Bridget's MAF Journey: Tararua tramping

Before leaving NZ, I was keen to do a multi-day tramp. My friend was available between Christmas and new year, so we kept an eye on the weather forecast and chose a 4-day window of good weather to attempt a new (for us) route: Holdsworth lodge (car park) - Mid Waiohine hut - Maungahuka hut - Totara Flats hut - car park. It would involve two big (>1000 m) ups and downs and two medium (500 m) as we went up and down from one river system to another in a loop.

Day 1 was cloudy with drizzle, but forecast to improve. We got away from the carpark by 8:30 am and had lunch at Powell hut (12:10 pm). From there we continued up to the summit of Mt Holdsworth - well and truly in the Tararua clag! From there it was down and then briefly up to Isabelle, then 1000 m of descent to the Waiohine river. We finally arrived at the hut at around 7 pm, wet, tired and ready to collapse.

(GPS data: Distance 14.2 km, ascent 1436 m, descent, 1334 m, 10 h 30)

On the descent I had started thinking of alternatives, as our onward plan would have us doing a descent of similar altitude loss and gradient on day 3...

a) we could be pig-headed and attempt to continue as planned

b) perhaps we could get to Maungahuka hut as planned, then take the route to Kime and then out to Otaki Forks (a route that we had done previously, although it would mean arranging for someone to collect us)

c) we could have a rest day and then retrace our steps, staying at Powell hut overnight if necessary

d) we could build a raft and float ourselves down the river to Totara flats (not really a viable option!)

We opted for c.

Day 3 we left the hut just after 7:30 am, and set ourselves a time of 3 pm as a go/no-go from Powell hut. Heading back up the hill about which we had said two days earlier, 'I'm so glad we don't have to go back up this,' we eventually made it to the tree line, Isabelle, Mt Holdsworth summit, and Powell hut for lunch at 2:20 pm. Being New Year's Eve, there were some families and other groups already arriving for the night. Powell hut is one of the few in the Tararuas that needs to be booked in advance, and the thought of having to sleep on a bench or the floor was the motivation we needed to keep going.

(GPS data: Distance 13.3 km, ascent 1312 m, descent 1426 m, 10 h 10)

It took about 4-5 days for our legs to completely recover!