Three varied days round Ruapehu – and a (paint)brush with Covid

Ruapehu, 11-14 March 2022
Banner Photo: Top of the Bruce Road – Havelock North Ski Club’s accommodation has the curved roof

Seven of us headed up to Ruapehu for the club’s annual trip to the mountain. For the third year, we were able to use the excellent facilities at the Havelock North Ski Club hut at the Top of the Bruce. The mountain was devoid of snow and ice except for a few tiny patches.

On arrival on Friday around lunchtime, Simon, Kelvin, Ted and Anne did a walk up to Meads Wall, followed by a check on operating times and cost for the Skywaka. The weather was warm and sunny.

At the former Auckland Tramping Club Lodge, we met a husband and wife who are teachers in Taupo. They both had Covid, though she was over the isolation period; he was not, but he felt fit enough to isolate on the roof and was painting it in some neutral standard colour specified by DoC. We kept our distance.

On Saturday morning, we decided to walk up to the Tama lakes situated on the southern flanks of Ngauruhoe – a 21km round trip. The weather was rather misty and cloudy with the odd shower passing through, but it wasn’t that cold. On the track, we met several runners who told us the running event planned for that weekend had been cancelled, but they had decided to turn up anyway. There were also several family groups out on the track.

We had lunch above the Lower Tama Lake and returned taking the track that passes the Taranaki falls. On our return to The Chateau, we all had some good coffee at the cart next to the campground store. That night, we cooked a roast and lit the pot belly fire, which made the hut quite cosy.

Next day, the weather had improved and was better than the forecast. We decided to walk in to the Hapuawhenua viaducts located north-west of Ohakune. Geoff, who had brought his bike, was dropped off at Horopito so he could ride down a track to the viaducts. The rest of us started the walk on the old coach road which progresses into a nice area of bush before you arrive at the two viaducts. The original one was constructed in in 1907 to complete the main trunk line. Its replacement was built in 1987.

After lunch, we headed up to Owhango, north of National Park, to complete a pleasant bush walk in the Ohinetonga Scenic Reserve situated to the east of the township.

Monday dawned bright and sunny so, on the way home, we decided to walk up to and around the very scenic Lake Rotopounamu located on Highway 47 between Opotaka and Turangi. This took around two hours. It was then on to the Licorice Café at Motuoapa for lunch before heading home.

We all had a pleasant weekend on the Central Plateau. Many thanks to the Havelock North Ski Club for allowing us to use the hut.

Trampers: Ted Angove, Denise Bavidge, Geoff Greer, Simon Hill, Kelvin Shaw, Anne Blackwell and reporter Doug Matheson