the true right terraces there is a bit of a trail that speeds things up. At one point there are some markers that take you high above the river to avoid a swifter section. The river itself is clean and fast flowing, with a few swifter sections which require care or avoiding.

A few footprints in the river bed reveal that someone has been through with a dog in the last few days, and there are some old muddy prints on the terraces, but otherwise it is relatively devoid of signs of people.

After an hour I work out I'm pretty close to the spur and have my first crossing where I judiciously decide to use a branch. It's the only one during the day where I had any concerns and the next crossing (within 100m) is fine. A spur off spot height 790 serves as a progress marker as it descends to the gorge from the Marchant side. But I'm in the bush when I realise I have passed the final clearing and have joined the marked trail. A short backtrack takes me to the clearing, which has a large sign indicating the track up the spur. I guess you could miss it if you were in the river, but all up it was pretty straight forward and about 80 minutes from the hut.

Ya can't really miss it ...

The track is now obvious and well marked, I'm soon at the top of the spur and the turnoff from yesterday. It's familiar now so and within an hour I'm at the Norbert Creek intersection. Two joggers heading down the road are the first people I've seen since morning and stop for a brief chat.

The last view

The Norbert Creek track drops steeply through a little bit of scrubby growth, past a couple of startled foreign hikers, then into open forest. It's well marked and drops down a spur, then sidles along terraces before finally dropping to, and crossing, the stream in the soggy bottom of the gully. It's about 25 minutes from the top to the start, then a short walk back down the road to the car, arriving just before 4.

All up, I was quite chuffed to have achieved everything I had set out to do, in gorgeous weather and with stunning views. I have been wanting to travel Quoin Ride and the Eastern Hutt catchment for many years and picking up two new huts was a bonus. There's plenty of scope for some more exploration of the Eastern Hutt but I'll probably leave it for a bit - maybe in summer with more daylight hours for a leisurely trip the length of the valley.

Times

Because the weather was so good I managed to get a lot of photos and have been able to take the times off these. The times are probably a bit quicker than a group will manage, as this was fairly lightweight, solo travel with just the occasional stop for photos and navigation. However, when I say light weight - I did discover that I had lugged in a ground sheet, second spare pair of socks and a merino top that I hadn't removed from my pack from last weekend - damn!

Saturday
07:40    Depart carpark at first information shelter on Water Works Road Kaitoke
08:15    Norbett Creek intersection near top of first hill
08:35    End of road
08.38    River
08:41    Swing Bridge
09:10    Top of spur above gorge
09:40    Quoin Ridge
11:35    Quoin
12:47    Top of Spur to Eastern Hutt hut
13:17    Alpha  (lunch)
14:18    Aston
15:37    Elder

Sunday
07:55    Elder
09:00    Aston
09:43    Alpha
10:31    Top of spur
12:08    Hut
12:30    Dep hut
13:50    Bottom of spur
14:10    Top of spur
14:29    Bridge
15:10    Norbert intersection
15:33    Start of Norbert track
15:50    Car park