Sunrise Hut – Top Maropea Hut, Ruahine FP, Wednesday 20 March 2024 Banner Photo: The track up to Armstrong Saddle With the scheduled trip to Sparrowhawk off the agenda, the intention was to go up to Sunrise Hut and on to Top Maropea Hut. So six of us met for the 7.30am start from Park… [Read More]
A day of lost and found
Daphne Hut, Ruahine FP, Saturday 18 November 2023 Banner Photo: Lunch break inside Daphne Hut With rain forecast in the Ruahines – starting Saturday after lunch then getting heavier on Sunday – it was thought wisest to cancel the overnighter for Howletts Hut and concentrate on the day tramp to Daphne Hut instead. Campbell kindly… [Read More]
Finally back at Bell Rock
Bell Rock and Boundary Stream, Wednesday 11 October 2023 Banner Photo: The five who went for a walk Just five of us left Park Island at 7.30 for the first trip into the Tutira area since the cyclone in February. Simon carefully negotiated all the road cones and traffic lights along the way. There has… [Read More]
Gale-force winds to try us
Happy Daze, Wednesday 13 September 2023 Banner Photo: Heading down to Awatere Hut, from the ridgeline Six intrepid trampers set out in two cars from Napier. The weather for Napier looked as though it was going to be beautiful. So much so, that Cherie requested a special trip to our meeting point by her husband… [Read More]
Doing our bit to clear the way…
Kaweka Lower Loop track maintenance, Kaweka FP, Wednesday 5 July 2023 Banner Photo: Getting stuck into the task Knowing that our tramping post-cyclone was going to be limited, we scheduled a maintenance day for the lower Kaweka track. The last couple of times we travelled this route, we had been very aware of how overgrown… [Read More]
Ruahine hopes dashed again
Manawatu Gorge, Saturday 22 April, 2023. Banner Photo: At the Whatonga Our original tramp was the Southern Crossing of the Ruahines. Eleven of us set out from Park Island with high hopes but low expectations due to the bad weather forecast for that part of the North Island and uncertainty of the track conditions after… [Read More]
What a difference a day makes
Kaweka J (aka Grand Central Station) and Back Ridge, Kaweka FP, Labour Weekend 22-23 October 2022 Banner Photo: Saturday 22 October – and the day earlier It had been decided that we would try to avoid a crowded hut scenario by starting our Labour weekend overnighter on Friday instead of Saturday. So three of us… [Read More]
Threatened rain finally arrived, but we beat it
A-Frame to Stanfield Hut, Ruahine FP, Saturday 3 September 2022 Banner Photo: At the A-Frame Hut We had a full vanload booked to do this trip. However the deteriorating weather forecast made some members doubtful about the wisdom of proceeding. Our intrepid leader (Campbell) was ever hopeful so in the end only one member pulled… [Read More]
Slow start but fast finish
Longview and the Daphne Track, Ruahine FP, Saturday 29 January 2020 Banner Photo: Looking back down to Kashmir Road With the cancellation of the Tararua weekend tramp (because Jumbo Hut was fully booked) there were 11 trampers keen to tackle the day tramp. This was from the Longview Hut car park up to the tops,… [Read More]
Clearing the traps, and grumbles about track times
Parks Peak Hut, Ruahine FP, Saturday 22 May 2021, Map BL36 Banner Photo: The trap cleared and being re-set Five trampers headed off for the day walk up via Sentry Box to Parks Peak Hut. For Juliet and Di, it was a revisit from the previous fortnight when a tramp in the same area had… [Read More]
A big Thank you, to unknown people we didn’t see on our twin Easter Kaweka tramps
Lakes Car Park – Kiwi Saddle – Castle Camp – Studholme bivvy – out via McIntosh Spur, Sat/Sun 3/4 April 2021 Banner Photo: Evidence that the war against the pinus contorta is making progress This mission turned into two tramps, with three on the original plan deciding to go a day later than the fourth,… [Read More]
From Summer to Winter and back again
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… [Read More]