The Southern Crossing is described by DoC as one of the “four classic tramps of the Tararua Range”, and is a trip that any Wellington-based tramper should tackle at least once. However, in the leadup to our trip the weather looked like it was going to spoil the plans, with gale winds forecast for the … Read more
Before I get into the juicy facts, here’s a wordy summary of our Southern Crossing Medium tramp from Otaki Forks to Kaitoke. We headed up to Field Hut from Otaki Forks around 8pm on Friday night. It was a beautiful night, with an almost full moon. We set off from Field at 9am the next … Read more
With only one punter signed up (Alyn) for the official WTMC trip to Snowy Hut, the trip became an unofficial WTMC fit trip with a party of two, later to become three punters on a 24 hour jaunt into the hills. I was the only person in the party not to have visited the hut … Read more
In November 2010 I did a great trip to Elder Hut in fine sunny weather (yes, this was the Tararuas). The views from the hut were brilliant, and it got the sun until late in the evening. So when the trip was put on the proposed WTMC summer schedule for March 2012, begging for a … Read more
Fri (evening): Otaki Forks – Kime Sat: Kime – Mangahuka via Tararua Peaks & Ladder – Anderson’s Sun: Andersons – Waitewaiwai – Otaki Forks FRIDAY: After negotiating a tedious traffic jam we finally arrived at Otaki Forks at dusk. We were lucky to have a clear starry night. We marched up to Field in a … Read more