Tararua advice?
Hi guys
In March I’m heading into the Tararua’s to try and knock off a few of the places I haven’t been to yet. I thought I’d post on here to see if anyone had any advice to offer.
Below is one of the most likely routes I'll take (weather permitting......)
Day 1 Up to Jumbo (small day due to travelling)
Day 2 Jumbo hut – Tarn Ridge hut, via Broken Axe Pinnacles
Day 3 Tarn Ridge – Carkeek Hut, via Dorset Ridge/Park Forks
Day 4 Carkeek – Arete Biv
Day 5 Arete Biv – Cow Creek Hut via Banister
Day 6 Cow Creek – out to State hwy 2 via the lower Ruamahunga Gorge (not the track, I’ve done that before)
I’m most interested in any advice on the Broken Axe Pinnacles. Which direction is best to tackle them? Years ago someone told me the Broken Axe Pinnacles were best done in a certain direction but I can’t remember which way that was anymore.
What is Dorset Ridge/Carkeek like now the track is no longer maintained?
Bannister, how rugged is it really?
Instead of going over Bannister I'm considering going to Te Matawai from Carkeek, then down the Otaki to Waitewaewae and out to the forks (possibly via the river). I've been up the Otaki to Penn Creek a couple of times (which is pretty straight forward). From the book "Tararua Footprints" it sounds like the section from, Waitewaewae to Penn Creek is much more gorgy and a wetsuit is recommended. How many pools through this section actually "have" to be floated?
Thanks in advance for any advice
Paul
13 comments
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Those photos (website in last post by Mudgie) are very helpful. The first one is the gut at the start of the pinnacles on the northern side that I was talking about. Go left (to the east) at this point. The second photo says it all. The vertical bit (just to the right of the centre of the photo) is where you start. If you drop down below that finger of rock, you can continue at that level with the sidle (to the left in the photo) until you get to the swampy bit. Actually, anywhere would do for climbing back up, once you get past the rock faces. As you can see in this second photo, there is nothing difficult with this sidle, just grovelling about in the tussock, and getting jabbed by those plants. Probably a track by now. Useful to be able to imagine it all before you get there, in case of zero visibility.
Hi Mudgie
I was up there last week, heading north over the Pinnacles and down to Mid King bivvy. At the south side of the Pinnacles there is a small DOC sign pointing the route out on the east side of the Pinnacles. The route is marked by 3-4 blue poles. It is a fairly easy scramble,once around the side of Pinnacles you need to climb back up to pick up the main ridge route onwards to South King (marked by a small iron tube). Watch out for the spaniard grass!
Cheers
Jonathan
I was in the Tararua's last week. Didn't end up going over the pinnacles because the wind was pretty stong when we left tarn ridge and was predicted to get to gale force. Visibility was also low... Instead we dropped back down Dorset ridge to Park forks (we'd come from Carkeek the day before) and then up to Nicols. From Nicols we went over Kelliher down to the mid Otaki and then to YTYY. Was still a great trip - will have to try and tackle the Holdsworth - Girdlestone ridge from the east sometime...
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
|---|---|
| Started by | Mudgie |
| On | 17 February 2011 |
| Replies | 12 |
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