Elder Hut

Elder Hut

Paul and I head to Elder Hut from Otaki Forks. This is all about going somewhere cause there is a hut to stay in and I think its our first time to this hut. Its a hut bagging trip really. Probably I now will make an effort to visit every hut in the Tararuas.

Friday 5/12/2008
2015 Left Otaki Forks for Field hut
2230 At Field hut. Had a nice single cask 10yo Ardbeg at 50%.

Saturday 6/12/2008
0840 Left Field Hut.
0920 At the Penn creek turn off. Its a sunny day. Could be a long one.
1050 On Bridge Peak having a snack. Hot day.
We got to Kime and realised that as the weather was good we could just let it all go and become a bit more dimensional than normal. Sometime later the world slipped and we where one.
Meet a Peacock at Elder hut. Poor thing kept walking around the hut making hooting noises.

Sunday 7/12/2008
0815 Left Elder hut, a bit of a slow journey up onto the range.
1145 At Kime hut had a cup of tea and a bit of a snack and then off to Otaki Forks via Field Hut.

Field Hut

 

 

Kime Hut

Penn Creek

On my own and knowing that if I want to keep tramping in Wellington I NEED a car.

Friday 24/10/2008
1630 Left work early and heading to the railway station to got the train from Wellington to Otaki. My Dad picked me up and drove me to Otaki. Yes for parents.
2015 Left Otaki Forks heading for Field Hut. Raining. Wet I is.
2158 At Field Hut to food and sleep.

Saturday 25/10/2008
Woken by other people arriving, just after twelve p.m. So out of bed and heading for Penn Creek hut.
1305 Off from Ficlds.
1455 Pen Creek hut.

Sunday 26/10/2008
A bit of a nice day so had a day walk up Pakihore Ridge.
1325 Crossed Pen creek. Cold water. Can see blue sky, so on up Pakihore.
1424 Can not see blue sky! A little rain, can see snow. Getting colder.
An hour to open tops?
1620 Turned back approx an hour or less from the top, snow cold.
1745 Pen Creek hut.

And wow a massive pack arrived filled with every gizmo an outdoor shop wants you to buy. I just wished Id brought my camera.

Monday 27/10/2008
Go meet my Dad at Otaki Forks.
0840 Leaving Penn Creek hut for Table top.
1016 In the open scrub. Two hours to get to field hut, I laugh, should be there by 1100.
1025 On again.
1109 At the hut. Lunch and a joint. Leave 1145ish.
1300 Just on at car park.

Back to Wellington with help from my Dad and a train ride. Really need a car.

Aokaparangi Hut

Paul and I on another yet again more Tararua wanders; checking out another bivouac that is now a hut.

Thursday 25/09/2008
2100'ish Left Wellington and drove to Holdsworth road end. Off to Powell hut, thinking of wife and daughter. Took approx 2hours 40 to get there.

Friday 26/09/2008
A very nice day. Paul left 1 hour before me heading to Mid Waiohine hut. We meet up there and had lunch at the river with a beer, maybe not such a good idea :-). Then off up to Aokaparangi. What a walk.
1600ish At hut.

Saturday 27/09/2008
0615 Left Aoakaparangi.
0930 At Mid Waiohine, Paul is a bit lazy asked me to fill his water, cause his legs hurt.
1030 Let Mid Waiohine hut.
1235 At bush open to Isabel... Waiting for Paul. Having a smoke.
1540 At Powll.
1630 Left Powll.
1830 Out and Paul is absolutely shattered, the trip out took 4 hours longer than it should have. Cramping thighs etc. Just maybe too much beer?

Cupola Hut Nelson Lakes National Park

Anthony and I headed off to Cupola hut with an aim to climb Cupola the next day.

Friday 4/07/2008
0830 Left Nelson with Anthony.
Drove to Lake Rotoiti and got the water taxi to Cold Water hut.
Started walking just before 11.00am. Snowing on the way up.
1500 John Tait.
1600 Off to Cupola, took 4 hours. Probably 2 hours from zigzag. Chest deep snow in places.
2000 At the hut. Got the fire going.

Saturday 05/07/2008
Left Cupola hut just before eleven heading for John Tait, no way can we climb in this fresh deep snow, probably avalanches for the next day or so.

Walked down to John Tait and stayed there Saturday night.

Sunday 06/07/2008
Left John Tait hut at quarter past nine in the morning.

Walked out to Coldwater hut, snow all the way.

 Waited there to catch the water taxi back to St Arnaud.

McGregor Bivouac

Paul and I off to a dog box in the Tararua's.

Saturday 15/03/08
Left Wellington and off to Holdsworth road end.
1315 Left Holdsworth car park
1557 At Jumbo hut and wondering where Paul is?
1615 Paul arrived.
1646 I gone above hut to ring home. Good to talk to Duang and Tariga.
1655 Off and great weather for a spin on the tops.
1840 At Mcgregor bivouac.

Sunday 16/03/08
Good enough for a few photos.

McGregor Bivouac 2008

McGregor Bivouac 2008

McGregor Bivouac 200

1040 Left Mcgregor Bivouac.
Paul got lost heading North.... and getting lonely....
1158 Left Jumbo.
1254 At Aitwhakatu.
Eventually off and out to road end then the drive back to Wellington.

Arete Biv (now hut)

Paul and I off to visit the new Arete hut in the Tararua's.

Friday 25/01/08
Left Wellington and drove to Poads road end.
Headed off over farmland then track then up river.
Heading for old South Ohau hut site to bivvy.
Missed it, slept out on stream bank.

Saturday 26/01/08
Woke up and went down stream.
Found the old hut site and headed off up Yeates track.
Lunch at Tematawai hut, off to Arete in the clag.

 

Sunday 27/01/08
Left Arete in better weather and headed off out.