Cone/Tutuwai (part of the Tararua Challenge)

1-2 March 2025

Leader: Elisabeth Hynds

Five Parawai ladies set off from Kapiti for Waiohine carpark with a coffee stop along the way. At this point, on this gorgeous summer day, a serious discussion ensued around how very pleasant it would be to spend the day at the Martinborough fair then camp at Lake Ferry. However as this was to be a Tararua hut bagging trip and we might get a telling off, on we drove to the roadend.

A hot trudge up, along and down to Cone Hut, where we left the Parawai newsletter and had our photo taken. A little further down, opposite the Bull Mound track, we set up our tents before sitting on the rocks by the river with a welcome cup of tea.

Next morning after a lovely night's sleep, we set off for a 1 hour walk, through lovely bush, to Tutuwai Hut. This hut has had a fresh paintjob and been left sparkling clean. With no one around to take our photos all together, a light bulb moment resulted in photos taken with the 'smile' command to the phones. A fill of water bottles and then off up Mt Reeves.

On top we had views all around with cloud from the west tumbling over the Southern Crossing route, an east coast vista with Lake Wairarapa out to Lake Onoke and the ocean. A short stop at the plaque marking the 'Centre of the extended continental shelf of NZ' followed by a nice slow descent to point 745 where a spur runs down to Coal Stream. It is a steepish descent which, while not an official DOC route, has been recently cleared and blazed by a Wairarapa club. A splash about in the refreshing water and it was back across the bridge to the car.

Trip Report Photo 4 — Cuppa by the river

Ice creams, milkshakes and cold drinks on the way home were a nice finish to what had been a lovely, relaxing weekend. And I had a good workout rather than eating, drinking and spending too much as I may have done if we had changed our plans to a camp at Lake Ferry. That one for another day.