Trip intentions

This trip will happen some time this summer and at short notice as it is heavily weather dependant - sign up if you're keen so I can contact you when things look peachy. I'll try and keep it to weekends if possible. It will either be a 2 or 3 night trip, depending on weather and how much time you lovely people can get off.

My first trip to Maungahuka was a bit of a slog over Concertina Knob, at night, in the snow (I'd better mention the full moon and hanging out above the clouds before you feel too sorry for me). This time around I'm keen to go at it from the other side, taking in some of the hairier bits on the peaks (including that ladder!).

Our last attempt at Maungahuka got called of due to 90kph winds (but we still stumbled around in them on Mt Hector because why not? Live a little!).

Amon doing a little wind-surfing on Hector:

The plan:

For now, heading up  afternoon with an afternoon/night hike to Kime Hut, sleeping in a little, moaning about how heavy our packs are before taking the adventurous route over the tops to Maungahuka. You'll need to be sure footed and have a head for heights! Some parts of the route are very exposed - both hands and feet are required and there is very little protection if one was to slip. Depending on how we're feeling the next day, the weather, etc. we can drop down to spend the day and night at Penn Creek.

Topo and elevation profile of Kime-Maugahuka-Penn Creek loop

Some examples of the exposure:

Is this for you?

We'll be on the tops so the route will be very weather dependant, but we may get wet and it may get windy! We'll make the final call closer to the time, but not planning to go at it if the forecast is looking hairy. The tops can be slow going and are pretty exposed and the tracks are steep and rooty. Not Great Walk standard, but should be a really great walk (the cheese, I know). We'll also be doing some good elevation gain and loss (about 3.5km or 17 Mt Vics!), so this will be a reasonable tough walk, especially if we do it over 2 nights. Please chat to me, Kathleen or Lauren if you have any concerns or are unsure if this trip is for you :)

What you'll need:

Check the multi-day gear list and let me know if you're missing anything. Packing light will be good. We’ll do a gear check before we set off. We can work out breakfast and dinner as a group, snacks and lunches will be all yours to dream up solo. You'll need 3 $5 tickets depending on which option we settle on.

DOC want us to repaint Penn Creek hut in the Tararuas. There could be a helicopter ride in it for you if you're lucky

We can send parties out to do track maintenance on the routes to Ōtaki Forks and Maungahuka hut if some people want to do that

I then want to fulfill my long-standing dream of packrafting/tubing down the Ōtaki river. I have no idea what this will be like, and have only heard stories about it. Might be worth doing some practice floats as a group. If this is not for you, very wise perhaps, there is an 8 hour track out to Otaki Forks which only gets extreme in places, or you can walk back up to Tabletop past the 2x wasp nests and down via Field Hut.

:) look forward to seeing you there

Extra: 4 people can be flown in and 4 people can be flown out of Penn Creek. We'll figure this out and see who wants to do it. For the walkers, this will probably be a 3 day, 2 night trip, spending most of one day working in and around Penn Creek.

This will either be a 2 or 3 night trip, depending on weather and how much time you lovely people can get off.

My last trip to Maungahuka was a bit of a slog over Concertina Knob, at night, in the snow (I'd better mention the full moon and hanging out above the clouds before you feel too sorry for me). This time around I'm keen to go at it from the other side, taking in some of the hairier bits on the peaks (including that ladder!).

The plan:

For now, heading up Thursday afternoon with an afternoon/night hike to Kime Hut, sleeping in a little, moaning about how heavy our packs are before taking the adventurous route over the tops to Maungahuka. You'll need to be sure footed and have a head for heights! Depending on how we're feeling the next day, the weather, etc. we can head over the tops to Waitewaewae Hut or drop down to spend the day and night at Penn Creek. Likely the later so we can visit one our wonderful club maintained huts (hopefully freshly painted Amon) unless we're feeling really strong with blue sky weather.

An alternative for a 2 nighter are heading up early Friday and doing a long day directly to Maungahuka, or Friday evening and doing the long day out via Penn Creek on the Sunday.

Topo and elevation profile of Kime-Maugahuka-Penn Creek loop

Is this for you?

We'll be on the tops so the route will be very weather dependant, but we may get wet and it may get windy! We'll make the final call closer to the time, but not planning to go at it if the forecast is looking hairy. The tops can be slow going and pretty exposed and the tracks are steep and rooty. Not Great Walk standard, but should be a really great walk (the cheese, I know). We'll also be doing some good elevation gain and loss (about 3.5km or 17 Mt Vics!), so this will be a reasonable tough walk, especially if we do it over 2 nights. Please chat to me or Kathleen if you have any concerns or are unsure if this trip is for you :)

What you'll need:

Check the multi-day gear list and let me know if you're missing anything. Packing light will be good. We’ll do a gear check before we set off. We can work out breakfast and dinner as a group, snacks and lunches will be all yours to dream up solo. You'll need 2 or 3 $5 tickets depending on which option we settle on.