This trip is similar to the last mountain trip but with a challenge – join in on the day for our own snow champs competition.

Depending modes of snow transport on site at the time we will endeavour to have a race. This weekend one award is sure to be presented – the eggbeater award for the best ‘Hollywood’! Bring your toboggan, sled, snowboards, skis and plastic bags. There will be fun for all.

Participation will be the name of the game for the weekend but if you wish to go tramping, just relax and read a book in the sunshine, or be the photographer for the events, come along. 

This will be a good trip to enjoy the conviviality of the King Lounge, and the warm comforts of the best bunkrooms on the mountain.

This trip will a bit different as it may involve some off track work.

Departure will be from the Kaniwhaniwha stream and head up the Bell track. At the halfway point to the summit we will head south-west down a ridge towards the Oparau township and a little used track.

The Oparau stream has no bridge across it so may be impassable after heavy rain. This will dictate what our eventual exit point will be.

This has always been a popular destination and involves a bit of luxury too. We will leave on Saturday morning at 7:30am. Families are especially welcome. Please have your day pack ready for the day before you leave Hamilton. Entry to the Forest Park is through a locked gate so we will need to travel in convoy so that we are all at the gate together. 

Upon arrival at the lodge, you can choose your bunk and then we will immediately head off for a walk to the Te Rere I Oturu Falls and back. Families who wish to remain near the lodge can enjoy using the kayaks (lifejackets provided), do the confidence course, wander the nature walk, or walk down to the Ngatuhoa Falls. 

On Sunday we plan to walk to the Opuiaki Ecological Reserve. We need to walk some distance along the road before heading into the bush. Kokako are known to be here. Our last visit in autumn a few years ago allowed us to hear a magnificent chorus of tui and Kaka feeding in the fruiting Kahikatea trees. Needless to say we didn’t get as close to the Reserve as we had planned but hearing the bird sound was a great reason not to achieve our goal that day. We will return to the Lodge, do our cleaning duties and leave later in the afternoon.

This trip will require that all participants have some snowcraft experience as weather conditions will dictate which mountain we conquer. More details to follow. We may use private cars so let the club captain know soon if you are interested in this trip.

Date is yet to be decided.

Trip Report

The plan is to tramp around Mt Ruapehu from Ohakune Mountain Rd to Whakapapa Village thereby avoiding any river crossings that may pose problems at this time of year. The route ranges through very diverse landscapes including beech clad valleys, scoria slopes, high waterfalls and the Rangipo Desert. There are excellent huts along the way but many areas of the track are exposed to wind and weather and while there are no major alpine passes on the route we will need to take alpine gear.

Monday 27 Aug Leaving our vehicles at Whakapapa we will be transported to Ohakune Mountain road and set out for Mangaehuehu Hut. We cross alpine wetlands on a boardwalk, pass Waitonga Falls then head thru a mix of tussockland and beech stands on the way.

Tuesday we set out through beech forest then cross Wahianoa Gorge onto the Rangipo Desert to Rangipo Hut.

Wednesday we tramp the wind sculpted sand and volcanic rock of the Rangipo Desert past Ohinepango Springs to Waihohonu Hut.

Thursday we pass through the low point between Mts Ngauruhoe & Ruapehu, Tama Saddle and on past Taranaki Falls to Whakapapa Village.
The extra day??? Well it is there as a precaution, will use it if necessary otherwise can chose our options when we get back to Whakapapa.
Bookings: Transport is always a challenge so if you are interested in coming on any of the trips please indicate this early i.e. at least 3 weeks, preferably more, before the trip date.

We have a handy and local north island version of a bicycling rail trail ride on our back doorstep. There are 3 'legs' to it: Kopu to Paeroa of 27km, Paeroa to Waikino of 14km, and Paeroa to Te Aroha 20km. The grade is 1 – the easiest one and suitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. 98% of the trail has a gradient of less tan 2º while the rest is 2 -4º. That means hardly difficult at all. The Kopu-Paeroa stretch has a cheese barn at Matatoki, and a cowshed café at Hikutaia should we decide to ride this bit. The Paeroa to Waikino leg includes a ride through the Karangahake tunnel.

This is a fully catered weekend at our newly renovated lodge with awesome accommodation, food, company, views, comfortable and warm bunkrooms in a stunning location. You will be free to do what ever you feel like be it skiing, snow boarding, tramping, taking photos for our up and coming photo competition or relaxing at the lodge.

We will head down on Friday evening by cars and the lodge is a short 15 minute walk from the Top of the Bruce. The fire will be going and we can settle in for a fantastic weekend at one of the best lodges on the mountain. It is so lovely up there that by the end of the weekend you may not want to come home!

Leave Hamilton Saturday 7am. Drive via Thames to Te Puru where we park our bus. Then we head up Te Puru Track and wend our way southward to the newly built Crosbies Hut, about 4 hours. The hut has a new set of saucepans, a non-stick frypan! and plenty of chopped firewood. We will watch the sunset and the sunrise from the deck. In between these events we will have a pleasant evening enjoying our dinner around the fire. Sunday back to Waiomu from where the bus driver will need to walk 2km to fetch the bus. An option for those who want to stretch their legs is to take the Wainora-Karaka route out, 7 hours, to be picked up in Thames