Weekend Trips

A classic. We avoid the northern Ngapuketurua–Cascade Track, as it is overgrown. Instead we take the southern route, a little north of Makorako. We have permission from Air Charter Taupo, and pay $30 each. The two groups go at a different pace, but the same route. The days for both groups are short, because that appeals to members — you may choose longer walks on the day. We take tents and stay in huts only if it suits us. We plan to drive back to Auckland independently, in the other party’s car. All payments of $30 must be made through the weekend booking officer by Friday 5 February.

Medium–fit:
Saturday. Drive Auckland to Kaweka Rd
Sunday. Kaweka Rd to Ballard hut, 8 km, 5–6 hrs
Monday. Ballard to Mangaturuturu, 10 km, 5 hrs
Tuesday. Mangaturuturu to Harkness, 12 km, 6 hrs
Wednesday. Harkness to Boyd hut, 12 km, 7 hrs
Thursday. Boyd to Mangamaire River camp, in DOC land, 12 km, 6 hrs
Friday. Mangamaire to Waipakihi hut, 15 km, 7 hrs
Saturday. Waipakihi to Kaimanawa Rd, 14 km, 5 hrs. Picked up by local, then home.
Leader: Peter Waworis, ph 948 2933
Maps: Terralink Kaweka and Kaimanawa Recreation areas
Transport: Private cars
Destination: Kaweka Rd track-end
Departure: 9.00am (or time chosen by leader) Club garage
Cost: See end of this trip notice

Medium–Easy:
Saturday. Drive Auckland to Turangi to track. Locals take cars to safe place. Kaimanawa Rd to Waipakihi, 14 km, 5–6 hrs
Sunday. Waipakihi hut to Mangamaire, camp in DOC land, 15 km, 7 hrs
Monday. Mangamaire River to Boyd, 12 km, 6 hrs
Tuesday. Boyd to Harkness 12 km 6 hr
Wednesday. Harkness to Mangaturuturu, 12 km, 6 hrs
Thursday. Mangaturuturu hut to Ballard, 10 km, 5 hrs
Friday. Ballard to Kaweka Rd, 8 km, 5 hrs, and home Friday–Saturday
Leader: Graeme McGowan, Ph 523 2652 or (contact by email)
Maps: Terralink Kaweka and Kaimanawa Recreation areas
Transport: Private cars
Destination: Turangi to get local car minder, then Kaimanawa Rd
Departure: 7.00am Club garage, 31 Sandringham Rd, behind Mobil
Cost: $30 to ATC (for Air Charter Taupo fee). The leaders will arrange for all passengers on the trip, regardless of which car they are in, to contribute the same amount of petrol money. Expect about $50–$80.

Visit the scenic Kuaotunu Peninsula north of Mercury Bay and enjoy some of the tramping opportunities around the coast and inland from Otama Beach and Opito Bay. Stay at the Otama Beach Camp for $10 pppn (see website at www.otamabeachcamp.co.nz), and do day trips.
The two tramp leaders may be contacted to discuss their tramps. Please phone the trip leader, Bruce Calvert (ph 378 4840), to come on the trip.

Medium–fit: Some hard going, and you have to scramble. More than 6 hrs.
Tramp Leader: Joe Scott-Woods, ph 575 5383

Easy: Along beaches, coast, over headlands and inland. 4 hrs.
Tramp Leader: Keith Williamson, ph 846 9341

Topo maps: T10 or the new one, BA35 (BA36 for eastern end of Peninsula)
Transport: Club bus
Destination: Otama Beach, just before Opito Bay
Departure: 7.00pm Club garage, 31 Sandringham Rd, behind Mobil (No dinner break en route)
Cost: $29 members, $35 non-members. Camp fee not included; book and pay your camp fee yourself.

Time to pick up the paint brushes again — some inside and outside painting and some small building repairs. Maintaining the hut in the harsh mountain conditions is an ongoing job, it’s never quite finished.
Book with the leader: Jim Morrow, ph 834 4227 mob 021 264 6085
Transport: Club bus
Departure: 7.00pm Friday. Club garage, 31 Sandringham Rd, behind Mobil
Cost: Free!

Next working bee: 23–25 April

Picture the glorious views from the open tops over the land we crossed in May 2009. You will love nature above the bush-line, the people, and the challenges. You go as high as 1700m.

Easy: From Renfrew Rd to Howletts Hut and back. Camp halfway at the tarn 1 km S of Maungamahue, both going and returning. All travel is on tops, except for the tracks up from Renfrew Rd. No river travel. 5 hrs daily.
Leader: Brian Alexander, ph 622 2138

Medium: All travel is on proper tracks or open tops. Friday. Renfrew Rd to Pourangaki Hut. Saturday. Over Sawtooth Ridge to camp near stream S of Tiraha. Sunday. By tops to Rangiwahia Hut. Monday. Out to Renfrew Rd.
Leader: Antal Kalocsai, ph 836 3777

Fit: Friday. Renfrew Rd via Mangahuia to Triangle hut. Saturday. Via the SE spur or the NE spur to the top of the Ruahine Range, to camp. Sunday. Return by tops to Whanahuia Range via Te Hekenga and Maungamahue, to camp. Monday. Out to Renfrew Rd via Rangiwahia Hut.
Leader: Tina Jacques, ph 486 6451

Topo maps: 260-T22 and U22, or the new one, BL36

Transport: Club bus
Destination: Renfrew Rd
Departure: 7.00pm Club garage, 31 Sandringham Rd, behind Mobil. (No dinner break en route)
Cost: $67 members, $77 non-members

Easter this year is the weekend starting Good Friday, 2 April. The autumn trip will be to Memorial Hut the following weekend. We will have the club bus and the first 22 to book will be able to travel to and from Ruapehu in it. Day tramps as usual in the mountains are weather dependent, so we will not be publishing an exact programme, but plan to walk some favourite tracks and, we hope, some unfamiliar ones.
Transport: Club bus
Departure: 9.30am Thursday 8 April, club garage, 31 Sandringham Rd. 9.45am Marewa Rd, Greenlane, behind Countdown
Return: Mid afternoon, Tuesday 13 April
Cost: Memorial Hut, $22 per night for members includes accommodation and food. Book with John Dalley. Make sure you stipulate catered/non catered when booking. See inside front cover of Wanderlust for details.
Bus Cost: $30 each for travel to and from Ruapehu plus $6 per person per day that the bus is used for local travel.
Inquiries: John Norris, ph 638 5373. Please let John know if you wish to travel by bus.

Grade 2 kayaking. 27km run from Mountain Valley Lodge; repeated trips. Suit beginners to guns. Some gear available.

Leader: Carol Exton, ph 818 7639, carolxx48@gmail.com

Destination: Mountain Valley Lodge, Mohaka River, McVicar Road off State Highway 5, 85 km from Taupo

Cost: $150 for weekend, including transport return Auckland; accommodation; shuttle; Saturday evening meal.

Imagine the mystery of the warm and sunny virgin Urewera bush, the pleasure of chatting with your companions, and the charm of staying in small, rarely visited huts. This will be a fondly remembered trip.
A is the entrance on Troutbeck Rd just S of Horomanga Rd, at Topo 260 E 2843000, N 6305300.
B is the SE end of the unsigned forestry road off Galatea Rd, 1½ km S of Waiohau, and N of Waihua Stream, at the turnoff with Topo 260 coordinates E 2845000, N 6322200.
C is the entrance for Mangamako Hut on the forestry road at Topo 260 E 2846580, N 6315434. Expect to walk alongside some gentle flat streams, with occasional crossings, as well as over hills.

Medium: Day 1. B to Waihua to Casino (3 bunks). Day 2. Casino to Mangamako to C. 7 + 5 hrs.

Leader: John Tasker, ph 579 6509

Medium-Easy: Day 1. A to Duckville (3 bunks). Day 2. Duckville to Mangamako to C. 6 + 5 hrs.

Leader: Anthony Hayes, ph 444 3976

Medium-Fit: Day 1. C to Mangamako to Casino to Waihua (4 bunks). Day 2. Waihua to B. 8 + 4 hrs.

Leader: Geoff Fischer, ph 634 8978

Topo maps 260-V16, V17, W16, or the new map, B59, Galatea.

Transport: Club bus

Destination: A, B and C described above

Departure: 7:00pm Club garage, 31 Sandringham Rd, behind Mobil

(No dinner break en route)

Cost: $39 members, $49 non-members

Stay weekend at Tangihua Hut. Details later.
Contact Jane.dudley@gmail.com if interested.