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.


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