Hi,

just wondering if anyone has an oppinion on which of the above 2 would make the better spot for the night?
 

I am planning on a hike&bike trip - cycling to akatarawa saddle, up waiotauru road, and then walking  the loop to Otaki forks and back via Field/Kime huts.

And while we're at it, how steep is the waiotauru road, pretty managable on a mountain bike?

Thanks

Joe

Hey Joe,

The road from Akatarawa Saddle in should be pretty manageable on a bike, its steady but not really steep any place - and Renata hut, though basic is a much nicer place to stay than Waiotauru (which is just an old bulldozer shed). I've been to both, though not done the track in between - it must be pretty good though, as last time I was at Waiotauru there were two Hiluxes in there, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting a mountain bike that far at least if you wanted...

I also haven't done Renata Ridge, but by all accounts its quite a long way... Elder hut is a nice new 4 bunker though.

Hope this helps anyway, happy tramping/biking!

Yep, Renata way better.  However you'd have to push your bikes down from Akatarawa saddle, its only 20min or so whereas you could ride all the way to Waiotaru.  Apparently you're allowed to MTB all the way to Otaki Fx from Waiotaru hut, then you could bike back across the Mangoane walkway and make quite a nice loop.....

Appropos of nothing: in 2000 after a rather big club party in Waikanae a family wagon was driven to Waiotaru hut and with the doors open we could drive it inside the hut.  I think we found some human poos there too.  Though these were unrelated it does highlight the ugliness of Waiotaru.