East Peak to Puketuroa Trk

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    • #13365 Reply
      John Saunders
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      I’m planning a Kaitoke-Mangahao tramp this summer, but I’m unfamiliar with the sector East Peak-Hines-Massey Knob-Ngapuketura-Puketuroa Track. Merv Rodgers doesn’t cover it, and my 1995 Topomap suggests leatherwood could be a problem. Any suggestions? Would dropping into the Mangahao River via Girdlestone Saddle be the better option? Any advice appreciated.

    • #17147 Reply
      Richard Davies
      Guest

      Hi John,

      Anecdotally its really grovelly and slow through there. Slow being the main problem.

      Having looked at it a few times I think it could be fun but not at the end of a trip – do it as a (massochistic) weekend trip.

      If you are a confident navigator there is a route off West Peak into the Mangahao, stay out of those streams though, they’re poor travel.

      There is also a good route down Triangle Spur (off Dundas Pk) down to the old Avalanche Flats Hut site.

      Girdlestone Saddle is good too.

      Plenty of scope, sounds like a fun trip!!

      Good luck.

    • #17148 Reply
      Harry
      Guest

      I went from the Mangahao dam up to the top of the Puketurua Track last month and that was a little bit overgrown in places but basically fine (although if you’re coming down, the last hundred vertical metres or so down into the stream could possibly be a bit confusing). From the top of the Puketurua Track there was a wide cut track heading south through the leatherwood towards the top of Ngapuketurua. I followed it for a couple of hundred metres and it seemed OK. I don’t know how far it goes but presumably it’s all the way to Ngapuketurua and beyond to Hines and Ruapae.

      Of course, the other option is to just buy a copy of the 2001 edition of the map. All the leatherwood scrub in the northern Tararuas has magically vanished, and there’s even a vehicle track over Mt Crawford and Nichols to help you on your way…….

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