Tramping: Roaring Stag Lodge

  • Date: 28/04/2018 – 29/04/2018
  • Party: Gerry, Larry
  • Night location/s: Roaring Stag Lodge
Roaring Stag, 28-29.04.2018

Leaving Putara Roadend at 12:30, we cross five minutes of farmland before reaching the first bridge (320m), over a tributary of the Mangatainoka River outside Eketahuna.

Farmland
Such grace

From here we follow along the banks of the waterway, climbing slowly to 400m and another bridge, much bigger at 1:10 (40min from roadend).

The bigger bridge

A steady 380m climb follows, before reaching the track to Herepai hut at 2:15 (1hr 45 from roadend). We head south along the ridge, dropping down to the Ruamahunga river valley. It’s a very clear but boggy route, lush with ferns and Rimu.

We cross a couple of streams, and are able to keep our feet dry despite the rain.

Can hop the rocks this time

We reach Roaring Stag Lodge at 4pm (3.5hr from roadend), encountering a group from the Tararua Tramping Club, complete with adorable pug. A nice night and a good enough sleep.

Roaring Stag Lodge (12bunk)
Roaring Stag Lodge (12bunk)
Roaring Stag Lodge (12bunk)
The boy!

The rain is heavy overnight and persistent in the morning. We’re just going in and out, so we leave at 9.15am and navigate the much larger streams!

Morning river view
Streaming streams
A damp return

Our return journey takes 4hrs. A great hut cared for by the Deerstalkers; pretty accessible too.

Not much of an entry I admit; mostly I’m posting this for the walk times and photo memories.

Pole-end we retrieved from mud, reunited with its TTC owner at the carpark

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.

Up ↑