12-13 October 2024

Leader: Matt Freeland

Four of us set off on a fine weekend to explore the Mid-Waiohine Valley going in via Powell Hut, Mt Holdsworth and Isabelle.

Two of the party went up on Friday 18th, staying at Mountain House Shelter and Powell Hut. David and Matt travelled up first thing on Saturday 19th with the obligatory stop at Clareville Bakery (where crème brûlée donuts were in plentiful supply).

The weather was stunning - bluebird skies all day Saturday. David and Matt set off at 9.40am from the Holdsworth carpark, reaching Powell Hut three hours later for lunch. Viv and non-member Amanda were lunching at Holdsworth Trig and the whole party met up ascending Isabelle before a 1000 m drop to mid-Waiohine hut. The track was marked but relatively unused and the hut only gets 1 or 2 trampers a month according to the Intentions Book. We arrived at the hut at 5pm and got settled in and Amanda went for a swim in a glorious swimming hole 2 minutes walk from the hut. We had a very pleasant evening in a lovely traditional 6-bunk backcountry hut.

Sunday dawned cool and cloudy - perfect for the steep ascent back up through some lovely forest and the tops. We left at 7.15am and reached Holdsworth trig around 1pm. At this point the weather started to close in and we walked in rain down to Powell Hut for lunch and a brew before departing for the carpark. The round trip was approximately 25 km with a change in elevation (ascent and descent) of some 2883 m. All in all a cracking trip to a hut not often visited in a beautiful valley, with the added option of crossing the river by bridge and climbing to Aokaparangi and then to the Main Range.

Those on the trip were:

David Williams, Matt Freeland, Viv Roberts, Amanda Scothern

Currently there is no photo album for this trip.