Auckland Baptist Tramping Club

Friday 11 km.   A very hot, sunny day. After a night spent in a pleasant cabin at the Pureora Field Centre we all set off at 8.25 am in the minibus via the Link Road and Western Bays Road to Waihora Lagoon carpark. We all walked down the very well formed track to look at the Lagoon, looking out for and discovering a Geocache on the way. Due to the long dry period the Lagoon was dry enough to walk on and sported a good coat of green grass.

Here, at 10 am, the two groups parted, the daywalkers to drive to the Waihaha carpark and to walk up to the Waihaha hut and back, the pack-carry group to walk up the Waihora track to join the Hauhungaroa Track. The track initially followed an old  four-wheel drive track which gently climbed for 1.5 hours up to the ridge, crossing a pretty stream shortly before reaching the junction, which we discovered was actually not where indicated on the Topo map – it was approximately half a kilometre further south, luckily in the direction we intended to go. We continued southwards along this very well marked and easy track enjoying the beautiful weather and lovely bush, with a stop for lunch and our devotion at 12.30 pm.  Eventually we came to the Mangatu Stream which entailed a very steep 140m scramble down, wading the river, crawling under a fallen tree, and then a very long 140m climb up again. After another 1.5 kilometres we were very pleased to reach the 10 bunk Waihaha hut at 4 pm. Due to its heavy use the water tank was dry but we were able to fill the billies from the nearby stream for a much needed mug of tea. Many hunters use the hut and the grassy area around the hut was littered with bones and evidence of dogs – and by the end of the afternoon there were seven others and four dogs on site, so four of us put up tents outside. We all had quick refreshing dips in the very cold Waihaha River, and spotted a couple of blue ducks, before our evening meal and an early night. Saturday 16 km. (The signboard at Waihaha hut is incorrect at 12km) Another sunny, hot day. We set off at 8.15 am, following the Waihaha River southwards. Although the signboard had indicated 3 km to the Te Awaiti Stream, our GPS showed that, in a straight line, it was at least 4.5 kilometres – and the path was certainly not straight! So it was not surprising that it took two hours to reach this last stream before we began climbing up the ridge. We had been told by a very friendly hunter that the only available water at the new Hauhungaroa Hut was from the tank collecting rain from the roof. After our experience at the Waihaha Hut we decided to fill as many containers as possible at the stream and David Korff and David Titheridge kindly carried most of it up and up for the rest of the day. We also commented that, although the route was very well marked, it was obviously not very frequently walked and the trees seemed determined to make difficulties for us as many had sacrificed themselves by falling down across our path! However we won through and eventually enjoyed a long lunch and devotions at 12.30 pm almost at the top of the ridge.     Val jokingly suggested that we try to find her sunglasses which she had left hanging on a tree stump by their cord beside the spot where a Club group had camped when tramping this track in the reverse direction in January 2002! The camping spot was found and there, hanging on a stump was the safety cord, now faded and caught firmly by a bracket fungus which had grown  around it. The glasses had gone – we wondered whether there was a cool-dude possum somewhere in the bush!

We continued along the ridge, getting the occasional glimpse southwards to Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu, until at 3.45 pm we reached the site of the new hut (956 m.) Many trees had been cut to provide space on the northern side of the ridge, and to provide wonderful views north and north-westwards towards Pirongia. The six-bunk hut, which we had to ourselves, was great, very clean, light and reasonably spacious, although getting water from or washing-up in the outside sink would have been a very cold and wet experience in bad weather. The hut book indicated that the hut had not been heavily used and the water tank was full so we did not need to stint ourselves.

Sunday 7 + 2 km.  We left the hut in a slight mist at 8.30 am and followed the fairly level ridge westwards, and soon reached the old trig point on the top of Motere (approx. 990 m), now nearly enveloped in vegetation. The mist had cleared and once again we were glad of the shade of the bush. From the trig the path began to descend, in one place very steeply, until eventually it emerged from the bush and followed a four-wheel drive track to the original road end. The road is now in such a bad condition that radio contact with David Kilgour confirmed that they had parked the minibus a further two kilometres back along the Mangakahu Road. We joined the day walkers and arrived at the minibus at 11.30 am after having enjoyed a wonderful weekend’s tramp.

COSTS: Minibus $43.20 Diesel Fuel $10.00 Cabin  $12.00  or $36.00 for day walkers Huts  $10.00  or  nil if Annual Hut Pass holder Food  $14.00  or $20.00 for day walkers Levy  $5.00  or nil for day walkers Admin  $1.00 Total  $95.20  or  $110.20 for day walkers  per person