Off the beaten tracks......

Yes, there is some excellent work going on around Castle Camp http://www.tramper.co.nz/?1646 . It seems like they have drawn a line at this ridge and are attempting to stop the flow westwards from here. As you say, the problem appears huge and will not go away until the seed sources are completely removed. It is encouraging that the job is considered fairly much complete on the south side of Ruapehu where the source was the Karioi Forest. Contorta was removed from there and after years of pine pulling there is not a major problem now.

Oh yes, we stayed overnight at Castle Camp. A couple of hunters later told us that the contractors had apparently gotten into a little trouble with DoC for digging out the campsites and making it so homely. We didn't mind at all. We also saw signs of spraying just off the track near Kiwi Saddle Hut, I don't know if this was related to Contorta. It does look as if there's at least some effort to try and stop them from spreading over the top of some of the ridges to the more inner parts of the range. One of the people I was out with had done volunteer work pulling out Contorta around Ruapehu. She said it grew back very quickly initially which was very demoralising, and it was soon after that someone released some research showing that any left-over stumps with as few as 3 pine needles left on it was able to re-grow, so with Contorta it really has to be done very carefully and very properly or the effort's wasted. It sounds like a serious pest for a NZ Forest Park. (I know little about the ways pine trees grow, so hopefully what I just said about needles left on a stump makes sense.)

Is there water close to Castle camp? on the map I have it apears not. Thought it would be a good place to stop instead of the crowded Kiwi Saddle hut. I hear what your saying about the pines, its amazing how quick they spread. horrible things.

Yes there are two water tanks connected to the workers' little maintanance hut thing (which isn't locked). Here's a photo -- water tanks on the back: http://www.flickr.com/photos/83154423@N00/5117182156/in/set-72157625119741577/ There's also an (outdoor) long drop down the hill a little, obscured by a few tree branches.

...and here's pmcke's photo from a year ago. It looks as if that exterior scaffolding's now been removed. http://www.tramper.co.nz/?4580

One of the problems with the Kawekas is that the Contorta was actually planted by NZFS in an attempt to halt erosion. Removing them from around some of those slip scarps on the eastern faces would cause more problems. Re Castle Camp. The little hut wouldn't provide much shelter. The water tanks are the only thing of much interest to trampers and maybe some flat camping sites, provided the contractors are not in residence.

Yes I definitely wouldn't recommend staying in the plastic sheet building, it's not designed for that at all. It's absolutely a camp-site, plan to use your own shelter! :)