After a slightly bleary-eyed 7.30am meet on the Saturday morning, a club minibus jam-packed with sleepy trampers left for the Tararuas in hot pursuit after Illona’s car. As a tramping-virgin, I had been warned about the mysteriously misty, murky and muddy Tararuas and had sat through various club presentations picturing drizzly-looking forest and decidedly damp-looking … Read more
When Gareth asked me for the sixth time “have you committed to the Jumbo-Holdsworth?” I weighed up the pros and cons for the sixth time. Pros – no time left to do any training, have run the route before and enjoyed it, unlikely to be snow this time. Cons – have not done any training, … Read more
As we were doing a crossing we had a few transport logistics issues. We left Wellington Station on the 5:30pm train bound for Masterton, a lovely scenic ride, with the goal getting a pickup from the MF Blackwater-Makaretu group on the Sunday afternoon. We arrived in Masterton a bit hungry and in no real hurry, … Read more
It’s hard to think of a new angle on a trip across the Southern Crossing. It’s a classic Tararua tramp, but so well traversed by so many feet that all sorts of invention is practiced to make it a more interesting story to relate. This ranges from the traditional one day and moonlight versions, through … Read more
This, according to trip leader Tony, was all we needed to find the track back up the hill from Totara flats to the ridge via the old unmaintained hunters’ track: Imagination, plus a map and a compass. And find it we did – battling through long grass and a hailstorm in the process. For a … Read more
We were lucky with great weather this weekend. Departure from Putara Road was in bright sun. The group of 11 set off upstream leaving a vocal farm dog behind us. The trip was a pleasant day in the bush, marked with a couple of breaks. We arrived at Roaring Stag early afternoon, with plenty of … Read more
Rory: Well, after an exceptionally early 7am meeting at the train station, (I am used to 9am) introductions were made, bacon and egg English muffins were crammed into mouths and we were on our way with Paula only stalling the manual van a few times before getting to the destination. Rory: After about a 1.5 … Read more
Saturday –Waiohine Gorge Roadend –Cone Hut-Tutuwai Hut We left the railway station at 8:30am on Saturday morning and drove to the Waiohine Gorge Roadend. We hit the track at about 10:45am by crossing the highest swing bridge in the Tararuas and took the left track that would take us through to Cone Hut. From there … Read more
Originally we were supposed to be picking up the Moonlight Southern Crossing (FE) group on Sunday at midday-ish, but as that trip was called off we had a lot more freedom on departure times and return times. We left the station at a very reasonable 9am on Saturday morning, a nice change from the typical … Read more
Our weekend starts with Katie pulling out at 5.30pm on Friday due to a pulled muscle. We hear there was a good party on Saturday night too…. Katie was a good sort, acting as a shuttle driver to and from the club van, and passing over her group rations; including a wonderful dessert that even … Read more