Waiohine Pinnacles

The planned trip was to not go down Pinnacle Spur, it was ment to be continue onto Arete, Bannister, Waingawa, Cow Saddle and back to Kiriwhakapapa Road end. The weather was great, some winds on the tops. Three of us went, Jessie, Paul, and myself. The meeting point was Cow Creek hut.

Friday 22/03/2013
Paul and I drove to Kiriwhakapapa Road end and walked into Cow Creek hut getting there just after eight p.m.; and Jessie arrived sometime after two a.m.

Saturday 23/03/2013
We left the hut at nine and headed up "Track not maintained" onto Table Ridge. The track is in great condition compared to last time I walked it, it even has been OT'ed.

The tarn on Table Ridge was full did not expect that with how dry its been; the last few days of rain has been good for this rain forest.

Had a few stops and starts on Table Ridge as Jessie tried to take a more direct route; one of those short cuts that becomes a long cut.

On Girdlestone, which used to have a Trig, have not been here for a few years.

Tarn Ridge hut and its colorful roof.

Took too long to get here and that means that tomorrow would be a big day so we are not going to go over Bannister etc. Instead we are staying here for the night and will head down Pinnacle Spur into the Waingangawa river and down to Cow Creek tomorrow.

Sunday 24/03/2013
Left Tarn Ridge hut just before nine and headed off. Paul and I got to point 1400 on the Waiohine Pinnacles and realised that we had lost Jessie. I did Tarn Ridge three times that day I began to think he had gone down into the Wiangawa River but he had been waiting on the knob just North of the grave out of our site. We all got back together except for that other guy who kept taking off. Great views into the upper Waiohine.

Good fun going up the Waiohine Pinnacles as we had views and nice weather, my last trip here was clag and clag. View down Pinnacle Spur.

Down and down then cross the river and stop at Arete Forks hut for lunch. Then off down the gorge, river much deeper that last time. We had four minor swims in the gorge just before Cow Creek hut.

Drowned rats stopped at the hut to change cloths and to have a meal before heading off out to Kiwiwhakapapa Road end.
Trip Times

Friday 22/03/2013
1727 Left Kiriwhakapapa Road end for Cow Creek hut
1838 Junction to Blue Range hut
1931 Waingawa River Track turnoff
2016 Cow Creek hut
Saturday 23/03/2013
0859 Left Cow Creek hut
1021 Out of the bush onto Table Rid1152 The Tarn
1210 Brockett
1256 Back at the Tarn
1409 Girdlestone
1500 Tarn Ridge hut
Sunday 24/03/2013
0850 Left Tarn Ridge hut
1233 Pinnacle Spur
1439 Arete Forks hut
1523 Left Arete Forks hut
1841 Cow Creek hut
1935 Left Cow Creek hut
2049 Waingawa River Track turnoff
2201 Junction to Blue Range hut
2322 Kiriwhakapapa Road end

Map