Napier Tramping Club

based in Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

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Easy walk to Parks Peak, with a stick…

September 11, 2010 by Geoff Donkin Leave a Comment

Parks Peak via Sentry Box, Saturday 11 September 2010. Map: BK37

Trampers: Colin McNatty, Denise Payne, Sue Marshall, Mark Marchal, Murray Goss, Les O’Shea, Ted Angove, John Marshall, Simon Hill and Geoff Donkin

Ten of us set out. The weather forecast was for rain later in day. We were scheduled to go to Parks Peak via the Makaroro River. However, heavy recent rain suggested that the river crossing might be difficult so we decided to go via Sentry Box. We walked up past the freshly painted bright orange Sentry Box Hut. (The painters have missed a bit – they must have been distracted). The bottom part of the track was steep and greasy.

One of our members had brought a stick made out of an electric fence pole. He was waving this around threatening to give all and sundry an electric shock. There were a few rocky outcrops on the way up, which enabled us to have a look around. There were good views of the rows of pine trees on the farmland below. We came across a hunter on the track. He had had no luck. He said perhaps in two weeks’ time the grassy patches would be shooting and the deer would come out.

Les, Ted, Marc and Colin at Pohutahaha Trig

At the turn-off, we decided to go the Pohutahaha, perhaps 15 minutes north along the track. We had good views of the top of Mt Ruapehu – very clear sharp white, even though the background was a bit dull. Heading back to track junction and south along main track, we picked up views of Ngauruhoe as well. There were a couple of dips in the track to go across before reaching the new Parks Peak Hut. We had an early lunch at about 11.30am.

The view of Mt Ruapehu from the tops

When we set off to return, several of our party decided to go along to the track junction where the track drops down to Upper Makaroro Hut. The new stick got left behind! Another person decided to look after it and take it back whence we had come from. So off we went. At the track junction, the stick was left at against the sign post. The owner arrived and accused all and sundry of stealing his stick, except it seems the actual person who had! Going down the hill, we could feel the moisture in air and see black clouds to the north-west. Not long before Sentry Box Hut, it started to rain but we got back to the van before it got too heavy. We changed and then it was back to Napier.

Filed Under: Recent trips Tagged With: Parks Peak, Sentry Box

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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.

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Latest news

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December 2020 News

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Useful links

  • Dept of Conservation
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  • Federated Mountain Clubs of NZ (FMC)
  • Heretaunga Tramping Club
  • New Zealand Tramper
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  • Wanganui Tramping Club

Useful links 2

  • Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society
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