22-24 March 2019

Leader: John Sturgess

Four of the advance party arrived at Sunrise hut on Friday night at approx.5.30pm -Sue, Neville & Elisabeth and John S. followed in around 8pm by Tony, Dale, Marian & Owen. Away by 8am the following morning high above the cloud covered valley floor we made our way up to Te Atuaoparapara peak. The mist was rolling in and out around the ridge tops as we reached our turnoff point. A quick 10 minute side trip to claim the top and at 11am we took the leading ridge running due north which runs all the way to the Maropea-Waikamaka forks.

On the ascent to this ridge we could see a number of rocky nurgs however these were all passed easily on the western side until we arrived at a major whoopsie in the ridge just after point 1546. Owen led a trail finding mission to circumvent this obstacle which was safely bypassed at the expense of a few clumps of vegetation. By now the mist had lifted to a warm and calm day with expansive views in every direction. A happy group enjoyed lunch on a tussock viewpoint and gaily skipped off down the ridge with a “hi ho” it’s in the bag feeling.

Then we hit the scrub line - stunted beech, leatherwood, a narrow ridge line with numerous ups and downs, a traverse of a sketchy scree slope, elephant grass and bush lawyer. Finally battered and then crumbed all over in bush seeds also throw in a little bit of beetroot colouring we emerged triumphant at the Wakelings track intersection at approx 4.15pm.

Tony and Sue diverted here to Maropea forks hut (Sue on a hut bagging mission) arriving some 2hrs later while six of us dropped down to Wakelings hut for the night. Another gem in the Ruahines not visited very often because of its isolation.

Sunday and the walk up the Waikamaka river. Conditions again were warm and sunny with a very low river level so travel was rather relaxed, as was the deer feeding on the river flats and moving off only as we approached closely. A tiny slot gorge approx. 1hour down from Waikamaka hut was the only pinch point, easily waded in the low river condition. Time taken 5hrs to the hut where we had lunch by the river.

Finally the grind up and over Waipawa saddle and the long haul back to the road. Bugger, we thought Sue and Tony would be waiting for us with Tony’s 4x4 as they were walking out via Top Maropea hut. So, into the road walk only to be met by Tony at the halfway point. Marian and Owen kindly accepted Tony’s offer of a ride while the rest of us walked the final 300metres. Tea and drinks followed at the Norsewood Pub. A nice way to end another Parawai adventure.

Those on the trip were:

John Sturgess, Sue Pate, Elisabeth Hynes, Neville Grubner, Tony Quayle, Dale Burrell, Marian Cox, Owen Cox

No photo album was created for this trip.