Mangahao Muddy Meandering

An early Saturday morning meet up (7am) and we headed off up the coast turning onto SH57 at the south of Shannon. A gravel road for the last 40 minutes or so to upper Mangahao Dam, the back seaters started to feel woozy and we were relieved to park up and get going on a … Read more

Mitre Flats Hut navigation

Route to Mitre Flats Hut

Mitre Flats Hut navigation A hiking trip into Mitre Flats Hut via Blue Range without any tracks and using magnetic compass and map for navigation Ten WTMC members set off on Saturday 3 December with compass and maps to do an EM navigation trip to Mitre Flats Hut via Blue Range. It was such a … Read more

Blue Skies for Blue Range

This was a sunny Sunday day trip into the Tararuas. We had a late start (due to Aimee arriving late with the van!) So after asking my team to be at the Railway Station at 8am sharp, I made them wait for 15 minutes. But we were on the road by 8.15am, and it was … Read more

Dreaming of a view at Kapakapanui

Kapakapanui (1102 m) is known for its fine views across Kapiti and into the Tararuas and our group of five was looking forward to seeing it for ourselves. With Kapakapanui being so close to Wellington (inland of Waikanae), we had a leisurely start and left from Wellington Railway Station at 9am on Saturday and then … Read more

Renata Hut via Maymorn Junction: 20% brain, 30% muscle, 50% fun and 10% luck

When Tony emailed out the trip plan to me, the sole punter, there were strict instructions to meet at platform 9 at 7.30am Saturday with my car.  Since I was still struggling with daylight saving, my thought was pretty much ‘Struth!  Tell him he’s dreaming.’  At 7.32am my clapped out wannabe Holden Barina screeched into … Read more

Tutuwai instead of Alpha

The trip was originally planned as a navigation trip to Alpha hut via the Quoin Ridge, and then returning via the Eastern Hut river. Amanda’s initial email warned that this would likely be at the upper end of the medium grade with two longish days of up to nine hours. In the end there five … Read more

Roaring Stag: Good company, good custard.

Roaring Stag Hut had been described to me as a typical Tararuas tramp and a staple on the WTMC tramping schedule, so as a fully -fledged member now I thought it was one that I must do. The tramp started at 9.00am on Saturday morning at the Railway station. Ten of us piled into the … Read more

Totara Flats (and the best veggie shepherds pie ever tasted in the Tararuas…)

The rain on Friday night gave us an excuse for a very leisurely Saturday morning start to the tramp. We met at the Railway Station at 7.30am, and stopped for breakfast and a coffee at the Wild Oats Café in Masterton around 9am. So it wasn’t until 10.10am that we were at the Holdsworth road … Read more

Herepai: A tale of two dogs

This is a tale of two dogs. Saturday morning, eleven of us arrived with our van at the trailhead of Herepai. Upon arrival we were greeted by a dog – lets call him Rocky. Rocky ran alongside our car for the final 200 meters of our drive. His impressive sprint proved he could easily fill … Read more