Recently Chris Swallow set a new record for the Main Range Schormann – Kaitoke of 19 hours and 20 minutes – taking over 2 hours off the previous best time of 21 hours and 33 minutes set in 2104 by Matt Bixley and Grant Guise. You can now read his story here.
The tramp began at 8.35 pm on Friday evening at the end of Mt Holdsworth Road, reached via Carterton. Although we set out for Atiwhakatu Hut when it was still light, it quickly turned dark while we were walking and we had to get the head torches out. The gravel track is in good … Read more
Update 1 February 2016 You can now read Jean’s story of her S-K here. *********************************************************************** The latest news is that Jean Beaumont has just become the first woman to complete the Main Range S-K under 24 hours, solo and unsupported! An truly amazing effort of 23 hours 43 minutes given that conditions were apparently marginal. … Read more
5-bar Tararua tramping A light-hearted ranking of tramping trips in the Tararua Range based on internet reception. Some people, particularly trampers, rejoice when heading into our wilderness while others have a fearful attitude towards these areas that they believe should be completely avoided—for they are places that they consider are hideous, desolate and uncomfortable—where people … Read more
On 12 December six intrepid explorers, led by Frances, set off from the Welly Railway Station at 8 am on Saturday for the northern stretch of the Tararuas to do the ‘easy’ graded Mitre Flats walk. The rest of the group was Jane, Julia, David, John and Antonia. After a brief but essential stop for … Read more
This was originally an E grade tramp overnight to Renata Hut, however, the first day took us longer than expected so we decided to stop at Kapakapanui Hut for the night. Over the two days, we walked the Kapakapanui loop track. The internet tells me this is a distance of about 13km. The track climbs to … Read more
The 2016 Tararua Calendar – a trip through the Tararuas from January to December By Harry Smith When you are an unemployed layabout, living on boiled rice and scavenged apple cores and reusing teabags six or seven times over, you will accept any freebie you can get your hands on. So when Tony Gazley offered me a free … Read more
Before you head away on a trip often there are a number of things for the trip leader to sort out. The group gear is divided up, the menu planned and dinner ingredients dished out, transport organised, the emergency contact person informed and the route planned. So when you find out that the road access … Read more
There’s nothing like gale forecasts of 100 km/hr to lend the run-up to the weekend a slight nervous edge. But spirits were high in the minibus so I could only assume either the others hadn’t seen the forecast or that I was the mad one: that heading up to a ridge with that forecast was … Read more
The tramp to Waitewaewae Hut on the Saturday took us approximately 8 ½ hours, and 6 ½ on the Sunday. We believe we walked about 15kms each way, and may have got to over 600 meters above sea level. The route We started from Otaki Forks at the swing bridge by the picnic area. We … Read more