Hi there!

Can't imaging staying in Wellington with this forecast...

Maungahuka Loop is a bit like the big brother of the Holdsworth-Jumbo Circuit - which Manoel does from Friday to Saturday. The actual cover photo of the VUWTC facebook page gives you an impression what the landscape is like. (Track and tramp are by no means comparable to freshers...)

Plans look like this:
Leaving Wellington at 6PM, driving up to Otaki Forks (about 1.5 h drive).

Going either up to Field / Kime Hut (what ever we can do before Friday midnight).
On Saturday we go to Anderson Memorial or Nicholls Hut.
And on Sunday back to Otaki Fx.

OR the other way round:
going to Waitewaewai Hut (doing the loop in the other direction) on Friday
on Saturday to Aokaparangi Biv/Maungahuka Hut
and on Sunday to Otaki Fx.

We'll come back on Sunday evening.

The tramp will be a solid night walk (~3-4 h) and two 9h days with up to 1500m altitude.
You must be sure footed and not afraid of some height (20m).

Weather should be excellent, so I'm looking forward to walking under the stars to Kime Hut!

Costs: Petrol: fuel (about 15NZD), food, two hut tickets.

Cheers, Achim & Paul R.