haha no comments you said so here I am posting a comment, great blog keep up the cool pics:) its like we are sharing your trip being stuck over here hehe
Looks awesome guys!!
I got scammed once in San Francisco too, at Fisherman’s Wharf. I was stupider so I won’t go into details!
Go to In n Out burger, it’s better than Carls Jr.
I hope Kate got paid for wearing that promotional Sparkle suit at Walmart.
Would you believe I have a US $2 bill my grandmother gave me. It is still legal tender but I have never seen another one.
I like your comments about the ‘wastefulness’ you witnessed in the West. I used to marvel at that as well – there was a degree of comfort in the abundance of everything as well as an absence of judgment; ‘Who cares if the rest of the world drinks wine from 750ml bottles (or whatever that is in fluid ounces), we want more!’ But whilst lunching with my parents during a whirlwind Texas/Arizona/California trip in the heady late nineties, we were amazed to witness a waiter clearing a table pick up a nearly full bottle of ketchup – used only once by the preceding group – and throw it away with the rest of the leftovers.
With the existence of places like Phoenix, I don’t see their excess as waste, but more of a triumph over nature, a celebration of human achievement. Some people like the desert, and if you have the resources to settle it, why not? It surely must be one of the most intriguing unusual cities in the world.
I love your pic of the hick pickup truck, particularly the arrangement of the pitchfork.
Good to meet you guys on the Whakanui track. It’s my favourite track into the Orongorongo valley too. The other person you met was my old maths teacher who I hadn’t seen for nearly thirty years. Glad you had a great weekend.
Great stuff, Lawrence and team.
What was it about the weather that led to the change in plans?
The cake is awesome, cudos to Mae. I’m sure the chap who had his sleep disturbed could live with it for a slice of cake.
The note on the woodshed is frightening, even though I am not someone who would take down a well-crafted shed for firewood.
Lastly, that cellphone reception which is a drag now might oneday save someone’s life!
Well written and accurate Larry. An awesome adventure with you and Y. I can’t wait till the next one! Ohh and thanks for the museli bars & bier Sticks!
Thanks bro! It is a pretty neat spot, you should toddle up there in summer; North Ohau hut looks pretty good too. So many nice pools to swim in. So often I am a little gutted to be not able to walk TA AND enjoy all these summer trips!
Hey this is awesome – I stumbled on this page. Im doing the same trip at labour weekend – only Im taking in Snowy, elder, renata & thornhills huts too – but I was planning on staying at Waiotaura and your excellent words have convinced me not too, thanks!
That’s great Simon thanks for letting me know – that kind of thing is why I write these! Hope you had a good trip and knocked them all off! Quite keen on the 666-Elder-return via Kime loop at some point in the future.
Good on you for giving your foot time to heal. I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures after you have had time to recover and can return to the trail!
Hi Larry my husband and I are kiwis too and started the TA on the 31st Oct. I managed to get super bad foot pad blisters from 90mile. We have just spent 4 days with the in-laws on the East Coast to heal and will start again on Friday. I felt bad having to stop so soon, but really it would have been so much worse if I’d kept going on them. Good on you for persevering and it’s only going to get easier
Great writeup! I am in the process of tackling the 50+ huts in the Tararuas that I have documented. Its all very well in hindsight I know but I have wondered about the up-and-down spur/ridge that runs to the east of the Waitewaewae river – ie: going up from pt 433 to 595, to close to 850, and then dropping down to the forks junction? On the aerial photos it looks like good – ie: not bastard tararua scrub! Cheers
Cheers Simon – I remember when I first started tramping I thought ‘knocking all the huts off is bonkers’ but now I see the appeal haha. Regards the Oriwa ridge spurs, I have thought about that too haha. I suspect there’s something of a ground trail heading up there – have a look at this blog, the guy (forgot name, I suck) is close to having visited every spot height in the Tararuas and his writeups can give you some more insight to the ridge there (and everywhere else) https://tararualite.blogspot.com/search?q=oriwa
Larry, tx for being so frank. I understand your disapointment. I only hot as far as Hikutere before bad sole blisters sent me home. I had always intended to do TA as a 100% contiguous section walker. I gave carried on as time has allowed and have now reached Mt Ruapehu – 1130km odd. I am 68 years old and determined to complete.
I admire you new goal. Its on my list once I complete TA.
Enjoy.
Mike
Hey Mike – thanks heaps for your comment! And good on you for continuing on – I am undecided as to whether I will want to continue the trail later, we shall see I suppose. Best of luck and enjoy!
Thanks Larry great blog.
Shared it with family and friends. When they ask how the tramp was all I can usually muster is “it was good”.
Now they can get a more realistic report of the trip.
Thanks for not mentioning how a backpacker wanted to murder because of my snoring. I want to spring this surprise talent on other unsuspecting Wellington tramping club members.
I’ve come back and re-read this one a few times Nik and your comment always brings a smile to my dial – thanks heaps eh. Hope to see you on a Friday night adventure this season!
Pretty sure you mean True Left for the route you called the “escape route” .Otherwise the track directly behind South Ohau is the safest if the river is in flood….but its steep as heck. Cool right up though.
Yes aren’t we so lucky to have so many good tramping amenities so close! It is a pitty about the trampers with the “city” attitude, that’s partly what I go out to get away from. maybe going further inland is the answer, when fewer people they tend to be friendlier. thanks for you’re blog, reminds me why I solo tramp sometimes 🙂
Thanks Rodger! Yes I think my daybag had me written off with this lot from the get-go, which is fine – just weird to me as I haven’t really done back-country day-walks until recently.
Hey Larry, Spot-On! and nicely written. (I think there might be a shared responsibility for the ‘less trackey’ section). Thanks for making a marvellous adventure and I hope your toes recover quickly.
Thanks Mike! It was great to meet you and I will take that shared responsibility kindly haha. Do email me your details so I can flick you some petrol money too!
Thanks Larry for an awesome, intense, challenging weekend! Feel lucky to have been part of this group.
Glad to have met you at Meetup and hope to do more tracky and other trips with you and other wonderful randos. 🙂
(ps you forgot the amazing mushrooms we saw)
Didn’t realise this was your last meetup event but very stoked to have been able to come along. Thanks heaps for leading such an awesome trip! Hope to see you up a mountain sometime in the near future.
Hi Larry,
Just wondering whether you had to book the water taxi or just turn up at the expected time? It’s been a wee bit difficult getting solid information on this and was wondering if you could help out. We’re doing the tramp early feb.
Hey Jaimie – definitely booked! (but we were going in winter, off-peak). We used Big Bush, but they don’t seem to be running anymore. I suggest trying that main office there to find out about the water taxis. Hope you have a good trip!
Hey Larry, Purchased your ebook the other day. I enjoy the way you write. It is so honest, descriptive and real to the point of making one feel they are part of your journey and I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. Most enjoyable.
This trip looks awesome. Would love to try this once we get past the rainy season.
Would you happen to have a copy of the gpx file you created that I could use?
Hey, I know you posted this a few years ago but I wanted to say thanks. On a whim I’ve booked the Boar Inn for December and then goggled more info. Your post has supplied great info. I can’t wait!
Thanks again.
Thanks Jim, glad it is helpful and you have a good night! One thing I have learnt since then is to try placing some cotton wool dabbed with peppermint essential oil – mice and rats hate the smell. Though to be fair we didn’t have any bothering us, just the dead one! Enjoy the character spot!
Very interesting solution, although it does not work with version 9 (2019) of Captivate, the standard.htm exists and is very similar but it seems that it is not the original file from which the html5 or scorm is built.
Thanks for commenting John – yes this post is actually from 2012 or 13 I think, I haven’t used Captivate for a long time! I see this code references the .swf as well, so very old school now. You might be able to find something similar with how it publishes to HTML5, but I haven’t dabbled about with HTML canvas manually all that much so not sure how much success you’d get. Given Storyline scales happily in HTML5 there’s probably a way to wrap a div around the canvas for Captivate, if they still have the master template visible like this – but again I haven’t used Cp for many years. Best of luck!
So this might sound weird, but I’m the guy from Pakuratahi Forks! I found this searching for the route to Renata, as I was curious to see how you would have got there. Sounds like you got on better than I did – I ended up aborting about 100 metres or so from the A-Frame. Nice to meet you guys.
Hey Steve, thanks for getting in touch. Sorry to hear you didn’t get there, you’ll have to give it another go! If you’re keen you should join us on Bushcraft Wellington, would love to connect with more folks who’re curious and keen on exploring the roads-less-travelled https://www.meetup.com/Bushcraft-Wellington/
Thanks, this is really helpful, especially the detail about the start of the track up. It refreshes my memory and helps me prepare my son for the tramp he is doing with his friends.
Nice review. It took our group 7 hours up and 8.75 hours down although we seemed to be making reasonable progress. Boot-high mud most of the way up and half the way down. Spectacular views from the memorial at the top.
Thanks Robert. That is quite different timing! But I suppose I was alone and cranking it and it was very dry. These days I put the size of the group on my timings too (and the conditions) to help folks gauge better as all that stuff really does make a difference. Glad you had good views!
I agree I sold my Wellington city center salon 4 years ago after 12 years in business , I employed over 10 people not decided the council were making it to hard for retailers and it wasint worth it.. I complained to the council many times about thing they were doing wrong that wear hurting retailers and chasing families and shoppers out of Wellington.
I have moved to kapiti now with my family , no regrets. Thank you Wellington city council for giving me the push.
Thanks George – glad Kapiti is working out well for you – our loss.
It is disappointing that the culture of the WCC is so mis-aligned to the goals of an organisation like that, and that they lack the leadership to fix it. Unfortunately this little experience has scarred my opinion longer-term – whenever I see anything from them a little part of the back of my mind says ‘prats!’
Hiya Larry! I’m giving this another read as I was just reminded of this trip. I can’t help but remember how windy it was on the tops during that weekend! I remember thinking The Beehives were particularly precarious, where the wind would nearly wipe you out and bring you down one of the slips! Ah well, we all made it out okay so it must not have been too bad. I hope you’re doing well! Maybe I’ll see ya out over the long weekend.
Nice to hear from you Joe! Haha yea, I remember us all hiding from the wind over the top of Hector, breezy. I’m doing great thanks – hope you are too! I didn’t bail on Meetup too long, just started my own group instead – join us! Not quite as many big tramps as earlier at the moment heh https://www.meetup.com/Bushcraft-Wellington/
Thanks Larry for the support you have shown me and helped me refine the craft of hosting events. We all learn from each other and the meetup community enables us to do what we desire, when want and with sometimes total randoms. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thanks for this Larry. It seems that we’ve had some similar experiences with the black dog. A lot of what you’ve written really resonates with me.
It can be hard to understand if you’ve not experienced it yourself, but asking for help when you most need it is often the hardest thing to do. At my lowest moments, asking for help was the last thing I would have done.
Getting into a routine (like a regular Wednesday night walk!), physical activity, and pushing your comfort zone is all great for building physical and mental resilience that you can draw on when the black clouds come rolling in.
Obviously I fully support your Meetup recruitment drive! Taking the first steps to doing something slightly awkward, like meeting a random bunch of strangers, was the hardest thing for me. But once you do, it keeps getting easier, and you realise how lovely humans can be.
Totally agree with your position on Great Walks Larry, though I feel we are in the minority. Booked the Routeburn once. Forecast was appalling…solid rain covering our entire trip, including the drive from Wellington. Didn’t go( three nights in packed huts with wet gear and views of the inside of a rain cloud, no thanks). Took the hit for the GW, but got refunds for all the rest. Vowed never again. Thought I would never walk the Milford but while in Southland/Fiordland for 5 weeks of tramping this past spring seized the moment ( Aucklanders locked down meant lots of last minute openings). Raincoats stayed in our packs the entire time. It is a fabulous tramp but I certainly won’t be hovering with my finger over the button to book onto any more. GWs give people with less experience/confidence a chance to try tramping but I hope we don’t see too many more created. Thank you for sharing your writing and for leading others on tramping trips.
Thanks for sharing Christine – I walked the Routeburn with my Dad and it was stunning, but it is quite different from ‘wild tramping’. I think as long as you go in with eyes open for the difference it’s OK, but I prefer regular free (financially and decision-wise) tramping myself these days. DOC’ll be smarting from the un-full great walks I suppose, but nice for us Kiwi’s to sneak on last minute when the weather’s right!
Small world!
Hi Larry, I am one of the ‘day walkers’ you met, yes we did get out but it was a very long day, my GPS recorded the trip as being 26km. Couldn’t have got a better day for it, fantastic views, it was just on dark when we got back to the car.
Thanks for your blog, it summed up our trip pretty well (minus the stay at Totara Flats).
Oh well done Jon – thought of you two, not sure if our party would have enjoyed those last four hours very much doing your one! Another day you’ll have to go clockwise 😉 Thanks for commenting
Hi Larry a interesting trip to high ridge. Later this year I hope to take some of Tweeddale family members to the site of the memorial for Lester’s memorial . I am putting a trip together after reading your report just want to know if any other information you can pass on.i have been in the Tararuas on the west side not the east side. Thank you.
Hey Robert –
Thanks for reaching out. That’s great to take the family up there! I don’t really have any useful intel to be honest, beyond the blog. Just walk up to Powell Hut (~3hrs), up to the sign post saying ‘high ridge’, follow the ridge. My phone GPS coordinate-ed my photo here: https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-40.88813,175.418916&z=15 The memorial is on the right side heading W. Easier to walk back to Powell rather than do the circuit we did, if you get into the trees you’ve gone too far. I hope you get a good day for it!
Hi, just read this post and keen to do the ridge/spur that has point 555 on it (from Waiotauru Hut up to the track that links Kapakapanui summit to Maymorn Junction). The alternative looks like a long trek into Maymorn junction from Kapakapanui and then down the road to Waiotauru. I’ll be by myself and will rely on GPS. How did you find that ‘point 555’ spur in terms of travel and navigation, noting that you went up it and I’ll be coming down from Kapakapanui?
Hi Larry, i just stumbled upon your blog. Thanks for that! I did a shorter version of this loop end of October, leaving from orongorongos river same direction as you, but went straight to pt 711 along a beautiful trap line track. Some of the best forest in Wellington….we should meet up one day for an adventure… thanks for giving me inspiration!
That’s a mean and miserable response! Partying up is fine in the city (mostly) but it’s not fair to inflict it on bush venues where people go for non-city experiences.
Haha yea, I thought it worth sharing. A little insight into that kind of group, and the risk you take staying in huts! I much prefer tenting these days.
Hi Larry
I was the person who thought of putting up a memorial to Lester, and I and a friend placed it on High Ridge on the day of the 50th anniversary of his death.
To replace another memorial plaque which was removed from the old Powell Hut
Regards
Joe Nawalaniec
Just walked this (Wairarapa to Catchpool) on Saturday. Your description is still pretty reflective of current conditions. The trail on the Wairarapa side is very hard to follow and very overgrown in a couple of places. Was not much fun!
Hi Larry, great review, thanks for the post.
Is the Whakanui track (not the Whakanui east track) well marked?
Would you need to have GPS and a compass to navigate, or would you be able to follow the trail?
Thanks!
Thanks Elyse. The main track is obvious yep, or was in 2018! I’d strongly suggest chucking a topo map app on your phone regardless e.g. this one is $6. https://churnewzealand.com/best-topo-map-app-nz/ Give yourself peace of mind you know where you are for all your adventures for the price of a coffee. Hope you have a good wander
Also: kindle. Forgot the kindle.
Good to see you arrived safely. Looking forward to an update…
haha no comments you said so here I am posting a comment, great blog keep up the cool pics:) its like we are sharing your trip being stuck over here hehe
Cheers dog! 🙂
bath looks cool really liked oxford very pretty town
I love Frank Sidebottom! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HM8qQ2LUeq8
You’re seriously awesome. I love your writing. 🙂
Looks awesome guys!!
I got scammed once in San Francisco too, at Fisherman’s Wharf. I was stupider so I won’t go into details!
Go to In n Out burger, it’s better than Carls Jr.
Thanks Beggs, that eases my pain! Yes we have great plans for In and Out Burger. We’ve knocked off heaps of places but there’re so many chains!
I like the photos.
Of the helicopter. The canyon is cool, too, though.
Great post! Guest writers now man, this site is really taking off.
I hope Kate got paid for wearing that promotional Sparkle suit at Walmart.
Would you believe I have a US $2 bill my grandmother gave me. It is still legal tender but I have never seen another one.
I like your comments about the ‘wastefulness’ you witnessed in the West. I used to marvel at that as well – there was a degree of comfort in the abundance of everything as well as an absence of judgment; ‘Who cares if the rest of the world drinks wine from 750ml bottles (or whatever that is in fluid ounces), we want more!’ But whilst lunching with my parents during a whirlwind Texas/Arizona/California trip in the heady late nineties, we were amazed to witness a waiter clearing a table pick up a nearly full bottle of ketchup – used only once by the preceding group – and throw it away with the rest of the leftovers.
With the existence of places like Phoenix, I don’t see their excess as waste, but more of a triumph over nature, a celebration of human achievement. Some people like the desert, and if you have the resources to settle it, why not? It surely must be one of the most intriguing unusual cities in the world.
I love your pic of the hick pickup truck, particularly the arrangement of the pitchfork.
Happy travels!
Aha, underwhelmed by Nelson? I’m not surprised. It’s as if having some of the best weather in New Zealand has them thinking they don’t need to try. I agree with the big thumbs up for Thai Tahuna however. Next time, while you’re out Mapua way don’t be shy about hitting the Moutere and Motueka. Riverside Café, Toad Hall – both world class organic cafes with shit loads of attitude. And the natural wonders of the area -the Resurgence (source of the Riwka as it gushes up from under Marble Mountain (aka Takaka Hill). Not to mention bloody seriously heavy weight winery or two. I courted in the Moutere, fell in love in the Moutere, married in the Moutere and still head down there 4 times a year because it’s god damn paradise (and craps all over Nelson).
Good to meet you guys on the Whakanui track. It’s my favourite track into the Orongorongo valley too. The other person you met was my old maths teacher who I hadn’t seen for nearly thirty years. Glad you had a great weekend.
Thanks Barry – nice to cross paths too, your plan sounded great.
On our way out the Orongorongo track, we were all fairly sure your old maths teacher walked past us again!
Out of curiosity, how did you come across this post?
My in laws have a batch on waiohine gorge road. So was thinking about this or similar walk at some point. Might have to hit you up about it.
Great stuff Larry. Very accurate interesting read thank you. I really enjoyed the course too!
Great stuff, Lawrence and team.
What was it about the weather that led to the change in plans?
The cake is awesome, cudos to Mae. I’m sure the chap who had his sleep disturbed could live with it for a slice of cake.
The note on the woodshed is frightening, even though I am not someone who would take down a well-crafted shed for firewood.
Lastly, that cellphone reception which is a drag now might oneday save someone’s life!
Well written and accurate Larry. An awesome adventure with you and Y. I can’t wait till the next one! Ohh and thanks for the museli bars & bier Sticks!
Interesting to the end, wish i’d made it along.
Nice write up bro! South ohau looks like a cool place to camp 🙂
Thanks bro! It is a pretty neat spot, you should toddle up there in summer; North Ohau hut looks pretty good too. So many nice pools to swim in. So often I am a little gutted to be not able to walk TA AND enjoy all these summer trips!
You’re a legend Larry – keep on moving forward my friend. I’ll keep on reading if you keep on writing!
Stu
Great start to the story! May your feet heal swiftly, and your blisters be gone forevermore
Hey this is awesome – I stumbled on this page. Im doing the same trip at labour weekend – only Im taking in Snowy, elder, renata & thornhills huts too – but I was planning on staying at Waiotaura and your excellent words have convinced me not too, thanks!
That’s great Simon thanks for letting me know – that kind of thing is why I write these! Hope you had a good trip and knocked them all off! Quite keen on the 666-Elder-return via Kime loop at some point in the future.
Good luck, Larry. Take a break and heal those blisters!
Thanks Helen! Being well taken care of at Mums, looking forward to starting again though!
Love reading your blog.
Oh wow, this really is like Hunt for the Wilderpeople! So remember; from the injury onwards is where the best tramping happens;)
Hope so Sian! Thanks 🙂 You could do most of the TA in the ute!
Good on you for giving your foot time to heal. I’m looking forward to reading about your adventures after you have had time to recover and can return to the trail!
This is an exceptional piece, Log. Your writing is awesome.
You and Kat are awesome. Thank you 🙂
Epic. Always a tough start. Well done. Stay focused. Look forward to the next blog.
Hi Larry my husband and I are kiwis too and started the TA on the 31st Oct. I managed to get super bad foot pad blisters from 90mile. We have just spent 4 days with the in-laws on the East Coast to heal and will start again on Friday. I felt bad having to stop so soon, but really it would have been so much worse if I’d kept going on them. Good on you for persevering and it’s only going to get easier
Cheers Emily – all the best for your continuing journey too!
Great writeup! I am in the process of tackling the 50+ huts in the Tararuas that I have documented. Its all very well in hindsight I know but I have wondered about the up-and-down spur/ridge that runs to the east of the Waitewaewae river – ie: going up from pt 433 to 595, to close to 850, and then dropping down to the forks junction? On the aerial photos it looks like good – ie: not bastard tararua scrub! Cheers
Cheers Simon – I remember when I first started tramping I thought ‘knocking all the huts off is bonkers’ but now I see the appeal haha. Regards the Oriwa ridge spurs, I have thought about that too haha. I suspect there’s something of a ground trail heading up there – have a look at this blog, the guy (forgot name, I suck) is close to having visited every spot height in the Tararuas and his writeups can give you some more insight to the ridge there (and everywhere else) https://tararualite.blogspot.com/search?q=oriwa
Larry, tx for being so frank. I understand your disapointment. I only hot as far as Hikutere before bad sole blisters sent me home. I had always intended to do TA as a 100% contiguous section walker. I gave carried on as time has allowed and have now reached Mt Ruapehu – 1130km odd. I am 68 years old and determined to complete.
I admire you new goal. Its on my list once I complete TA.
Enjoy.
Mike
Hey Mike – thanks heaps for your comment! And good on you for continuing on – I am undecided as to whether I will want to continue the trail later, we shall see I suppose. Best of luck and enjoy!
Cheers this is a helpful review!
Alpha *Jervis
So fun to find this! I was googling ‘maps cerne abbas’ at the time! Brings back happy memories.
hi, I’d love to talk to you about using one of your images, can you email me please. Thanks so much! Cheers Nikki
Sounds like you & my niece Claire had an awesome time.
Awesome
Thanks Larry great blog.
Shared it with family and friends. When they ask how the tramp was all I can usually muster is “it was good”.
Now they can get a more realistic report of the trip.
Thanks for not mentioning how a backpacker wanted to murder because of my snoring. I want to spring this surprise talent on other unsuspecting Wellington tramping club members.
Thanks again Larry for organizing this trip.
I’ve come back and re-read this one a few times Nik and your comment always brings a smile to my dial – thanks heaps eh. Hope to see you on a Friday night adventure this season!
Great write up bro 🙂 sounds like a primo day walk!
Pretty sure you mean True Left for the route you called the “escape route” .Otherwise the track directly behind South Ohau is the safest if the river is in flood….but its steep as heck. Cool right up though.
Thanks Garry, yes true left not right! Can’t trust anything on the internet, not even myself.
Yes aren’t we so lucky to have so many good tramping amenities so close! It is a pitty about the trampers with the “city” attitude, that’s partly what I go out to get away from. maybe going further inland is the answer, when fewer people they tend to be friendlier. thanks for you’re blog, reminds me why I solo tramp sometimes 🙂
Thanks Rodger! Yes I think my daybag had me written off with this lot from the get-go, which is fine – just weird to me as I haven’t really done back-country day-walks until recently.
Hey Larry, Spot-On! and nicely written. (I think there might be a shared responsibility for the ‘less trackey’ section). Thanks for making a marvellous adventure and I hope your toes recover quickly.
Thanks Mike! It was great to meet you and I will take that shared responsibility kindly haha. Do email me your details so I can flick you some petrol money too!
Thanks Larry for an awesome, intense, challenging weekend! Feel lucky to have been part of this group.
Glad to have met you at Meetup and hope to do more tracky and other trips with you and other wonderful randos. 🙂
(ps you forgot the amazing mushrooms we saw)
There is a distinct lack of mushroom, true! Thanks Maj-Britt 🙂 You’re my meetup bookends!
Didn’t realise this was your last meetup event but very stoked to have been able to come along. Thanks heaps for leading such an awesome trip! Hope to see you up a mountain sometime in the near future.
Thanks Jack – was great to meet and tramp with you! Yea we could squeeze another one in febish before your adventure
Hi Larry,
Just wondering whether you had to book the water taxi or just turn up at the expected time? It’s been a wee bit difficult getting solid information on this and was wondering if you could help out. We’re doing the tramp early feb.
Thanks!!
Hey Jaimie – definitely booked! (but we were going in winter, off-peak). We used Big Bush, but they don’t seem to be running anymore. I suggest trying that main office there to find out about the water taxis. Hope you have a good trip!
Thanks Larry, great writeup, and an absolute pleasure being a dork with you.
Hi Larry, great narration, Quoin Ridge is definitely challenging. I walked it with Mike some time ago.
Thanks John! Mike shared a bit about you two’s trip up there – sounds like a very memorable trip!
funniest trip description I ever read….love it.
Great review and write up – very helpful as I plan my first Waiopehu Hut walk. Cheers
Hey Larry, Purchased your ebook the other day. I enjoy the way you write. It is so honest, descriptive and real to the point of making one feel they are part of your journey and I haven’t laughed this much in a long time. Most enjoyable.
Thank you Lynette, that is awesome. I am so pleased to hear that! Really appreciate your taking the time to share too.
Will be riding in 2022 so looking forward to a good read!
Thanks,
Just about to head up to Waiopehu hut today, and good to refresh my memory of the trip (last done nearly 20 yrs ago).
Hey Larry,
This trip looks awesome. Would love to try this once we get past the rainy season.
Would you happen to have a copy of the gpx file you created that I could use?
Thats a really great photo of the hut, well done.
Hey, I know you posted this a few years ago but I wanted to say thanks. On a whim I’ve booked the Boar Inn for December and then goggled more info. Your post has supplied great info. I can’t wait!
Thanks again.
Thanks Jim, glad it is helpful and you have a good night! One thing I have learnt since then is to try placing some cotton wool dabbed with peppermint essential oil – mice and rats hate the smell. Though to be fair we didn’t have any bothering us, just the dead one! Enjoy the character spot!
Very interesting solution, although it does not work with version 9 (2019) of Captivate, the standard.htm exists and is very similar but it seems that it is not the original file from which the html5 or scorm is built.
:- (
Thanks for commenting John – yes this post is actually from 2012 or 13 I think, I haven’t used Captivate for a long time! I see this code references the .swf as well, so very old school now. You might be able to find something similar with how it publishes to HTML5, but I haven’t dabbled about with HTML canvas manually all that much so not sure how much success you’d get. Given Storyline scales happily in HTML5 there’s probably a way to wrap a div around the canvas for Captivate, if they still have the master template visible like this – but again I haven’t used Cp for many years. Best of luck!
So this might sound weird, but I’m the guy from Pakuratahi Forks! I found this searching for the route to Renata, as I was curious to see how you would have got there. Sounds like you got on better than I did – I ended up aborting about 100 metres or so from the A-Frame. Nice to meet you guys.
Hey Steve, thanks for getting in touch. Sorry to hear you didn’t get there, you’ll have to give it another go! If you’re keen you should join us on Bushcraft Wellington, would love to connect with more folks who’re curious and keen on exploring the roads-less-travelled https://www.meetup.com/Bushcraft-Wellington/
Thanks Larry, I’m heading up this wkd 🙂
Thanks, this is really helpful, especially the detail about the start of the track up. It refreshes my memory and helps me prepare my son for the tramp he is doing with his friends.
Glad it was handy Cheryl – I hope it was still relevant! And that your son had a great wee trip.
Nice review. It took our group 7 hours up and 8.75 hours down although we seemed to be making reasonable progress. Boot-high mud most of the way up and half the way down. Spectacular views from the memorial at the top.
Thanks Robert. That is quite different timing! But I suppose I was alone and cranking it and it was very dry. These days I put the size of the group on my timings too (and the conditions) to help folks gauge better as all that stuff really does make a difference. Glad you had good views!
I agree I sold my Wellington city center salon 4 years ago after 12 years in business , I employed over 10 people not decided the council were making it to hard for retailers and it wasint worth it.. I complained to the council many times about thing they were doing wrong that wear hurting retailers and chasing families and shoppers out of Wellington.
I have moved to kapiti now with my family , no regrets. Thank you Wellington city council for giving me the push.
Thanks George – glad Kapiti is working out well for you – our loss.
It is disappointing that the culture of the WCC is so mis-aligned to the goals of an organisation like that, and that they lack the leadership to fix it. Unfortunately this little experience has scarred my opinion longer-term – whenever I see anything from them a little part of the back of my mind says ‘prats!’
Hiya Larry! I’m giving this another read as I was just reminded of this trip. I can’t help but remember how windy it was on the tops during that weekend! I remember thinking The Beehives were particularly precarious, where the wind would nearly wipe you out and bring you down one of the slips! Ah well, we all made it out okay so it must not have been too bad. I hope you’re doing well! Maybe I’ll see ya out over the long weekend.
Nice to hear from you Joe! Haha yea, I remember us all hiding from the wind over the top of Hector, breezy. I’m doing great thanks – hope you are too! I didn’t bail on Meetup too long, just started my own group instead – join us! Not quite as many big tramps as earlier at the moment heh https://www.meetup.com/Bushcraft-Wellington/
Thanks Larry for the support you have shown me and helped me refine the craft of hosting events. We all learn from each other and the meetup community enables us to do what we desire, when want and with sometimes total randoms. We wouldn’t have it any other way.
Thank you all for helping us all
Thanks for this Larry. It seems that we’ve had some similar experiences with the black dog. A lot of what you’ve written really resonates with me.
It can be hard to understand if you’ve not experienced it yourself, but asking for help when you most need it is often the hardest thing to do. At my lowest moments, asking for help was the last thing I would have done.
Getting into a routine (like a regular Wednesday night walk!), physical activity, and pushing your comfort zone is all great for building physical and mental resilience that you can draw on when the black clouds come rolling in.
Obviously I fully support your Meetup recruitment drive! Taking the first steps to doing something slightly awkward, like meeting a random bunch of strangers, was the hardest thing for me. But once you do, it keeps getting easier, and you realise how lovely humans can be.
Thanks for this awesome blog post. Erica.
Thanks for sharing so Erica! Glad it was helpful.
Totally agree with your position on Great Walks Larry, though I feel we are in the minority. Booked the Routeburn once. Forecast was appalling…solid rain covering our entire trip, including the drive from Wellington. Didn’t go( three nights in packed huts with wet gear and views of the inside of a rain cloud, no thanks). Took the hit for the GW, but got refunds for all the rest. Vowed never again. Thought I would never walk the Milford but while in Southland/Fiordland for 5 weeks of tramping this past spring seized the moment ( Aucklanders locked down meant lots of last minute openings). Raincoats stayed in our packs the entire time. It is a fabulous tramp but I certainly won’t be hovering with my finger over the button to book onto any more. GWs give people with less experience/confidence a chance to try tramping but I hope we don’t see too many more created. Thank you for sharing your writing and for leading others on tramping trips.
Thanks for sharing Christine – I walked the Routeburn with my Dad and it was stunning, but it is quite different from ‘wild tramping’. I think as long as you go in with eyes open for the difference it’s OK, but I prefer regular free (financially and decision-wise) tramping myself these days. DOC’ll be smarting from the un-full great walks I suppose, but nice for us Kiwi’s to sneak on last minute when the weather’s right!
Small world!
Hi Larry, I am one of the ‘day walkers’ you met, yes we did get out but it was a very long day, my GPS recorded the trip as being 26km. Couldn’t have got a better day for it, fantastic views, it was just on dark when we got back to the car.
Thanks for your blog, it summed up our trip pretty well (minus the stay at Totara Flats).
Regards
Jon
Oh well done Jon – thought of you two, not sure if our party would have enjoyed those last four hours very much doing your one! Another day you’ll have to go clockwise 😉 Thanks for commenting
Hi Larry a interesting trip to high ridge. Later this year I hope to take some of Tweeddale family members to the site of the memorial for Lester’s memorial . I am putting a trip together after reading your report just want to know if any other information you can pass on.i have been in the Tararuas on the west side not the east side. Thank you.
Hey Robert –
Thanks for reaching out. That’s great to take the family up there! I don’t really have any useful intel to be honest, beyond the blog. Just walk up to Powell Hut (~3hrs), up to the sign post saying ‘high ridge’, follow the ridge. My phone GPS coordinate-ed my photo here: https://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap?v=2&ll=-40.88813,175.418916&z=15 The memorial is on the right side heading W. Easier to walk back to Powell rather than do the circuit we did, if you get into the trees you’ve gone too far. I hope you get a good day for it!
Trying to information on trip to high ridge for a trip to Lester Tweeddales memorial site.
Hi, just read this post and keen to do the ridge/spur that has point 555 on it (from Waiotauru Hut up to the track that links Kapakapanui summit to Maymorn Junction). The alternative looks like a long trek into Maymorn junction from Kapakapanui and then down the road to Waiotauru. I’ll be by myself and will rely on GPS. How did you find that ‘point 555’ spur in terms of travel and navigation, noting that you went up it and I’ll be coming down from Kapakapanui?
Hi Larry, i just stumbled upon your blog. Thanks for that! I did a shorter version of this loop end of October, leaving from orongorongos river same direction as you, but went straight to pt 711 along a beautiful trap line track. Some of the best forest in Wellington….we should meet up one day for an adventure… thanks for giving me inspiration!
That’s a mean and miserable response! Partying up is fine in the city (mostly) but it’s not fair to inflict it on bush venues where people go for non-city experiences.
Haha yea, I thought it worth sharing. A little insight into that kind of group, and the risk you take staying in huts! I much prefer tenting these days.
Hi Larry
I was the person who thought of putting up a memorial to Lester, and I and a friend placed it on High Ridge on the day of the 50th anniversary of his death.
To replace another memorial plaque which was removed from the old Powell Hut
Regards
Joe Nawalaniec
I was the person who left the memorial to Lester.
Glad you spent some time up there with him
Joe
Just walked this (Wairarapa to Catchpool) on Saturday. Your description is still pretty reflective of current conditions. The trail on the Wairarapa side is very hard to follow and very overgrown in a couple of places. Was not much fun!
Thanks for sharing HDS, great to keep the info fresh for the next ~3 years of tramp researchers!
Hi Larry, great review, thanks for the post.
Is the Whakanui track (not the Whakanui east track) well marked?
Would you need to have GPS and a compass to navigate, or would you be able to follow the trail?
Thanks!
Thanks Elyse. The main track is obvious yep, or was in 2018! I’d strongly suggest chucking a topo map app on your phone regardless e.g. this one is $6. https://churnewzealand.com/best-topo-map-app-nz/ Give yourself peace of mind you know where you are for all your adventures for the price of a coffee. Hope you have a good wander
Thanks Larry – will check out that map app!