Cone Saddle

Winchcombe Biv – Tararua Forest Park

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Date: 30 June - 2 July 2023.
Trip type: Tramp(MF).
Location: Tararua Forest Park.
Author: Emily S.
Trampers: Tiffany (leader), Caryl, Emily .

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

Snow Cone

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Date: 17-19 August 2018.
Trip type: Medium Tramping.
Location: Holdsworth to Waiohine, Tararua Forest Park.
Author: Aimee.
Trampers: Uta (leader), Juan, Sarah, Andy, Ken and Aimee.

Despite the miserable forecast for Saturday, I was looking forward to Uta’s Medium ‘Holdsworth to Waiohine’ trip in the Tararuas. Not only is Uta a most excellent leader, but the company promised to be top-notch. In particular, I was looking forward to being reunited with my snowcraft buddy Juan who (when I wasn’t clinging to … Read more

Cone to Alpha Huts (via Neill, Winchcombe and Hector)

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Date: 2-4 March 2018.
Trip type: Medium-Fit Tramp.
Location: Tararua Forest Park.
Author: Simon.
Trampers: Emily (Leader), Simon (Photos), Fons.

We headed into Cone Hut from the Waiohine roadend on Friday night (after getting Chinese takeaways in Greytown – recommended!), and got to Cone at 9.45 that night. Cone is a great little hut and is renowned in arachnologist circles for having some of the hugest spiders in the Tararuas. We crashed almost as soon … Read more

Neill Forks via Makaka Spur

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Date: 18-20 August 2017.
Trip type: Medium-Fit Tramping.
Location: Neill Forks Hut, Tararua Ranges.
Author: Fiona.
Trampers: Illona (leader), Amanda, Tony, Jessie, Tereza, Fiona.

We set of from Waiohine Gorge road end on Friday night for Cone hut. Our original plan was to navigate to Jak Flats biv North of Mid-Waiohine hut but the heavy rain and wind forecast for Sunday wasn’t conducive to tops travel so we reshuffled it to Neill Forks via some navigation up from the … Read more

Tim Tams for Dinner

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Date: 28-29 September 2013.
Trip type: M.
Location: Tararuas.
Author: Debbie Buck.
Trampers: Debbie Buck (leader), Spencer Clubb (leader, trip photographer), Elizabeth Claridge (leader).

After Ngauruhoe high camp was cancelled, I decided I needed a weekend of tramping to keep my fitness for Tappy in a few weeks. For family reasons, Spencer was about to enter a period of tramping abstinence and wanted a good solid tramp. As well as keeping tramping fit, Elizabeth needed an excuse to avoid … Read more

Oatmeal for the Soul

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Date: 29-31 July 2011.
Trip type: MF Trip.
Location: Neill Forks.
Author: Ian Harrison.
Trampers: Amanda Wells (leader), Kate Cushing, Megan Banks, Sharon Brandford, Paul Christoffel, Ian Harrison.

I grew up happily located between Kahurangi and Abel Tasman National Parks. As a youngster tramping for me was an enviable choice between silver beech in the hills or golden beach on the coast. So naturally, when I first moved to Wellington I looked down my nose at the Tararuas. A fellow Mainlander, John Pascoe, … Read more

Dreaming of Daphne

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Date: 3-5 July 2009.
Trip type: Medium Tramp.
Location: Tararuas.
Author: Mika Verheul.
Trampers: Mika (leader), Phil, Sandra, Adrian, Christian, Robert, Gunes.

I dreamed about Daphne, her spur, her ridge and her hut. After a couple of months filled with studies and deskwork it was time to get out and meet Daphne in the Ruahine’s.  I choose to be a novice leader on this trip, the 3 -5 of July. It would be great! There were 16, then … Read more