19-22 September 2025

Leader: Peter Davis

We left home at the crack of dawn on Friday morning, making good time to Waiouru for a quick break and car charge. Next stop was to park our cars at the end of Mangakahu Valley Road on a friendly farmer's property, where we would return to on Monday.

A shuttle van met us there and drove us around to the track start at the northern end of the crossing at Link Road (a few kilometres further on from the start of the Timber Trail).

The weather got gradually bleaker, but we set off dry and in good spirits. We soon encountered a track covered in hail stones, and after a couple of hours we were in mist and hail at the summit of Pureora. We didn’t stay long and quickly went on to the descent that leads down to the Timber Trail. A sign announcing this was an unmaintained track was a surprise (no mention of it on DOC website). We feared the worst and a longer walk than anticipated, but after 20 minutes of scrubby overgrown track, the going was okay (typical back country). We reached the Timber Trail junction in good time, and it was quick going until the turn off for Bog Inn Hut. The DOC signs were (as we have come to expect) all over the place in terms of times, but a relatively nice descent saw us at Bog Inn Hut 3½ hours after starting. It is not the nicest of huts, and although it has a fire, there was very little good wood, so it wasn’t long after dinner that we all huddled into our sleeping bag for the night. It was COLD!

Next morning was bright and sunny, which was very pleasing for our anticipated longest day. The track around the bog and up to Weraroa, point 1088, was pleasant going. After this the track deteriorated, with lots of windfall and several spots where we had to scout around before finding the correct route. The day was proving to be longer than the 8 - 9 hours we had hoped. After crossing Mangatu Stream and one last grunty climb, we followed the valley track to Waihaha Hut, hoping for a comfy bed. Shortly before the hut however, we met some hunters who informed us that there were already about 40 (FORTY!!) people at the hut, so with leaden feet and weary souls, we finally made it after 10½ hours. We found some spots in the trees to set up tents, enjoyed a brew and dinner and were soon snuggly in bed (for a thankfully warmer night).

Sunday morning, we awoke to a wonderful dawn chorus and another fine day. There is extensive trapping along this part of the Waihaha River as whio are present, and this means all the other bird life is also flourishing. It was a nice few hours following the river before leaving it and climbing up to Hauhungaroa Range. We passed a nice-looking tarn on the tops and shortly after we were at the newish and empty Hauhungaroa Hut. We got a good supply of firewood and stoked the fire up and enjoyed our last night in comfort along with a variation of the traditional 8-0-8 card game (13 down!).

We were greeted with a cloudy drizzly day on Monday. It was a shortish climb, followed by a couple of hours descending to the Mangakahu Valley Road. Bush gave away to farmland and then a road walk back to the car.

It was a rewarding trip overall, and nice to explore a different tramping area.

Those on the trip were:

Elisabeth Hynes, Julie James, Mark Robertson, Owen Cox, Paula Richardson, Peter Davis

Currently there is no photo album for this trip.