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Papatahi Crossing 5-6 April
Saturday - From the Catchpool along the Orongorongo Track to the Orongorongo River. Up the river to visit Haurangi Hut and a few private huts. Then we made our way to Papatahi Hut. Sunday - Up North Boulder Creek to the start of the Papatahi Crossing Track. Then down to Wharepapa (Joes) Hut, across the farmland and up the road to the bus to end our 9.5 hour day.
It was a beautiful day for a walk in the forest
...with two pretty ladies
Midway Bridge
Phil (Paul) had brought new puttees...they were a little BRIGHT!!!!
It was great fun walking up the river
Ting did a good job walking over this log
Paula...not so (for the record I fell off too)
Papatahi, tomorrow's challenge
We stopped at Haurangi hut for some of the group to bag it
Then we made our way to Papatahi hut
A quick explore around to look at the site of the old Shamrock hut and Rata hut (private)
Rata next to her very own hut (built in 1971 the same year Rata was born)
We lazed in the sun (some of us lazed more than others!)
Monsta played in the river while the old lifeguard looked on
Then a hari krishna group arrived banging on an old tin bucket and singing
We ate cheese and crackers and drank wine
Then we lit a fire
We thought it would be fun to all point at Ting
Ting tried to point back at us, but the effect was not as good
Boots and Monsta
Some of us spent the night trying to wrestle control of the fire (the club arsonist was not a happy man!)
Setting off Sunday morning Papatahi bound
The warning sign up towards the water catchment area (it read 'unauthorised trampers will be shot')
Up North Boulder Creek we went
The start of the Papatahi Crossing
Looking back at the Orongorongo River
It was very steep in parts
Heading passed a slip
Clown!
Into the goblln forest
The trees were quite amazing
and gnarly
Here lies the top of Papatahi
...so time for a snack
and back down the other side we went
Down the stream to Wharepapa (Joes) hut
Wharepapa hut
Rimus in the mist
We struck a lot of stinging nettle (aka singing neville) on the Wairarapa side
Walking through beech trees was a nice end to the crossing
Across the farmland
and up the road to the bus to end our 9.5 hour day
