top of page

Catagories

Ramble in the Ruahines (2016)

Website Website

Date: 18th April to 22nd April 2016

Location: Ruahines Forest Park

Trip Leader: Tom Goodman

Trampers: Tom Goodman, Sarah Catley, Sach Knight, Lorenzo Posada Villages


Ever since Christina Fullerton had told me about getting lost in the Ruahines and having to spend a night with six people in the three person tent, the range has had a certain appeal to it- the rugged adventurer, seeking risk and testing his limits against the bare rock. And so it was that, after several attempts and many more ‘oh shit that’s way too far to drive, let’s go here instead’ moments, I finally found myself en route.

 

Our first challenge was actually getting there. By New Zealand standards, this is a long way. Throw in a stop for Cambridge to find lunch (for future reference, there’s nothing there), a stop in Taupo for shopping, and missing the turn-off at Mangaweka the first-time around, it is a reaaally long drive. Thankfully we had Peter Dinklage’s ‘Space Pants’ song to keep us entertained – “I am wearing space pants, space pants!”.

 

Arriving at the road-end just as the sun was setting, the first part of the tramp involved walking along the road, hoping to find some markers into the forest. Instructions were minimal- well, non-existant- so it was a relief when an orange track marker was spotting glinting in a neighbouring field. From here it was a reasonably short hour into the first hut, round one of surprise peas with suitable side dishes, and a well-earned sleep.

 

Day two started by retracing out steps up the hill we had come down, which no one was really looking forward to. Somehow the hill had shrunk in the night, but sadly this had had no real effect on the hill beyond, which had been rather a lot bigger to begin with anyway. 

DoC signs suggested three hours to the summit of Wooden Peg, so that seemed like a good spot for lunch. Good joke that, and after a serious 5 hour slog we finally found ourselves standing on top of the Mangaweka Ridge. Fortunately it was well worth the struggle, the views were nothing short of majestic. Did I say we were at the top? Well, no, the top is over there, a couple of hills away..

The “Rainbow Roadies”


Upon reaching Mangaweka trig at 4pm, the general consensus was to have a bit of a scout around to find a spot for camp. This was done in short order, but then Lorenzo pointed out that, really, 4pm was too early to be stopping for the day. Whether they were persuaded by his rationale, or whether they were secretly thinking the same thing themselves, another hour’s walking was settled upon as much more respectable. We were then rewarded to a perfect view of the setting sun over the Central Plateau-glorious! 

 

The wind that night howled around the tent, sleep was at a premium, and the following morning it seemed no one was any particular hurry to get moving. Sarah was so unenthusiastic about the prospect that she fell asleep while her rice cracker was halfway towards her mouth, a form of silent protest. Depart we must however, and with Sach scouting ahead, we started making our way into the unknown. The plan to descent straight into the un-named creek was thwarted by bluffs, and instead we settled for the obvious ridgeline, reasoning there was bound to be an obvious route down. 

The group was soon presented with a dilemma, to descent the obvious scree slope, or to make instead for the nearby gully of snow-grass. The latter was fixed upon, and the first half-hour was truly a pleasant experience. Then, we entered what quickly became known as ‘the shit’- an hour of bashing our way through dense scrub and keeping a close eye out for sudden drops. It was a very happy group which found the creek in time for a late lunch. One final obstacle lay between us and the Kawhatau River- a 10m waterfall. Not to worry, we are used to bush-bashing now. A quick walk up the river, and Waterfall Hut was reached. Tonight, to celebrate conquering an unknown route, a special dinner was prepared- no fewer than two packets of surprise peas were used. And for dessert, Sarah produced a packet of marshmallows, which were roasted on the poker. A good night’s work, I do believe.

Past reports of Pinnacle Creek had made me rather apprehensive, but as it turned out, when not filled with snow, the route was reasonably straight forward, and in what seemed like little time at all, we found ourselves looking back out over the Pourangaki River which we had walked up on the first night. However, the ridgeline did live up to its reputation of being truly knife-edged, and we were all grateful it was such perfect weather. 

 

 

Pinnacle Peak triumphant.

Tom Goodman.


Stopping for lunch, Sach and I discovered our mutual love for all things Monty Python, and attempted to work our way through all the greatest hits collection. Lorenzo and Sarah, meanwhile, looked bewildered at how merely mentioning ‘Biggus Dickus’ would send either of us into fits of laughter. Clearly they did not find it at all ‘wisible’.  Comic relief was soon to be found however, when my pack attempted to make a great escape down into the valley below. Gathering up more speed than you would really have fought possible, its tumbling was arrested mere metres before it would have succeeded in taking a short cut to Napier. Phew!


From the top of the ridge, the views over to Sawtooth and beyond drew the eye, and had we had more time, presented a truly tempting prospect. Unfortunately, in our immediate future instead lay a knee-crunching descent to Pourangaki Hut. The hut itself proved to be decorated with a range of graffiti, including of course, the inevitable penis drawing, While Sarah and I admired the artwork over our side of the bunks, Sach was clearly feeling left out, and expressed his disappointed that there were no penises where he was lying. My offer to “come over and take a look at mine”, was in hindsight, poorly worded. 

 

For our final day, rather than taking the easy way out along the Pourangaki River, we all decided that it would be a crime to make the most of another day of perfect weather and go along the tops, the absolute absurdity of walking up a large hill just to go straight back down not-withstanding. Four days of walking had clearly done me a world of good, and for the first time on the trip I was almost up with DoC time. Lorenzo and Sach, not to be outdone, halved the recommended track times and spent most of the time sunbathing.

 

The walk out along the road seemed rather a lot longer than we had remembered, but with thoughts of ‘real food’, hot pools and warm beds to sustain us, arrive back we did. Even the discovery that we would have to tent another night in Taupo did not dissuade us, and with beer in hand, we found our way to Spa Park for a good soak.

 

Sadly, when we came back to the car, we found the rear window smashed and all four packs taken. With our tents and all sleeping bags gone, there was nothing for it to drive back to Auckland, in rather more low spirits than the trip really deserved. The downer ending aside, it was a fantastic four days in some truly spectacular countryside. Ruahines, finally done and dusted! And yet, Sawtooth Ridge yet beckons… 

 

Comments


  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©2025 by the Auckland University Tramping Club

bottom of page