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Waterfall Hut 25-27 March
Waterfall Hut via the main range and Tussock Creek, then home via Rangi and Waipawa saddles. Friday - Up the Waipawa River to Waipawa Forks Hut. Saturday - Up the Waipawa River to Waipawa Saddle. Then south along the main range over Rangioteatua and along to Paemutu on Broken Ridge. Then down in to Tussock Creek and down the Kawhatau River to Waterfall Hut. Sunday - Down the Kawhatau River and up Rangi Creek to the track up to Rangi Saddle. Then down the creek to Waikamaka Hut for lunch. Then up another creek to Waipawa Saddle and over and down the Waipawa River to Waipawa Forks Hut and back out to the cars.
Once full of gravel, the Waipawa is becoming overgrown, making for harder work than it used to be.
A line of happy Parawais
Fine again on Waipawa Saddle
Climbing out of Waipawa Saddle
In the mist near Rangioteatua
Still climbing ...
Lovely, rainy central Ruahine tops
Near spot height 1715, about to head through 'Broken Saddle'
An easy stretch in the Rangioteatua - Paemutu Saddle
Sidling the pinnacle is easy enough on its eastern side
Owen regains the ridge after sidling the pinnacle
From a 2003 trip, this photo shows the rather intimidating nature of the 'broken saddle' area (as seen from spot height 1715)
A 2003 photo of Broken Ridge and the southern end of 'broken saddle'
Waiting for stragglers, Tussock Ck - Kawhatau junction
Bonsai garden, Rangi Creek
Rangi Creek
Lunch stop at Waikamaka Hut
