Dundas Hut

Dundas Loop – Tararua Forest Park

Date: 25 – 27 August 2023.
Trip type: Tramp(MF).
Location: Tararua Forest Park.
Author: Daniel Madley.
Trampers: Daniel Madley (leader), Murray D, Richard M, Julian M.

Four hardy souls decided to tackle the Dundas Loop over a weekend. The original plan had been to tramp from Putara carpark to Dundas Hut on the Saturday. But common sense prevailed. So Friday afternoon saw us making the two-hour drive from Wellington to the remote Putara carpark. After a brief stop in Greytown for … Read more

A very short and circular “SK”

Date: 18-21 April 2019 (Easter weekend).
Trip type: Medium Fit...downgraded to Easy Medium .
Location: Dundas Hut, Tararua Forest Park.
Author: Aimee.
Trampers: Aimee (leader), Tony S, David and Cindy.

When I put an “SK” on the schedule for Easter weekend, I envisaged four glorious sunny windless days on the tops of the Tararua Ranges. More than one fellow club member laughed at me for such an ambitious trip over a typically mixed bag weather weekend. However, right up until the week before, I was … Read more

SK Main Range Traverse in sub-48 hours

Date:  8 - 10 February 2019.
Trip type: Fit Essential Tramp.
Location: Schormann ~ Kaitoke, Tararua Forest Park.
Author: Nick H.
Trampers: Nick (co-leader), Elisabet (co-leader), Gareth, Stuart plus Nick Johns as transport and support crew.

I first heard about this challenge a year or so ago when I found out about the book full of all the previous trip reports, most recently updated and published by Tony and Megan from our club. The challenge itself started out with the simple rule that you need to work until closing time Friday, … Read more

A Frozen Footslog to Dundas Hut

Date: 28-30 July 2017.
Trip type: Medium-Fit Tramping.
Location: Dundas Hut, Tararua Ranges.
Author: Natasha.
Trampers: Tereza (leader), Dan (co-leader), Natasha, Sam, Matt, Gareth, Shay and Jessie.

Tramping to Dundas Hut with a medium/fit group for my first WTMC trip isn’t the best decision I’ve made in my life. I thought I was fit from running around hilly Wellington but the muddy, tree-root covered, relentless steep climbs and descents of the Tararuas made me feel like I’d never exercised in my life. … Read more

Dundas Hut

Date: 26-28 June 2015.
Trip type: Medium Tramp.
Location: Tararuas.
Author: Frances.
Trampers: Dan, Frances, Henry (leader), Holger, Inky.

Given that our Medium Fit minibus companions were embarking on a trip entitled ‘Dundas: the Hard Way’, one could be forgiven for thinking that there is an ‘Easy Way’ to reach Dundas Hut. This would be a mistake. Dundas is a wonderful, challenging, rewarding trip… but easy it was not. We set off from Putara … Read more

Dundas, deer and dialogue

Date: 4-6 April 2014.
Trip type: Medium Fit Tramp.
Location: Tararuas.
Author: Stuart Beban.
Trampers: Kevin Cole (leader), Raymond Morgan, Tim Dunning, Stuart Beban, Sarah Fisher.

See photos from Kevin Cole It was the kind of hot Friday night that cricket commentators call balmy or sultry when our party of five departed on a two day Medium/Fit Dundas tramp.  Our first goal was to get from the road end to Herepai Hut in total darkness. The modern marvel that is the LED light … Read more

Not your usual Tararua tramp

Date: 13 – 15 December 2013.
Trip type: MF (with vicarious visits from the FE - David Heffernan and Shay).
Location: Tararuas.
Author: Megan Sety.
Trampers: Brendan Eckert (Leader 1), Weimen Ren, Megan Sety, Sam Thornton (Leader #2).

We were rushing to get out of town on Friday night and eat a fast dinner, because David Heffernan and Shay had planned to tackle the SK challenge – the North to South crossing of the Tararuas in under 48 hours. Since the Medium and Medium-Fit trips for the weekend only had one punter and … Read more