Pleasant climb of Mitre over the Easter break. Starting from the Pines, we camped at Mitre Flats hut (leisurely half day walk in), climbed up and over Mitre, Brockett and Girdlestone to stay in Tarn Ridge Hut, and returned the same way. Windy and murky on the Saturday when we climbed Mitre from the south; much more pleasant, with blue skies and views in all directions on Sunday on the way out.
The descent from Mitre towards Brockett (which forms part of the Tararua Northern Crossing) is quite steep; and the route from Girdlestone down to Tarn Ridge Hut is also steep and has a few exposed scrambles. Enough to make us relieved we hadn't brought the dog and that it wasn't really pelting down with rain, and could be an issue for people with a fear of heights, but all pretty standard for the backblocks of the Tararuas up on the ridges.
The photos below are of Mitre from Peggy's Peak (the normal way up); the summit; and Mitre from Brockett (the other, steeper side - you don't need to climb from this angle if you are just coming from the road and back again).
The weather in April was just enough to start taking seriously. There had been a lot of snow a few days before we got up there (one party a day ahead of us turned back because it was too deep). On our first day on Mitre itself the murk was quite serious, difficult to see, and moderate wind (not enough to worry about by Tararua standards, but wouldn't want it much worse). But the second day was beautiful, hardly any wind, gorgeous blue skies.
