Trip Reports

stunning day everywhere except the peak, no view from the summit.  ran / walked in from the pines, around 8 hours return. no one else around. great stuff

Bagged on a Sunday mission up from Wellington - up at 3am, drove to the Stratford Plateau startpoint and we were on the move just before 8am.

Stunning day and with running for parts of it (the start and parts of the way down) we were up in 3 hours, 20 mins or so at the top and down in 1.45 for a tick over 5 hours - finished around 1pm so beat the afternoon clouds rolling in.  The scree slopes were annoying but not too bad - worst bit being just inside the crater, we followed the poled route and got into a hell of a mess on the very icy side of the crater.  Without gloves it made for some cold hands up the top so we didn't hang around long.

Ran/climbed up Mt Matthews from Catchpool valley in 4hr 48 all up today. Ran along the flat bits and a clamber up the steep Mt Matthews.  About an hour along the Orongorongo track/river to the base, up to the summit in 2 hours 30, then back in 4.48 after a break at the top.  Views were non existent due to the near whiteout conditions up high.  The track up Mt Matthews is relatively well defined but very overgrown in many places.  Keep an eye out for those orange markers as it can be easy to go off track. Near the top there is a slight offshoot leading to a dodgy rocky ridge which i almost went up - go down a bit instead and the track skirts around before heading upwards. Metal pole and geocache box at the top were the only real indicators i was at a summit in those  conditions.

Stayed in Powell Hut overnight and bagged Holdsworth the next morning before coming back down the hill to the carpark. Stunning day and great facilities at Powell Hut

Bagged as part of Southern crossing Otaki to Kaitoke. Overcast when we got to Hector which impeded the view a bit (still great views though along the ridgelines), but minimal wind which was much appreciated. Next day along Marchant ridge was long and boring as hell

Short easy walk from the carpark but VERY windy. Too windy to hang out up the top (small area by the trig which is very exposed) and enjoy the view without it feeling a tad dangerous. Ah well another peak bagged. took about an hour with a few breaks to get out of the wind. Recommended on a day with nil or minimal wind.

a leisurely 2 hours to the top, 1 hr 20 back. Bitterly cold and gale force winds up the top were fun, but most of the walk is sheltered and it didn't rain!  Overcast conditions meant the views weren't as good as they could have been. ah well

Ran from dry creek at the bottom of the Haywards, up to Boulder Hill and along the back tracks to end up in Cannons Creek.  About 2 hrs 15 mins all up.  Views from the peaks were basically nil as we were clouded in, and the wind gets VERY strong at exposed points. Cool run though and would def do it again.  Interesting sights included WW2 bunkers and a toppled pylon in farmland out the back of Cannons Creek.

good run on a stunning day.  1 hour 15 from stratton st in normandale to cornish st in petone, via belmont trig.  some steep bits at the start but not too strenuous going up this route.  the opposite way looks harder so may try that in the coming weeks