Occasional Climber

Tararua Peaks, April 2018

Climbing above Table Top towards Bridge Peak (1,421m), with the main Tararua Range stretching left
On the descent from Bridge Peak on to the main Tararua Range, looking north east
On the descent from Bridge Peak on to the main Tararua Range, looking north east, with Hector River right and Penn Creek left
On Vosseler (1,198m), with Yeates (1,205m) right
On Yeates, looking to McIntosh (1,286m) and the Pakihore Range stretching left
The view west down to Penn Creek and, in the far distance, Kapiti Island, from near Yeates
Approaching McIntosh (1,286m)
A view From McIntosh, south west, back along the main range
On the ridge beyond McIntosh, looking south, back along the main range
On the ridge beyond McIntosh, looking to Tuiti (1,325m) - the western-most of the two Tararua Peaks. The other is Tunui, almost the same height
Approaching Tuiti (1,325m)
Climbing Tuiti (1,325m)
Just beneath the top of Tuiti, with the notch giving access to the Ladder lower left
A view south west, back along the main range, from Tuiti
Descending Tuiti to the notch and ladder, with the main range stretching north
From the top of the ladder
From the top of the ladder
From the bottom of the ladder
On the chain protected route beneath the ladder, which goes beneath Tunui before rejoining the ridge west of Maungahuka Peak (1,330m)
On the chain protected route beneath the ladder, which goes beneath Tunui before rejoining the ridge west of Maungahuka Peak (1,330m)
Back on the main ridge, on the approach to Maungahuka
Just before the climb to Maungahuka (1,330m)
Climbing Maungahuka (1,330m)
On top of Maungahuka (1,330m), with the main range stretching away to the left. Maungahuka Hut is just beyond the next high point
Nearing sunset and Maungahuka Hut
Looking north to Maungahuka Hut (1,280m). Mount Holdsworth (1,470m) is on the right skyline
Looking north to Maungahuka Hut (1,280m). After 8.5 hours on the go one day 1, some room temperature (i.e. lovely and cold) beers awaited me at this hut - Kiwi Lager, possibly the nicest beer I've ever enjoyed and I didn't even have to carry it in!
A view west, from just above Maungahuka Hut, at sunset
A view from just above Maungahuka Hut, with the Tararua Peaks left and the Pakihore Ridge stretching right, at sunset
Maungahuka Hut (1,280m) at sunrise
A view to the south, of Maungahuka Hut
A view to the south, of Maungahuka Hut
A view to the south, of Maungahuka Hut
The view north just beyond Maungahuka Hut to Simpson (1,138m), Wright (1,196m) and Aokaparangi (1,354m), in cloud at right
Heading north along the main range in cloud
Approaching Simpson (1,138m)
Approaching Wright (1,196m)
Climbing Wright (1,196m)
Climbing Wright (1,196m)
Descending the northern side of Wright
Descending the northern side of Wright
Climbing Aokaparangi (1,354m)
Climbing Aokaparangi (1,354m)
Climbing Aokaparangi (1,354m)
The view south, back to Aokaparangi
Heading north on the ridge between Aokaparangi and Kahiwiroa
Approaching Kahiwiroa (1,320m)
Climbing Kahiwiroa (1,320m), with Junction Knob (1,375m) and Mount Crawford (1,462m) on the skyline
The view north just beyond Kahiwiroa (1,320m) to Junction Knob (1,375m) and Mount Crawford (1,462m), centre skyline
A fine example of Goblin forest, immediately after dropping beneath the bushline beyond Kahiwiroa
Forest fungi
Emerging from the bush at Anderson Memorial Hut (1,150m)
A view south, back to Anderson Memorial Hut
A view south, back to Anderson Memorial Hut and the main Tararua Range
A view south, at about 1,200m, beyond Anderson Memorial Hut
The Tararua Peaks and Maungahuka Peak and Hut are in the centre of this panorama of the main Tararua Range, viewed from the north
The Tararua Peaks (right) and Maungahuka Peak and Hut (left), viewed from the north of Anderson Memorial Hut
Descending the ridge heading west from Junction Knob (1,375m)
Back below the treeline en route to Waitewaewae Hut
Back below the treeline en route to Waitewaewae Hut
The swing bridge crossing the Otaki River, just north of Waitewaewae Hut
Approaching Waitewaewae Hut
Waitewaewae Hut (290m)
An uncharacteristically straight and flat section of Tararua bush trail near Plateau (530m), on the trail out from Waitewaewae Hut
Waterfall action breaks the dreariness as we trudge in the rain out to Otaki Folks. 57 horizontal and 4 vertical kms made this a good solid two and a half day trip into the hills

Read about it   In to the void Vertigo May 18    Ladder in the wilderness Wilderness Magazine Mar 19    Worth sweating for #4 NZ Photographer Aug 20

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