Southern Ruahine Crossing – Opawe Road to Kumeti Road, Wednesday 25 October 2017
Photos: Alison Greer
Traversing the Ruahines has always been on my list, so given the chance I took it up. Thanks to Kelvin, Vic and Ted for moving the vehicle from Opawe Road to Kumeti Road so that we didn’t have to do a return journey. The three managed to squeeze in a tramp along the Manawatu Gorge Track and the odd latte or two.
The Leatherwood corridor offered protection from strong winds
The high point on the crossing
The track was muddy in places and by the time we got down to the river, we needed a wash. We followed the river downstream, about 800 metres to a large DoC sign that indicated a path to the car park.
We stopped at The Black Stump for replenishment on the way home.
Trampers: Alison Greer, Rosemary Jeffery, Sally Woods, Robyn Wolfsbauer, Kelvin Shaw, John Stairmand, Ted Angove, Les O’Shea, Bruce Hodgson, Juliet Gillick and reporter Hilary Heath-Caldwell.
From the prints the horse had two attempts to get up from the Maungapuaka, about two weeks apart, succeeding on gaining the “raingauge” ridge line on the second attempt. I had assumed it had gone right over to Opawe, but if you only began to notice indications when past the junction then it probably went back out at Loveday or Fairbrother. I think this may have been a resident of Kumeti road. No reason for a hunter to take a horse up there that I can think of, but trampers assuming hunters are responsible for any damage in the park appears common enough. How about a mounted tramper?