Northern Tararua Tracks

I've been nosing around this areas in an attempt to join the dots between Punga Hut and South Range Road on my 'Total Tararua Traverse' (phrase stolen from Manawatu Tramping Club).  I've yet to find a viable (viable with a full tramping pack and skin on legs intact) route right through, but have found a good network of shorter tracks which can be combined into interesting day loops.

Most of this area is owned by Palmerston North City Council, all of who's land is open to the public except the water catchment area north-west of South Ridge Rd.

The area is covered by mostly regenerating bush, with leatherwood on the tops over 700m.  As such, access onto the high summits is only possible were cut tracks exist: Platinum Mine Loop Track, Arawaru Track and Punga Hut Track  Elsewhere, below the bushline, the bush is generally navigable and opportunities exist for other routes off the tracks listed here. Additionally, various bait-station lines exist in the catchment - and other tracks connecting them wait to be discovered and documented.

There is officially no camping permitted in the PNCC-owned area - though the presence of unofficial huts and permanent tent camps on the land shows how well observed / enforced this rule is.  Camping is, of course, permitted on the DOC side of the boundary - where Punga Hut and North Mangahao Biv also provide more formal accommodation.

Sledge Track

An easy riverside walk for all the family and all abilities.  The track is platformed and graveled.  It starts off from the bridge at the end of the Kahuterawa Road and follows the true right (north) side of the river, passing a number of swimming holes and picnic tables.  The track starts of level and flat, before getting progressively harder from the 1km point onward - but never featuring anything more difficult than stairways to climb /descend.  

The track ends at Ross Creek, about 2km from the roadend. From here the Platinum Mine Loop Track or Quartz Creek track provide onward options.

Details are given on:

http://www.pncc.govt.nz/media/31319/sledge%20track%20brochure.pdf

Platinum Mine Loop tarck

This track is marked by PNCC as 'for experienced trampers only' - but is in reality a well marked, well maintained loop track with a few moderately steep sections: well within the grasp of any tramper.  The track climbs from the end of the Sledge track to the tops to the north. where it performs a loop in the scrub / leatherleaf tops [pat a number of historic sites.  At its northenmost point It comes within 300m, but doesn't quite reach, South Ridge Road.

Details are given on:

http://www.pncc.govt.nz/media/31319/sledge%20track%20brochure.pdf

Quartz Creek Track

A short tramping track connecting Ross Crk and Quartz Creek:

An old signpost points right to 'Quartz Creek Track', leading upriver from the point where the Platinum Mine track ascends from the Kahuterawa to the tops above.  Following this track for 10 minutes leads to Quartz Creek where the track appears to end.

Onward options from here include the Arawaru Summit Track or riverbed travel further upriver

Arawaru Summit Track

From the confluence of Quartz Creek and Kahuterawa Stream, head 10 to 15 meters up Quartz Creek to where a rope is stretched over the riverbed.  On the far (eastern) side of this, just upstream from a small bluff, a rough track can be identified climbing the valleyside. This soon becomes a well-maintained bait station line, cut through the bush and marked with orange triangles.  The cut track climbs steadily to pt624 where the track maintenance ends at the last baitstation.

Beyond here, flagging tape marks a well-travelled route south along the ridgeline towards Arawaru.  A track junction is marked by an excess of flagging tape at the unnamed / unnumbered peak 500m south of pt624: this is the junction with the Main Ridge Track which heads east towards pt600.  From the junction the Arawaru track continues to climb south, becoming vague in places, until it reach the bushedge 100m north of the summit.  There is a good cut track through the leatherleaf to to trig point at Arawaru - but it can be hard to locate the start of it where you exit the bush - nose around until you find it.

The Arawaru Summit features a trig station and views over Palmerston North to the west and the Tararua District to the east. Travel north along the range from the summit would be very tough with no cut track and solid leatherleaf.

Ridgeline Track

Middle Hill Track

Point 600 Track

Punga Hut Track

Back Road

Zigzag Track

(details of tracks and GPS logs coming as work allows ...)