A leatherwood jungle makes travel along the crest of the Southern Ruahines extremely difficult. Instead, we traverse a series of ridges and valleys to work our way south. The trip took us from the Kumeti road end through to the Coppermine road end.
Saturday - We went up the Kumeti stream then a steep scramble up onto the ridge and along the track towards Maharahara peak. Then along to the Kiritaki Hut turnoff and down the steep drop to the Oruakeretaki stream followed by a brief climb up to Kiritaki Hut. Sunday - We headed up behind the hut and down to Raparapawai stream. Then down the stream for a while, followed by another steep up onto the ridge. This whole sequence of up and down was then repeated again into the Mangatua Stream. Then farmland, we were able to head for the Coppermine car park.
Sidebar
Kumeti to Coppermine 28-29 June
Thankfully a good track through the leatherwood zone!
Nice view out to the plains as we begin our descent to the Oruakeretaki Stream
First glimpse of Kiritaki Hut across the valley
From here, you could almost fantasise that the ridge continues all the way to the hut...
... but about here Chantal starts fantasising about a bridge - even a 3 wire bridge would do, she reckons
So let the descent begin...
The 200 metres or so downstream to the start of the track to Kiritaki is not easy
An orange hut is a welcome sight at the end of a hard day..
Although most of the wood was wet, Neville managed to get a good fire going
Sunday mornin' headin' out
A steep and slippery section on the descent to the Raparapawai
Happy Parawais in the head of the Raparapawai Stream. Only 2 more hills to go ..
Lunchtime on the Raparapawai-Mangatua divide
Having crossed another ridge we arrive in the Mangatua Stream
Everyone is happy knowing it's only one last hill to climb
Out of the bush and onto the final, easy stretch to Coppermine Road
