Day 1: Friday Tash, Nate, Richard, and I met at Wellington Train Station and started driving north, stopping in Masterton for sneaky kebabs. With our stomachs (very) satisfied, we continued to the trailhead at Kiriwhakapapa Campsite. As darkness settled in, we donned our tramping gear and headlamps and set off towards Blue Range Hut. The … Read more
Day 1: Mangahao Lower No 2 Reservoir to Burn Hut Weather: Dry and warmDOC travel time: 3-4 hrs Group Time: 4 hrs Departing Wellington at 9am, it was a 1 1/2hr drive to Shannon, where we had morning tea. After this, there was a 45 minute drive up a narrow gravel road to Mangahao No … Read more
Tapokopoko to South Saddle ‘Where is the Tapokopoko scree slope? The map shows it is right here.’ ‘The map lies. I reckon the cheeky aliens stole it out from under us and planted a whole forest of trees instead!’ Tony and I were standing on the edge of the supposed ‘scree slope’ that was marked … Read more
Rangipo Desert – hiking to the small volcano named Te roro o Taiteariki A 2 day hiking loop trip across the Rangipo Desert to Te roro o Taiteariki – named after an unfortunate warrior who died after his brain (roro) was seriously damaged in a land related skirmish. Across Rangipo Desert from the WTMC Ruapehu … Read more
Fri – Waiohine Gorge car park to Cone HutWithin minutes of starting our journey to Cone Hut, in an attempt to avoid getting wet feet, I had somehow managed to fall (timber-like) sideways into the creek. I hit my knee, there was blood and a bruise-in-the-making, and I needed a minute to recover. Not a … Read more
The forecast for the weekend was pretty uninviting – gale force winds on Saturday with increasing rain throughout Sunday. The low on Saturday night was forecast to be -3°C at Kime Hut. I figured there was no way we would be going ahead with our planned route along the tops. In fact I was so … Read more
Volunteering on Kapiti Island On Friday at 8am I was waiting with Anne, Jamie and nine other volunteers to jump in the boat and head across to Kapiti Island to volunteer for three days doing trapline work on the island. On arrival we headed straight to the biosecurity room to go through all our gear and … Read more
We departed from Wellington Railway Station at about 7.30am for the drive over the Remutakas and past Greytown, to the Waiohine Gorge carpark entrance of Tararua Forest Park. It was a lovely sunny winter day. We started our walk at 9.20am – going straight across the Waiohine Gorge suspension bridge. There were great views up and down the … Read more
Stumpy Stream a winter tramp in the Hakatere Conservation Park A 5 day winter hiking loop trip through the Hakatere Conservation Park and a climb to the summit of Mt Potts Since moving to Christchurch at the beginning of the year the Hakatere Conservation Park between the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers has become one of my … Read more
Mt Potts and Dogs Range – frozen boots and bobsleds A 4 day hiking loop trip through spectacular mountain scenery of the Hakatere Conservation Area in winter with icy conditions Mt Potts and Dogs Range – frozen boots and bobsleds ‘The good news is that we have found your luggage. The bad news is that … Read more