Otupae and Hihitahi 21-22 November

Exploring the Ruahines and supporting the Pukeokahu community
Saturday, 21 November 2015

The organisers turned on fantastic meals at the Otupae shearers quarters

A convoy of 4WDs took us across the developed part of Otupae Station to the start of our walk

Heading towards the distant Hermitage and Otupae Range

On the Hermitage, looking across the Makirikiri and Ikawatea valleys to the main Ruahine Range

And in the other direction lies the Otupae Range

About a 3rd of the way from the left on the distant range lies Taruarau Biv, from where we viewed the Otupae Range back on Waitangi Weekend

Towards the top of the range the wind and rain caught up with us

An MTSC tramper battling the wind

Sadly, it was a relief to get off the exposed tops

A couple of pheasants took off in front of Sue and I just here

With Richard Steadman and others at a station hut

Comet Hut, our Saturday night accommodation

Nice new caravan behind the Prado

Sue was keen to bag a geocache off the Gentle Annie Road

The instructions say it's under a small flax bush

Found it, but obviously the flax bush (in front of Neville) has grown a bit

The geocache was quite a way from where we parked

Hihitahi cedars

Hihitahi Neville

Zekes Hut

Distant Otupae Range viewed from Hihitahi trig. We climbed over the round peak above the tall tree in the centre of the photo.