[Ray]

I am leading a club trip to Sutherland’s hut in the Haurangi Ranges in a couple of weeks time. As I haven’t been there before I would be grateful for some information about getting to this hut. There appear to be two main routes to this hut. The map indicates that there is a reasonably long 4-wheel drive track from the coast to the hut, and a track from Haurangi Road on the eastern side of the ranges which is substantially shorter but obviously not a 4-wheel drive track. The trip I am leading is an EASY grade trip. I need some information about these 2 alternatives, especially with regards to terrain and estimated times. Any other information or recommendations would be very helpful.

Ray Walker

[harry]

Hi Ray,

as you say, those are the two main alternatives. The route from Haurangi Road IS a four-wheel-drive track (it’s part of the Hurangi Crossing). This is definitely the easiest way to Sutherlands – it’s only about 5 km to the hut I think from memory. There is also a tramping track marked on the map which loops down a stream to the west of the main track. I’ve never done this so I don’t know what it’s like but you could use it to make a round trip rather than going in and out both ways on the four-wheel-drive track.

The four-wheel-drive track from the Pinnacles on the coast is considerably longer. It also climbs to something like 800 metres above sea level before the final steep downhill to the hut, so if you come back out the same way it would be a big climb out from the hut first thing in the morning on Sunday. Other than that it’s straighforward since you’re on the four-wheel-drive track the whole way. There is not much scope for a round trip from this side. One option is to follow out down the river from the hut and then take a track which climbs out and joins the four-wheel-drive track about halfway along the ridge, but this involves off-track river travel which may not be a good idea for an easy trip.

I presume the club transport is going to the coastal side of the range, so I presume you would be looking at taking the track from the Pinnacles (unless you want to go in at one end and come out at the other, perhaps tying in with the Haurangi Crossing mountain bike trip). I don’t really know how long it would take an easy trip from the Pinnacles but my feeling is it’s possibly a bit long for an easy trip and really more of a medium trip. For an easy trip I think I would be looking at something like the Pinnacles – Washpool, or Kawakawa – Mangatoetoe. (Though on the other hand the fact that it is a four-wheel-drive track means the travel would of course be quicker than the same distance on a tramping track.)

Sutherland hut itself is a nice spot – it’s actually an old farm homestead in a grassy clearing above the river.

– Harry

[Ray]

Thanks for that info, Harry. Although I haven’t contacted the other trip leaders yet, the destinations for their trips indicate that they are starting from the coast. As my trip is an easy trip I think I will change the destination to Washpool hut (as you have suggested). It could be a real hell trip to go to Sutherland’s hut and back. From my experience with easy trips, it just takes one slow person in the group to make it a really long day.

Regards,

Ray

[Yibai He]

Ray,

I’ve been to Sutherland hut few times and know the area reasonable well, if you got a van then you can drive to Haugrangi roadend, and there are 3 tracks you can choose to walk to the hut, 2 over the top, and one(the shortest) drop down to the river and only take you about 2 hours max, they are all in reasonable conditions(the longest one was bit overgrown), the shortest track actually was a 4WD track, hunters still take their quad bike down there, and the place is popular with hunters!
Washpool is certainly a better choice if you come with bus, if you decide to walk out via washpool creek just make sure it’s not raining(and you might need permission as I remember the last bit is somebody’s farm).

Cheers
Yibai

Thanks for the info, Yibai. Transport will be a factor in deciding where to go.

Regards,

Ray

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