Easter 2-5 April 2021

Leader: Owen Cox

Seven Parawai were on the trip which was planned as a relatively easy trip with camping in the Waipakihi valley.

We started walking from the Urchin car park at the end of Kaimanawa Road. The trip started with a steady climb through beech forest to the bush line on Urchin. After a break there, we headed along the tops to the junction of the track down to the Waipakihi River. After lunch on the ridge we headed down to the campsite by the river.

We got the tents up and the promised rain turned out to be not much more than dew.

Next morning was fine so we headed up river crossing and re-crossing. A short while after lunch - about four hours - walking, we spotted a lovely campsite across the river. We stopped early and camped and generally enjoyed the sun.

There was a bit of a frost over night. Once the sun had warmed things up we headed up the valley and arrived at the empty hut before lunch. We decided to stay in the hut rather than camp on the tops in another frost. After lunch some enjoyed the sun while others climbed up to Junction Top.

On the last day, Owen and Marcia headed off early to go over Umukarikari and along the track to Urchin and then down to the cars. The others went over Umukarikari to the Umukarikari car park. Having arrived there they had walked only a short distance down the road when Owen and Marcia arrived with the cars.

Those on the trip were:

Chantal Heller, Elisabeth Hynes, Marcia Goode, Marian Cox, Neville Grubner, Owen Cox, Sue Sparkes