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General Discussion / Re: Makorako [Admin: and starting an alpine mountaineering section??]
« on: May 22, 2012, 03:53:20 PM »
I'd certainly be all ears if you get some good info on it.
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General Discussion / Re: Makorako [Admin: and starting an alpine mountaineering section??]
« on: April 08, 2012, 06:30:48 AM »
If you guys sort out a trip I'd be really keen to have a crack at this. Let me know if anybody is heading that way and wants some company.
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General Discussion / Re: Richmond Range peaks
« on: April 08, 2012, 06:27:21 AM »
I've climbed a lot of these as well and they are all easy scrambles in summer normally on scree or through bush. Iceaxe/crampons and some technical skill may be required at times in winter but that is true for almost any South Island peak of 1500m or more.
All have public access and are enjoyable trips achievable as day trips (some, such as Baldy, would be rather long).
All have public access and are enjoyable trips achievable as day trips (some, such as Baldy, would be rather long).
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Taranaki, Mt / Taranaki
« on: February 20, 2012, 02:39:26 AM »
Quick trip up and down in 4 hours from North Egmont. Came down the old Razorback track which was a lot more enjoyable than the trip up the service road.
A lot of low cloud so no views from the top but by the time I was back at the carpark the mountain had cleared and looked very impressive.
A good afternoon scramble.
A lot of low cloud so no views from the top but by the time I was back at the carpark the mountain had cleared and looked very impressive.
A good afternoon scramble.
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General Discussion / Re: Tapuae-o-Uenuku
« on: March 07, 2011, 03:16:39 PM »
Well, I came, I saw, I didn't conquer. 
Unfortunately the weather got the better of my trip and while my brother and I both climbed Tapi (his first trip up) we were unable to have a go at either of the other two peaks.
Was overcast and drizzly ffor much of the trip and with Alarm and Mitre Peak both shrouded in clouds we decided against tackling the more challenging and unfamiliar routes in somewhat adverse conditions.
On a slightly surreal note, we were away when the Christchurch earthquake hit so came down the Awatere Valley to a flood of phone messages as we have a number of family members in the city — luckily they were all unharmed.
Unfortunately the weather got the better of my trip and while my brother and I both climbed Tapi (his first trip up) we were unable to have a go at either of the other two peaks.
Was overcast and drizzly ffor much of the trip and with Alarm and Mitre Peak both shrouded in clouds we decided against tackling the more challenging and unfamiliar routes in somewhat adverse conditions.
On a slightly surreal note, we were away when the Christchurch earthquake hit so came down the Awatere Valley to a flood of phone messages as we have a number of family members in the city — luckily they were all unharmed.
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General Discussion / Re: Tapuae-o-Uenuku
« on: February 17, 2011, 03:46:17 AM »Dodgy, How hard is Alarm to climb? I have heard it is harder than Tapi. Is it just a scramble or is it more technical?
Going to try and knock off the trifecta of Tapi, Alarm and Mitre Peak next week when I'm back in the South Island.
Will be able to give you a first hand account of any difficulties.
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General Discussion / Re: Makorako [Admin: and starting an alpine mountaineering section??]
« on: February 17, 2011, 03:41:16 AM »
Congrats Guano. I looked at this as a two day mission about a month ago, but, as you said discovered ACT no longer held access rights to the private land.
That and one of those incoming cyclones kinda scuttled my hopes.
Awesome effort to knock it off in a day!
That and one of those incoming cyclones kinda scuttled my hopes.
Awesome effort to knock it off in a day!
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General Discussion / Re: Maumaupaki (Camels Back)
« on: February 17, 2011, 03:34:47 AM »
Sounds like a great trip. Was disappointed I couldn't make it. Will have to give it a go at a later date. 
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General Discussion / Re: Maumaupaki (Camels Back)
« on: November 21, 2010, 02:29:16 AM »I take it from your comment, Dodgy, that you'd be keen to join us? Sounds like a bit of you.
Vino, forget the pocket knife and bread crumbs - just make sure you bring your concrete pills (and bring some for me too this time)
I'm always up for some off-the-beaten-track exploration. I work some strange (and long) hours however so may be difficult to co-ordinate.
Keep me in mind though whne you decide to launch another foray.
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Baldy, Mt / Re: Made it a maiden overnighter
« on: November 21, 2010, 02:26:00 AM »Congrats on the peak, Baldy certainly is a windy place!
Sounds like the old North-South track is rather overgrown, was hoping to do it at some stage this summer? Any thoughts on the viability of the track?
I didn't get far enough along it to be an authority but it definately was over-grown, hardly used and not maintained. However there were path markers that could be followed on the section we tried. Also be aware that there have been a good number of landslips in the area (possibly from the possum deforestation???) so there's always a bit of a risk you might walk into a dead end?
Curiously, I do wonder why they closed the old ridge top track / route? I'm sure it would make a terrific multi-day walk along the tops there.
Thanks for the info.
I'm certainly more of a tops guy so the old route appeals to me a lot more than the new, lower option. Definitely something to try over summer.
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General Discussion / Re: Maumaupaki (Camels Back)
« on: November 17, 2010, 06:10:39 AM »I've just been speaking to DOC. Apparently the track was closed 10 years ago and all markers were removed due to the danger of steep drop offs which would have required hand holds to be put in.
That explains my experiences yesterday, and I'm now more keen than ever to have another go
A couple of pics I found on the net...
That just makes it sound more intriguing!
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Baldy, Mt / Re: Made it a maiden overnighter
« on: November 17, 2010, 06:06:43 AM »
Congrats on the peak, Baldy certainly is a windy place!
Sounds like the old North-South track is rather overgrown, was hoping to do it at some stage this summer? Any thoughts on the viability of the track?
Sounds like the old North-South track is rather overgrown, was hoping to do it at some stage this summer? Any thoughts on the viability of the track?
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General Discussion / Re: Maungaraho Rock
« on: November 10, 2010, 04:35:23 AM »
Looks like an awesome short trip!
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Kaweka J / Two days in the Kawekas
« on: October 06, 2010, 07:25:25 AM »
My first taste of a true NI tramp.
Great to get out somewhere different and explore some of the Hawke's Bay back country.
Driving up Puketitiri Rd through sheep and beef farms and seeing the Kaweka's looming ahead with the final fingers of spring snow grasping the range it felt like I could be back in the South Island.
Originally I had planned to travel in Monday afternoon and get a headstart to Dominie Bivvy that evening. However, working late ended that paln and helping out a country damsal in distress (her Gator had broken down so figure I should give her a lift) meant it was 2pm before I got underway from Makahu saddle.
The climb up Trials Spur was steep but passed easily and Kaweka J's summitt arrived quickly and rather anticlimatically, it truely is just a hump.
After deposited a rock on the memorial cairn I bolted down Back Ridge. The going was smooth to Sterns Saddle but the haul through the bush to the scrubby knob of Maminga (1472m) proved tougher than the climb to Kaweka J.
Reaching the Back Ridge Biv turnoff at 5pm I encountered a sign proclaiming 3 3/4 hours to my planned destination, Kiwi Mouth Hut. Doubting whether I'd make the hut by dark I instead detoured to Rocks Ahead hut.
A relentless 700m drop took me down to Rocks Ahead Stream and a comfortable night in the bright orange hut.
In trambing logic what goes down often has to come up, so an overcast Wednesday morning saw me slogging an equally steep 700m to the Venison Tops. As I cleared the bush the overcast conditions gave way to a biting westerly.
As I swung east and headed for the cloud-shrouded range the wind strengthened and became bitterly cold. After cresting the range I swung north briefly to tag Whetu (1650m) before heading south.
The wind had reached the stage where even walking in a straight line was challenging and it was a rather despondent slog along the tops. Visibility was down to less than 50m but route finding was seldom a challenge with a marker pole usually looming ahead out of the gloom.
At some stage I passed beneath North Kaweka (1707m) and was relieved when i finally reached the track down Makahu Spur.
Fifteen minutes and a few hundred metres down the spur the icey wind had dropped to a puff and I was baskiing in warm sunshine with a perfect rainbow arcing over the valley.
Hard to believe just minutes before I was struggling just to stay upright.
Great to get out somewhere different and explore some of the Hawke's Bay back country.
Driving up Puketitiri Rd through sheep and beef farms and seeing the Kaweka's looming ahead with the final fingers of spring snow grasping the range it felt like I could be back in the South Island.
Originally I had planned to travel in Monday afternoon and get a headstart to Dominie Bivvy that evening. However, working late ended that paln and helping out a country damsal in distress (her Gator had broken down so figure I should give her a lift) meant it was 2pm before I got underway from Makahu saddle.
The climb up Trials Spur was steep but passed easily and Kaweka J's summitt arrived quickly and rather anticlimatically, it truely is just a hump.
After deposited a rock on the memorial cairn I bolted down Back Ridge. The going was smooth to Sterns Saddle but the haul through the bush to the scrubby knob of Maminga (1472m) proved tougher than the climb to Kaweka J.
Reaching the Back Ridge Biv turnoff at 5pm I encountered a sign proclaiming 3 3/4 hours to my planned destination, Kiwi Mouth Hut. Doubting whether I'd make the hut by dark I instead detoured to Rocks Ahead hut.
A relentless 700m drop took me down to Rocks Ahead Stream and a comfortable night in the bright orange hut.
In trambing logic what goes down often has to come up, so an overcast Wednesday morning saw me slogging an equally steep 700m to the Venison Tops. As I cleared the bush the overcast conditions gave way to a biting westerly.
As I swung east and headed for the cloud-shrouded range the wind strengthened and became bitterly cold. After cresting the range I swung north briefly to tag Whetu (1650m) before heading south.
The wind had reached the stage where even walking in a straight line was challenging and it was a rather despondent slog along the tops. Visibility was down to less than 50m but route finding was seldom a challenge with a marker pole usually looming ahead out of the gloom.
At some stage I passed beneath North Kaweka (1707m) and was relieved when i finally reached the track down Makahu Spur.
Fifteen minutes and a few hundred metres down the spur the icey wind had dropped to a puff and I was baskiing in warm sunshine with a perfect rainbow arcing over the valley.
Hard to believe just minutes before I was struggling just to stay upright.
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General Discussion / Re: Tapuae-o-Uenuku
« on: August 30, 2010, 04:40:17 AM »Dodgy, How hard is Alarm to climb? I have heard it is harder than Tapi. Is it just a scramble or is it more technical?
Never actually climbed it myself.
By the route from the saddle/top of the Hodder it appears to be just a scramble until near the top where they may be a little bit more difficult climbing.
I.m sure it can be climbed without any specific skills by it's north east ridge. It's just a bit more expossed than Tapi.
I have a climbing book somewhere which will have a better description but I can't find it. Will post when I do.
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