The final adventure of 2019

Top Gorge Hut, Ruahine FP, Saturday 14 December, 2019.
Banner Pix: Lunch at Top Gorge Hut

From the Ruahine Ranges car park, it was a windy tramp to Longview Hut – which made the adventure more challenging. Many were pleased to be out of the wind at Longview Hut. There was one other tramper in the hut and he said the night before it had been howling winds; so we did well.

After a group chat on where to next, Geoff decided we would do a bit of off-track and go to Top Gorge Hut. We walked along Rocky Knob and then ventured down to the Pohangina River via the trapline route which is lightly marked. Jim and Geoff led the way down, with much hilarity about which way to go. We trekked down the river with Geoff saying “only 500m away”, but it was much further (producing lots of jokes).

We reached Top Gorge Hut just on lunch and shared more laughter and stories, then trekked back up the river with Jim T in the lead, and showing how to keep your boots dry on a river trip (Fiona C and Jim had the only dry feet, though). The rest of us enjoyed the cool of the water on our feet.

We tramped up to Pohangina Saddle and back to the Longview Hut turn-off, then down to the car park. It was a great day out and we were home by 6pm.

Trampers: Juliet Gillick, Bryan Powlesland, Fiona Chiverrel, Geoff Donkin, Lynette Morgan, Jim and Sue Trotter, Sue Gribble, and reporter Fiona Bryant.