| Sat 19th October Toe Toe loop walk M David Soong 021722358 The Saturday Toe Toe loop walk usually departs from the Summerhill New World car park at 8am. Please text David before Friday to check if the walk is on and for further details. |
| Fri 25th October - Mon 28th October Labour Weekend Holdsworth-Maungahuka Loop Medium-Fit Ernie Cook 027 303 1363 Friday October 25th to Monday October 28th. From Holdsworth car park we will aim to visit Totara Flats Hut, Neill Forks Hut, Maungahuka Hut, Aokaparangi Hut, Mid Waiohine Hut and Powell Hut. I envisage three fullish days and one shorter day. Possible option to visit the steel ladder if desired. Please contact Ernie Cook no later than the Sunday prior. May need to carry a tent if numbers dictate. Will be leaving early and walking slow. |
| Sun 27th October Field Hut Centennial Easy-Medium Blair Petersen 027 600 4263 Opened on 27th October 1924, Field Hut was one of the first purpose built tramping huts in the country, and is the oldest surviving recreational hut in the Tararua Ranges. You may have been there before, but not on such an occasion. If you haven't been there before, what better day to make your first visit than on the 100th anniversary of the day it opened. Join me for this once in a lifetime opportunity! |
| Sat 2nd November - Sun 3rd November Potluck at Syme Hut Medium Harley Betts 06 825 6250 Depart Palmy at 6.30 am Saturday for Dawson Falls carpark, about 40 mins past Hawera. The track to Syme hut starts off in beautiful mossy forest at about 900 m and steadily climbs through a range of vegetation zones through to tussock and then open scoria slopes at about 1400 m. From the start of the scoria it is about another 600 m climb to Syme hut which is perched on the summit of Fantham’s peak at just under 2000 m. Syme hut has probably the best views of any hut in the North Island which means it is perfect as a potluck dinner venue. So bring your favourite dinner dish along with whatever you need to prepare it with and enjoy (hopefully) a stunning sunset view while you wine and dine the evening away. Next day, take in (again, hopefully) a glorious sunrise over the central volcanoes over breakfast before heading back down the same way. As part of FMC’s “Love our huts” campaign, I’ve also nominated this trip’s participants (thanks to you all in advance!) for giving Syme hut a good spring clean before we leave, so we’ll bring along a few cleaning rags, brushes, sugar soap, window cleaner, etc and a bit of elbow grease. |
| Sat 2nd November Toe Toe loop walk M David Soong 021722358 The Saturday Toe Toe loop walk usually departs from the Summerhill New World car park at 8am. Please text David before Friday to check if the walk is on and for further details. |
| Sat 9th November - Sun 10th November McKinnon/Crow Huts Medium-Fit Chris Tuffley 06 359 2530 A trip to Crow and McKinnon in the northwestern Ruahine, to show them some love for the FMC Love our Huts campaign. We'll go in via the Kawhatau River from Rangitane Reserve, spend the night at one of Crow and McKinnon, and swing by the other. If there's sufficient interest we could go in Friday afternoon and spend the night at Kawhatau Base before climbing the hill on Saturday. |
| Sat 16th November - Sun 17th November Iron Gates Hut Easy Peter Darragh 022 613 4180 Love our Huts campaign continues with this overnight trip up the Oroua River track. A good chance of seeing the resident blue duck/whio too. Depart Milverton Park 7.30am. |
| Tue 19th November - Thu 21st November Smiths Stream-Hinerua Huts Easy-Medium Ernie Cook 027 303 1363 Mid-week trip Tuesday November 19th-Thursday November 21st. Medium. As part of FMC's Love our Huts campaign I plan to stay two nights at Smith's Stream Hut with a day visit to Hinerua Hut on the Wednesday. Two previously unvisited (by me anyway) Ruahine huts to cross off the list. Please call by the Friday evening prior. |
| Sat 23rd November - Sun 24th November Love Our Huts Medium-Fit Richard Lockett 06 323 0948 A Ruahine trip to check and clean Mid Pohangina and Ngamoko Huts as part of the FMC Love Our Huts campaign for November. We will go via Cattle Creek Hut, downstream to Mid-Poh, then a side trip up the Pohangina River to Ngamoko Hut. |
| Fri 29th November - Sun 1st December Out There with Ernie Easy-Medium Ernie Cook 027 303 1363 Details to come. Ideally heading off on Friday. Easy pace, but may be longish days. |
| Sat 7th December Toe Toe loop walk M David Soong 021722358 The Saturday Toe Toe loop walk usually departs from the Summerhill New World car park at 8am. Please text David before Friday to check if the walk is on and for further details. |
| Sat 7th December - Sun 8th December Kelly Knights Easy-Family Elly Arnst 022 682 3136 A belated “love our huts” trip because huts deserve love all year round! We have a new ash bucket to drop off and a bit of track maintenance to do. Walking in via either Mania or Rangiwahia. Contact Elly if you’re keen and we’ll confirm details closer to the time. |
| Sun 8th December Pinnacle Ridge Loop Easy-Medium Verity Elder 021 260 1885 From Holdsworth Carpark we keep to the right side of the river and head up to Pinnacle peak for views of the Tararuas and surrounding district. Following the ridge we then loop back and cross the river to Donnellys Flat and return. |
| Sun 15th December Short Knights Long Day Medium-Fit Warren Wheeler 06 356 1998 Celebrate the (almost) shortest night with a long day loopy trip in the Ruahines. We will go up Shorts Track, along the main range to Toka high point and down Knights Track. Depart PN 7.30am. Optional overnight trip camping at Toka, leaving PN mid-afternoon for sunset and sunrise next day. |