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Aorangi - Ohutu circuit 30 April to 1 May
Camped Friday night at River Valley Lodge. Then up to and back down Mt Aorangi and on to Ohutu Stream. Then uo to Ohutu Ridge and along to the old NZFS Ohutu tent camp for the night. Sunday saw us travel futher along the Ohutu Ridge track to the Mangatera-Maropea junction. Then down the Whakaurekou River to where we had a steep climb out onto the ridge between the Ohutu and Rangitikei and then back to River Valley Lodge.
Yes, Tony did catch a trout
A nice simple cableway provides access across the Rangitikei
Zig zag up the steep face above River Valley
Approaching Aorangi
Traipsing along under the bluffs
Wonderful kaikawaka forest
North of Aorangi the country opens out towards the back of Mangaohane Station
Dinner plate sized toadstools under the manuka
David and Sue diverted to bag this hut
Limestone landscape on the climb to Ohutu Ridge
Misty view across to Te Rakaunuiakura/Black Hill
Grassy gullies, laden with deer droppings, led down into the Ohutu Stream headwaters
... through magnificent kaikawaka forest
Breaking out onto the tussock again we were greeted by a stunning sunset
Tony's tent amongst the remains of the old Ohutu Ridge tent camp
Sunday morning we headed south along Ohutu Ridge
There's reputed to be a route down to Ohutu Stream Hut from these clay pans
But we couldn't find any sign of it
View back to Aorangi
Start of the steep descent to the Mangatera and Whakaurekou rivers
Evidence of a stag polishing his antlers
It's a long way down
Finally at the river
The Mangatera and Maropea rivers converge to form the Whakaurekou
Sure-footed Owen streaks ahead
Apparently deer cullers used these slips to access Ohutu Ridge
Hut at the Whakaurekou/Ohutu/Rangitikei junction
A seriously steep climb out onto the ridge between the Ohutu and Rangitikei (we never found the sidle track to Ohutu Hut that's shown on maps)
Whakaurekou/Rangitikei forks
