19-22 November 2019

Leader: Steve Hudson

Recently I looked at the options of completing a fly in and tramp out scenario into the interior of the Kaweka and Kaimanawa Forest Parks. After selecting a suitable mid-week period, utilizing the services of East Kaweka Helicopters, Patrick Liss and Tony Quayle were happy to join me.

As luck would have it, the pending weather was shaping up to be perfect for a trip along the open tops. We left Paraparaumu nice and early on Tuesday morning, stopping briefly in Dannevirke for brunch at the delicious Catching Pen Cafe before continuing to the hanger base in Puketitiri. Once we arrived at the hangar we discussed the options of the road end pick up time plus seating, weight of packs and individual H and S requirements for the trip in. This became very funny as Tony was being weighed. He didn’t notice the pilot was pushing down an extra 30kgs onto the scales causing him to think he had eaten too much breakfast and had joined me as a star performer of the 100 kilo club. We left the hanger and drove to the Gums carpark at the end of Makahu Road with a scheduled pick up time of 1330 hrs.

Waiting with just a few minutes to spare the Hughes 500 quickly flew past us (at extremely low level) before banking around and landing at the designated Helipad. With us all on board the fun really began as we popped over the low saddles and roared down the valley’s before a gentle landing at Boyd Airstrip in Kaimanawa Forest Park. After thanking Chris, our pilot, we left our packs and wandered up to have lunch at Boyd Lodge which sat high up in a basin overlooking the beautiful tussock flats of the Ngaruroro River. After a nice break out of the sun we grabbed our packs and began the easy tramp down valley, crossing the river a few times before turning east into Kaweka Forest Park and climbing up and over to Tussock Hut. There were two young hunters at the hut who had shot a very small Sika deer and were keen to tell us all the details on how the hunt went before offering us a cup of tea. After a few yarns we continued on in the early evening light meandering along the amazing tussock valley before entering the tight Harkness Stream, eventually arriving at Harkness Hut just before 2000hrs.

Wednesday dawned with light drizzle but this soon cleared off to become a beautiful day. We commenced the 550m climb out of the valley eventually arriving at Te Puke Hut for an early lunch. The views from the top were absolutely amazing and we could see our intended route over the next couple of days well south towards the Ruahines. The rest of the afternoon was spent climbing up and down the long bush ridge before entering a flat tussock section which slowly turned left before dropping down to Mangaturutu Hut for night two.

After a very clear night Thursday morning began as a chilly start. However it was the perfect temperature needed to complete the long day ahead with one big bush saddle to Tira Lodge then dropping down again before a big climb up onto Whetu Peak at 1650m. As we worked our way along the ridgeline we could see the bright orange Ballard hut sitting snugly in the trees 200m below us. Having been there previously I wasn’t keen to return so we continued along past the Camp Spur track before eventually descending off the tops and down the long ridge to Makino Hut for our last night. On arrival at the hut a woman hunter and her young dog were in residence. Tony and Patrick stayed in the hut to help entertain Bess the dog while I camped out amongst the Manuka.

Friday morning I was woken early by Bess barking so joined the others for an early breakfast. Shortly after we departed for Te Puia Lodge toe grinding down the last steeper section of the Makino Ridge. After a quick break at the hut we strolled out to the carpark in hot conditions. Another great trip with fantastic company.

Those on the trip were:

Steve Hudson, Patrick Liss, Tony Quayle