By now (Sunday) the weather is right on track, bringing southerlies and snow in the beginning of this week.

Maungahuka Hut is a well built hut at 1300m with a beautiful view north towards Arete, Mitre and Holdsworth - but without heating! (DOC web page) The hut is located next to the (infamous) Tararua Peaks (steel ladder!), which become pretty dangerous to pass in icy conditions, so we take another track (this time). I reckon the safest and 'easiest' approach will be from the Wairarapa side via Cone (1080m) and Neill Forks Hut (guess the hut's altitude...) as it has only short sections over exposed places.

Depending on the weather conditions, it could work like this:

The Saturday tramp to the hut sums up to 1900m climb in two ascents, a couple of 100 meter-bumps are not accounted for. Please consider yourself as solid medium fit (definition see here) and have a good attitude to sore legs. So it will be an 5 to 8 hours tramp and will try to arrive before sunset, that means we leave on Saturday at 7AM from Wellington. Sunday will be the same way back (only one 700 m ascent, but much more downhill).

 I am very keen, and I recon we ban all savory food from the Trp :)

Or another option for beautiful Saturday/Sunday:

• leaving Friday late (6:30PM from Hunter Car Park)
• doing the shopping on the way (e.g Masterton)
• leave the car at Holdsworth Lodge
• 7.5km to Atiwhakatu Hut and stay there for the night
• On Saturday, tramp via Jumbo/Holdworth to MidWaiohine (10km, 1000m alt)
• Lunch time and then to Maungahuka Hut (9.5 km, 900m alt, but some ups and downs)
• Sunday: Walk out via Neill Forks, Totara Flats to Holdwsorth Lodge (20km)

Saturday could be a bit cruel, depending on the snow depth...

I'm in !!

(02 23 11 02 39)

If everyone need some stuffs for this tramp, we can join to do shopping together !

See you,

Emilien.

Four people signed up, so there is one seat left in the car.

Start: Saturday early morning 6ish,7ish , picked up from home, if on the way.

Route: It is a medium fit trip, so we will go on Saturday from Holdsworth Lodge to Maungahuka Hut via Holdsworth, Mid Waiohine, Aokaparangi...
... and on Sunday back via Totara Flats Hut. We can decide whether we go via Neill Forks Hut/Cone Ridge DOC track or trying to follow the historic route via Hector Forks keeping on the TR of Waiohine Gorge. (avoiding Cone, doing a solid bush bash...)

For questions, please contact me: Achim.Gaedke@gmail.com

Cheers, Achim