[TonyG]

The Tararua Tramping Club has proposed a new track is cut along the top of the Rimutaka Range from Kotumu to South Saddle and is asking for support for the proposal from other tramping clubs.
So – the WTMC committee needs to know if club members support the idea or not, and also whether any members would be interested in spending time and effort actually cutting the track.
How about letting us know what you think by replying to this post or sending an email to .
You can see a map of the proposed route by going to http://www.tararuaphotos.com and Tararua hut and track news.

[MikeM]

Hi Tony. I can’t seem to get your link to work beyond going to a top level website rather than a specific photo or map.

I’ve only been up there once, in Jan 2015. We walked a loop from Paua Hut, along to Kotumu, down and back in the course of a day. My first thought it that it was a fab off-track experience (in the 800m/hour type of way for some sections), but maybe it could be worth having a track cut depending on what others think. Another thought, though, is to wonder about the plan for where it’d go. Doesn’t it basically lead into private land down that Kotumu of the ridge? Even if heading down to the Orongorongo River via a legal route, my unconfirmed understanding is that it’s one of very few bits of river in NZ that’s not public access. Any idea if there’s a clear plan for legal access at the Kotumu end with this proposed track?

[TonyG]

Thanks for the comments Mike. I agree there are some questions about the track that will need to be addressed at some stage but at the moment the TTC are just sounding out the level of support from other clubs for the proposal.We need to get back to them initially with a ‘yes/no’ we are supportive, and ‘yes/no’ we have members who would help out with the actual cutting. The track would actually be a big commitment cutting it, and then maintaining it given the type of vegetation on the ridge.
Anyway committee is seeking member’s views, either for or against.

PS The link to the website was deliberate – but if you go to ‘Hut and track news’ from the menu you will get to the map.

[Andrew Bichan]

Hi Tony

I’ve been up a along the ridge a few times in the last year or so. I think the track would be a real asset and would be prepared to help out. I walked it from South Saddle to Tapokopoko yesterday – the views are fantastic but in many places the route is pretty tough going. I don’t think it would be a bad thing to make it accessible to a few more people – I think the area can sustain another track. There was a lot of trap marking at the north end but not so much further south – a track might help broaden the reach of pest control perhaps?

[MikeG]

I think this track would be great and I’d be keen to lend a hand too.

This track would add lots of great options straight out the back door of Paua Hut. I’ve been up Paua Ridge to Tapokopoko a couple of times – there’s a reasonable track with occasional blazes there so not much work involved there. It’d be fantastic if it carried on along the ridge to Mt Matthews, or south back down to the river.

[MikePratt]

I think a track would be a fantastic idea, though I do have a few considerations.
I can reiterate Andrew’s comments – there are some rough spots – nettles, bush lawyer and supplejack do tend to slow the travel, a well cut track would sort these out.

I can imagine that a good day walk would be a loop from the car park, south saddle and down Paua ridge.

This may cause some issues at Paua Hut. As maintenance officer, we do experience a few problems with break-ins, This could potentially increase if people found that they had overestimated the route and couldn’t get out.

I can also see the long drop getting a lot more use as well. If DOC were supportive maybe they would consider dropping in a new loo (ours will need replacing soon anyway;)

cheers
Mike P

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