Saturday 17 May 2025

Leader: Brian Solomon

Seven intrepid trampers and one volunteer driver met at the school on Saturday morning and headed off in two cars to the Ngatiawa Road end. A couple of the group walked in crocs for the stream crossings at the start of the trip (softies) and changed into dry socks and boots for the climb to Kapakapanui.

The climb is steep right from the start and we took time to ease into the ascent. Tony led the way with ageless vigour and waited patiently while the balance of the party caught up. The weather was windy and we were in the misty cloud so it was a welcome break in the nice dry hut where we had a leisurely early lunch before heading out into the mist for the short climb to our ridge heading north. Navigation along this ridge can be somewhat challenging and we explored a few options as we progressed. This was to the delight of the group members who enthusiastically endorsed and followed the trip leader every step of the way. The crescendo of enthusiasm was reached when we found a broader part of the ridge where the simultaneous calls of “this way”, “over here” and “I’m on it” came from various parts of the ridge. Fortunately Owen’s navigational skills helped us through and we reached the Pukeatua Track for a latish second lunch (except for Kate who was on a diet and left her lunch in the fridge at home). The travel down the track was straightforward, if a little bit slippery. It seemed a long way through the bush to the smooth clay surface of the track marking the final descent to the roadend at Mangaone South. The sight of our cars and drivers welcomed us, the drivers having done the car transfer from the Ngatiawa Road end.

Those on the trip were:

Brian Solomon, Ian Algie, Owen Cox, Marian Cox, Tony Quayle, Kate Livingston, Sandra Rowland

Currently there is no photo album for this trip.