Kaimai-Mamaku Tracks and Huts

A bit on the cool side though the fire works a treat when the wind blows the right way. The verandah is a great place to star gaze in the very early morning. Much prefer the walk in from uplands road even though my arms and legs took a beating from cutty grass, bush lawyer and a couple of wind falls over the track bringing down clumps of vines that always take time to negotiate.

Steve, who lives near the end of Thompson's Track was only too happy to mind our vehicle, so that's a relief. Thanks to Peter [pmcke]for the contact. Do Daly's Clearing and Te Rereatukahia Huts have heating of any sorts?

Te Rereatukahia is a wonderfully cold east facing hut that sits in the damp shadow side of the hill and no it dosnt have a fire. Dalys is moderately warmer getting the afternoon sun for a short period. I wonder where your starting from as you can visit dalys and then carry on to Waitewheta in the same day. They dont call it the Hilton for nothing very inviting fire.

Might have to pack some xtra woolies! We are starting from the beginning of the north - south track at the Karangahake Gorge. A track report I have says it takes 5hrs.30. The 2nd day seems a bit shorter, so if it was fine might add the Bluff Stream Kauri Track.

We tramped for 4 days in the Kaimais on the North-South track and thought it was fantastic. Mean frosts but beautiful sunny, clear, windless days and starry nights.I had never thought about the Kaimais as a tramping option until i read the posts on this site so thanks for that.The track transfer worked well with the motellier dropping us off at the Karangahake Reserve and taking the vehicle back to Waihi.After talking to us about problems with vehicles and pick ups etc, I see he has started up a service advertising on this website. Steve and Val at the Thompson's Track end looked after the other vehicle and gave us a much-needed cuppa when we picked it up -lovely couple. I wouldn't like to leave a car at the carpark - a very dodgy and gloomy looking place. Looking forward to getting back and finishing the track in summer.

As is often the case there is good stuff on your door step. The next section south is also well worth a look see. Not as open and in your face as the South Island or as high as the central North Island but intriguing none the less. Look for the deer here hard to catch in the open (very shy due to pressure) and a lot smaller than in other places in the country but more abundant than you would expect.

I'm sure I saw some chatter about this somewhere on the site, but I can't find it now! DOC: Te Aroha to Waitawheta Hut Track is CLOSED. It was been replaced with a new track following Waipapa Tramway and pylon line pack-track. Please see the new Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park map. Has anyone done the Waipapa Tramway & Pylon Line Pack-Track? Any idea on time or quality? I was going to walk over Te Aroha and into hotel-de-tawheta on a rainy day... Anyone been through this way? Cheers!

I havn't done the track but I have seen where it arrives at Waitawheta Hut. It is a new track, built with much fanfare so I imagine you will find it when you come over Te Aroha. There was a party at the hut who had come that way from the Wairongamai. They said 8 hrs, which sounds quite a lot for that distance.

If you carry a GPS with you, you might like to leave it on and collect a track. Then I can add it to my GPX file http://www.tramper.co.nz/?4029 and complete the network.

Just went through Friday, sorry pmcke did not collect track on GPS. We set off from Tui Rd Carpark 9.40am - mangakino juction 11.13am - plutus dam juction 11.43am - crimson junction 12.07pm - old NS junction 12.38pm on waipapa track to waitawheta hut 3.55pm. Track well marked about 8 stream crossings on the way. Could make a nice 3 day loop Tui Rd - waitawheta - Dalys's via ananui falls or waitawheta river crossings - Tui Rd via mangakino pack track. Anyone been on mangakino pack track lately?