Napier Tramping Club

based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
  • Home
  • News
  • Recent trips
  • Meetings and Events
    • The Tramp List, and how to book online
    • Club meetings
    • Bike Rides
    • Eezee Tramps
  • Gear and fitness
    • Tramping gear details
  • History
    • Memory Lane
  • Contacts
    • Interested in joining

From Summer to Winter and back again

March 27, 2021 by Juliet Gillick 2 Comments

Kaweka J – Back Ridge, Kaweka FP, Saturday 27 March 2021. Map: BJ37
Banner Photo: Looking west at the ridges (Back Ridge track in the centre)

Seven trampers headed off from Park Island with the prospect of a beautiful fine day in the hills. The forecast was good, the trip from Napier into the Kawekas looked promising with sunshine and little wind on the way. We reached the Makahu Saddle car park and geared up, with fine anticipation for a good day ahead.

Most of us were keen to get all the way to Back Ridge Hut: Gordon was planning on a lower level trip, Dorothy was definitely going to the top and see how she was going once there and Rob was new to us so had no idea what he would be doing. So we arranged to rendezvous at Dominie Bivvy if we got strung out en route and decide further strategy from there.

The six of us at the memorial cairn

Going up the path was fine with Keith leading the way, and we certainly appreciated not having to clamber over the narrow shelf due to the rerouting of the track by DoC some time ago. We noticed the wind increasing slightly with a cold edge to it but at the bivvy we were still in sunshine at the back of the hut, sheltered from the breeze; it looked as though all was going according to plan.

Dorothy and Rob had decided by then that they would get to the cairn but not look to climb down to Back Ridge Hut and out again, as it was a bit too far for a day tramp for them. The rest of us were keen to push on, however, and knowing that time was limited if we didn’t want the others waiting too long (three hours extra for the circuit), we carried on, leaving Dorothy and Rob in the sun.

Having left the shelter of that area, we found on making the steeper ascent to the top of the J that the cold wind was now so bitter we had to stop and layer up continually and ended up with winter jackets, hats and gloves. On reaching the top, cloud was spilling over from the western side and we started having doubts about how far we would get.

We made it to the cairn and stopped to take the obligatory group photo. By this stage, the western views had disappeared into complete white-out and we decided not to carry on to Back Ridge, get off the tops immediately and have lunch further down. Then Dorothy and Rob arrived, so we had to take the photos again. While we were doing that there was a break in the clouds so we set off on the Back Ridge track – just so we could show Rob the country from that side.

Heading down and out of the wind and into the sun

It was still quite windy with cloud coming and going so we decided to stick with cancellation of the circuit to and from Back Ridge. We did think about heading over to Kaweka North to see that end of the mountain, but by the time we got back to the junction, it was all white-out again and we opted to play it safe and head down.

So it was a much shorter day than anticipated, with arrival back at the car park before 2 pm after a stop at Dominie bivvy for lunch. On the way down, the weather got better and better so we shed all our layers and got back to the car park to hear from Gordon that the weather had been brilliantly fine all day! We still had an excellent day out in the mountains, enjoyed by all.

Trampers: Lynette Morgan, Keith James, Gordon Tapp, Barry Doak, Dorothy Sole, Rob Mizany and reporter Juliet Gillick

Filed Under: Kaweka, Napier Tramping Club, Recent trips

Comments

  1. Kelvin Shaw says

    March 30, 2021 at 8:16 am

    Good report and good decisions.

  2. Gordon Tapp says

    April 2, 2021 at 9:47 am

    Yes, and met up with Debbie Harrington who was searching for a juvenile kiwi for DoC with a tracing aerial. Followed them for a while and she and her young lady companion found it in good health on Makahu Spur. Interesting day enjoying the outdoors.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Our most recent trips

The (local) hills are alive with trampers

Taradale Hills - Sugar Loaf, Dolbel Reserve and Otatara Pa Historic Reserve, Saturday 11 March 2023 Tramping in the Kawekas or Ruahines was out, … Read More

Racing (and beating) Cyclone Gabrielle

Kiwi Mouth Hut, Kaweka FP, 11-12 February 2023 Banner Photo: From HP 1238 there are  a few open clay and scree slopes before reaching the bushline … Read More

The Kaweka J Experience delivers for first-timers

Kaweka J, Kaweka FP, Saturday 11 February 2023 Banner Photo: Taking in the views from Kaweka North Kaweka J was a first for some of us. The … Read More

News

March 2023 News

March 1, 2023 By Julia Mackie Leave a Comment

Tramp List Amendments and Road Closures Due to the inability to access most of the Ruahine Forest … Read More

February 2023 News

February 4, 2023 By Julia Mackie Leave a Comment

Mokai Access to Iron Bark and Colenso Huts Copied from the Ruahine User Group (Private) Facebook … Read More

About us

We are a group of like-minded people who love the great outdoors. We tramp mostly in the Hawke’s Bay province, in remote areas such as the Kaweka and Ruahine Ranges; but we also travel longer distances to new places, for longer walks.

The Napier Tramping Club was established in 1974 and has about 70 members. We belong to the Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ Inc (FMC) and run Saturday, full-weekend and Wednesday tramps, every fortnight.

Interested in joining us?

Enjoy the great outdoors, keep fit and get to know others with similar interests.

More information

Latest news

March 2023 News

Tramp List Amendments and Road Closures Due to the inability to access most of the Ruahine Forest … Read More

February 2023 News

Mokai Access to Iron Bark and Colenso Huts Copied from the Ruahine User Group (Private) Facebook … Read More

Latest trip

The (local) hills are alive with trampers

Useful links

  • Dept of Conservation
  • DoC Huts Use, Kaweka Forest Park
  • Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ (FMC)
  • Heretaunga Tramping Club
  • New Zealand Tramper
  • NZ Walking Access Commission
  • Wanganui Tramping Club

Useful links 2

  • Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society
  • Weather forecast

Copyright © 2023 · Napier Tramping Club · Sign In · Website by D2 ·