Cow Creek Hut Loop with a little navigation

With Wellington returning to Level 1, and club life starting back up again, I was very keen to get out into the bush on a proper club trip. As the week progressed, the forecast dampened my enthusiasm. Not only was there going to be extremely high winds (between 40 and 90km/h on the Saturday and … Read more

New friends, photography, and a glimpse at the Southern Main Range

After failing to badger various acquaintances into taking me on a tramping trip, Tony took pity on me and said I could come with him to attempt a Southern Main Range. Tony’s favourite camping spot at Otaki Forks was closed, so I showed him my favourite camping spot, which happened to be inside Parawai Lodge! … Read more

Mitre Flats – a little gem

Mitre Flats Hut

Mitre Flats – a little gem A guide to hikers wanting to visit Mitre Flats in the Tararua – with descriptions of the track and hut. Some people don’t like the track into Mitre Flats. It’s named on maps as the Barra Track after the bushman that first cut it and it does seem to … Read more

Mid Otaki

Upper Otaki River

Waitangi Day offered the perfect opportunity to take an extra day off and explore a little further in the Tararuas. I had been keen for a bit of a river trip for a while and decided on the Ōtaki Our route was Poads Road to North Ohau Hut, over to mid Ōtaki, then along the … Read more

Hard to find huts – putting navigation to the test

I first learned about Punga Hut a few years ago at a WTMC social night talk on the best huts and tracks not on the map. Ever since, it has been on my adventure wishlist. When we did the number 1 canyon, I tried to convince the guys to make the short jaunt to visit … Read more

Snowy in the Summer

Trampers were offered up one last golden weekend at the end of March, before being plunged into the darkness of daylight savings. Tereza, Mike M, Tom, Fain and I used this opportunity to bag perhaps the most famous of the “secret huts” in the Tararua Ranges – Snowy Hut. After some rental car difficulties, which … Read more

SK Main Range Traverse in sub-48 hours

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

Otaki Forks Packrafting

The Otaki water catchment had little to no rainfall until Friday before our trip. On Friday morning, it started raining in various degrees from 1 to 5 mm per hour until Friday evening. Around midnight before our trip, it rained again 2 to 3 mm per hour, then the weather turned to dry and overcast … Read more

High Ridge Adventures Part II

On my last trip to High Ridge we did not manage to get to Totara Creek or Totara Flats hut and instead found ourselves marooned on Flaxy Knob on the Saturday night. There is good travel along High Ridge and I was keen to do the section from Flaxy Knob to Totara Creek. Pete put … Read more

Mid-King Bivvy

I had never been to Mid King Bivouac in the Tararua range so I signed up when Maj-Britt put this trip on the schedule. As a bonus the plan was to go to Dorset Ridge hut on the way. This is one of my favourite huts and it’s always worth a visit there. After the … Read more