Ruahine Ranges - Return to Rangiwahia Hut
12 August 2005

Two groups headed down to the Ruahines: 

Group A
Return to Rangiwahia Hut - 12 August 2005
After the trip down from Auckland, we started tramping around 2 p.m. on the 2-3 hr walk up to Rangiwahia Hut.   About 20 minutes into the walk we came across the slip which had wiped out a large portion of the track.  From here DOC had done a splendid job of cutting a steep uphill track at the top of which they planted a sign “The worst is over. Undulating from here until Rangiwahia Bridge.”  It was a short undulating walk, then a equally steep descent down hill to the Bridge.   An impressive bridge indeed, opened by the Hon. Helen Clark (Minister of Conservation) in 1988.   We arrived at the hut relieved to find the Hut had gas…  (our last stay here was spent in our sleeping bags, as it sleeted & the wind howled outside - memorable for all the wrong reasons!!)    Anyway, this time the evening and sunset were superb.  Tania helped us out with the meaning of the Maori names:  Ruahine = “two woman” and Rangiwahia = “piercing the sky”. 

Next morning four intrepid trampers headed off early over the tops to the Kelly Knight Hut.  The remaining five spent a relaxed morning reading our books, waiting for the mist to clear.   After lunch it was clear enough to enjoy a walk over the tops.  However we were about 40 minutes out from the hut, when a hail-snow storm came in.  It was time to head back to the relative comfort of the hut & gas fire, spending the evening enjoying a few games of “pass the pigs”.  I won!!!

Sunday we had another leisurely morning, before heading back to cars, driving around to rendezvous with the other four trampers and then off back to Auckland.   Scribe:  Claire

Group B (another angle!)
Ups and Downs in the Ruahines
On 12 August 2005, Friday afternoon, we swung off SH1 and drove across the Rangitikei River through deep cuttings up to the foot of the western Ruahines.  From the car park it was a 2½ hour walk up to Rangiwahia Hut.  Shortly after negotiating a major detour around a slip we came across members of the Toi Toi Trekkers admiring the view!   Claire, Noel, Carl, Steve and Tania shared the spacious hut with us overnight as the wind swung from the north to a southwesterly and cloud started closing in.

We set off east along the ridge and then north to Mount Maungamahue in limited visibility.  A plaque on a post erected by the Ruahine Tramping Club on April 25 192…something, gave the height as 5420ft.  On the way down to Kelly Knight Hut the cloud lifted momentarily and we were rewarded with a panoramic view of the snow-clad Sawtooth Ridge.  As if on cue the cloud closed back in and it started to snow, making the Kaikawaka’s ghostly in appearance as we dropped into the valley.

After a good night’s rest at Kelly Knight hut we started the long slog back up to the ridges.  Starting in Beech forest we moved through the magnificent Kaikawakas into Leatherwood and on into thigh-high tussock and snow.  The odd Spaniard lurking in the snow just enough to keep you on your toes.  Deteriorating weather with high wind had us slowing as we negotiated along the poled route to Wooden Peg (1672m).  We wolfed a brief lunch at Purity Hut and then descended through the cloud and onto a rendezvous down on the Mangakukeke Road with Noel and the others who had kindly taken our car round.

Thanks to Steve, Mitch and Suzanne for making this a memorable trip – Steve’s kneecaps turning the full spectrum of blue depending on the wind chill factor – who needs gadgets?         Scribe: Stephen Pinker

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