top of page

Catagories

Ruahine Ranges – Sawtooth Ridge

Website Website

9 th -14 th of November 2024

Trampers: Will, James, Iisa, Zoe, Ella, Ashwin, Max

Writer: Ashwin

Seven bright-eyed trampers gathered at the University Clock Tower at 7AM, ready to

tackle six days in the Ruahine Ranges. The plan? Drive six hours, pop up to

Rangiwahia Hut, and make some game-time decisions about our ultimate goal:

traversing Sawtooth Ridge. Two cars, seven people, packs stuffed with food, and plenty

of walkies - what could possibly go wrong?


Day 1 was smooth sailing. After a quick stop for last-minute groceries, fuel, and food,

we reached the foot of the Ruahines. A brisk two-hour climb brought us to Rangiwahia

Hut, where we met a lively family and a cheerful older chap with his dog. James worked

his culinary magic to make a delicious Queneau, chicken, and veggie dinner, served


alongside an aggressively hot fire. For a group of mostly strangers, everyone got along

brilliantly - though Iisa and James perhaps a bit too well!




Day 2 kicked off early with plans to reach Kelly Knight Hut - supposedly an easier day

with just a touch of climbing and bush bashing before descending. The universe,

however, had other ideas. First, Ashwin tweaked his knee during a steep bush bash,

something that would bother him the rest of the trip. Then Zoe's shoes decided to call it

quits, with both soles bidding farewell to their uppers. Some MacGyver-level

engineering with zip ties, tape, and an ankle wrap kept them functioning... sort of. With

proper footwear being somewhat essential for tramping, we made the call to exit the

park and seek civilization.


The trail out was, to put it mildly, brutal. Picture near-vertical climbs, rope-assisted

descents, and rain just to spice things up. The highlight? A rock crumbling under Ella's

feet, followed by Will's heroic grab-save of the day. After battling through this obstacle

course, we emerged onto a grumpy farmer's land. Three door-knocks later, we found a

kind soul willing to help. Will and Max hitched a ride back to the cars, while the others

hung out on the sheep farm and eventually chatted with the friendly farmer. The day

ended at a nearby campsite, where we refueled with mashed potatoes and rested our

weary bones.


Day 3 began with Operation New Shoes. A quick drive to Feilding sorted Zoe out with

fresh trail runners before everyone loaded up on café treats and supplies from Wooly's.

Max, in a bold nutritional strategy, decided apples would suffice for the remainder of the

trip - despite carrying a perfectly good stove. We then tackled the east side of the

Ruahines, starting with a pleasant river walk before scaling straight up to Tarn Bivvy.

The hut squeezed in three people while four pitched tents on whatever semi-flat ground

they could find. The bivvy's loo offered spectacular views (Will's enthusiastic

endorsement). Dinner was pasta with dehydrated chili that even satisfied our resident

vegetarian.

Day 4 - the main event! A foggy 7AM start had us heading towards the Black and

Sawtooth Ridges after Ella and Iisa sorted out their lingering blisters. Despite low

clouds, the lack of rain and wind meant relatively safe passage. We fueled up well

before tackling the challenging section, though the day blended together so subtly that

Ella asked "has it started yet?" when we were nearly finished! Regardless, the ridge had

moments of near-vertical climbing up boulders, loose rocks in sections, and beautiful

views – Definitely did not disappoint! Right at the end of the ridge, we met a nice pair of

hikers who were tackling the ridge from the opposite direction. Next, we trotted on

towards Howlett’s Hut for dinner and rest. James and Will, once again, cooked up a

great Shephard’s pie that even Max enjoyed. The rest of the day at the hut was spent

lighting a little fire, playing cards, and finding amusement in the visitor’s log.




Day 5 brought a gentle stroll from Howlett's Hut to Longview Hut, coinciding with James'

birthday. We celebrated with a gourmet feast of peas and mashed potatoes (in that

specific order), crowned with chocolate pudding for the birthday boy. To kill the time, we

played Combien and finally started our own nice fire as we learned that Ella prefers

rocks to hammers.







Day 6 began with the nicest sunrise thus far, so much so that Will and Zoe moved their

sleeping bags outside to enjoy before wrapping up our adventure with a descent back to

the cars, including a couple hours of river walking, throwing rocks, and Zoe grabbing a

beautiful deer antler. We bid a proper Māori farewell to Zoe's loyal walking stick - a

fitting end to an eventful journey. After much anticipation, we made a final stop in Taupo

for everyone to grab their ideal meal and indulge together before driving the final leg

back to Auckland.




Pretty Neat aya?
Pretty Neat aya?



Comments


  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©2025 by the Auckland University Tramping Club

bottom of page