4-5 November 2023

Leader: Owen Cox

Five of us met at the end of the seal of North Manakau Road at 7.45 am.

We used Mike’s ute to get a further kilometre down the old road and then walked to the logging track that climbs off the road to the left. We had a bit of rain on the plod up to the ridge and then along the old logging track toward Panatewaewae peak. Beyond the logging track we had about an hour's climb on a track to the top of Panatewaewae.

We felt it was bit early for lunch so carried on along the ridge heading south with no track. Then after a couple of saddles we had lunch. Then more ridge, past the junction with Waitewaewae peak ridge and on to the drop into the saddle at the head of the Waitewaewae. This involved a change in direction and a bit of a drop but the bush was nice and open. We paused by a stream for water and then tackled the 250 m climb to Oriwa. This was pretty open. From here we had a short distance to the open area by the old bivvy site. We had parkas on most of the day as the weather was cold and the bush was wet. We quickly pitched tents, happy that the day was done by 7 pm.

On Sunday we were away by 8 am. We headed down the spur to the north that goes into the head of the Makaretu Stream. A bit steep at the bottom but we reached the stream bed without too much trouble.

We then headed down the stream. This was relatively easy. We saw a deer and more than a few goats. The flats were pretty well chewed by animals. We reached our exit point about 11.30, opposite the ridge down from Bush Corner on the Waiopehu track. This was a climb of 350 m to the Spion Kop-Panatewaewae ridge. The first 100 m of the climb was horrible, steep with a thicket of supplejack. The going was better in the middle bit before turning into a bit of a bash for the last 100 m. I was flagging a bit but the others waited. We had a late lunch on the track along the ridge. We then followed the track to Panatewaewae, through quite a bit of mud. We then dropped back down to the logging track and then down the marked track to the flats in the Panatewaewae Stream. Finally some sun, so the walk down the flats was pleasant. We finished the trip by walking back along the old road to Mike’s ute. The old carpark was ankle deep in mud and water a few years ago but this time was nice and dry. Seems to be the result of a bit more silt and roots improving drainage. In all the day had taken nearly 10 hours.

Those on the trip were:

Marcia Goode, Owen Cox, Peter Davis, Viv Roberts, Mike Carruthers

Currently there is no photo album for this trip.