Join me for 8 days tramp in Tararua.

A great trip in the Tararua's covering some fantastic ground, wish I could join you. Hope the weather plays nice for you.

Hope you find someone to accompany you - the trip all sounds great except the bit from Arete Forks to Cow Crk. That sidle-track i swore I'd never walk again! Steep, crumbling, and involving more climb/descent than going up to the tops and over Mitre Peak. Hut book suggests going down the river is easier, but I've not been back to try that. Also be aware the Waiotauru is a haunt for 4WDers (mainly on weekend nights) and there's only 1 mattress there - so you may want to bring your own sleeping mat if you stay there, or avoid it on weekend nights.

Wow. I'm jealous. I've covered most of this territory in shorter tramps, but you're really going bush big time with this 'Le Grande Tour'! In reference to the last post; I've done Arete Forks to Cow Creek down the gorge (as you probably have) and it's simple enough. I recall there were only two or three places where pack-floating across some deep pools was required. Another thought; pity you can't reduce your initial pack weight by having a food stash to pick up at Parawai Lodge. Good luck with Huey the weather god. Wish I was coming with you.

I spent a lot of time in the Tararua and that looks like a mighty trip. Here is a little advice. Take it with a pinch of salt if you wish. It is easy to get from poads to Arete biv in an 8 hr day by going up the ohau to south ohau. The sidle from arete forks is the absolute worst but still only takes 3 hrs. But you will be cursing the whole way. I have taken the gorge route earlier in the year and I stayed dry bellow the waist though it was at the end of the long dry summer. You are asking a lot of tawhirimatea as far as weather on the tops goes. I really wish you luck with that. The Tararua tops are not a nice place to be in a howling nor wester. You definately dont want to be stuck in waitauru hut it is a disgusting hole. I would aim to get from tarn ridge to nichols via dorset ridge. Then from nichols to parawai. Then from parawai to renata. Then renata to Alpha. Good luck.

Thanks Madpom for your hints. Avoid negotiate the Arête Strm, I rectify the plan as: D2: Arête Hut, Waiohine Pinnacles Plus 1 hr run to Arête Forks Hut return, Tarn Ridge Hut(16), 8 hrs. D3: Girdlestone, Peggys, Mitre Flats Hut, Cow Crk Hut(6), 8 hrs. D4: Cattle Ridge Hut, Roaring Stag Lodge, Herepai Hut(10), 9 hrs. D5: East Peak, West Peak, Dundas Hut(6), 6 hrs. D6: Mt Dundas, Arête Hut, Dracophyllum Hut(2), 8 hrs. Then another 4 days out. Total 10 days claim 19 huts. Hope the route along Cattle Ridge and Dundas Ridge are all fine. Garmin Oregon 300 will be with me. Do I need PLB? Also thank John for advising food stash in Parawai Lodge, not a big deal for just 2 days. I am an ultralight fast tramper.

asking if you need a PLB tells me you barely know what you are doing to be going into that sort of terrain on such a long demanding trip.

if you think you can get to arete forks hut and back to the pinnacles in an hour, you're dreaming...

I haven't bothered to count up the time estimates (especially considering the weight you might be carrying), but the trip itself looks interesting as providing a worthwhile intro to what the Tararuas have to offer. Hopefully the conditions work out for you. I must have had my eyes shut on that Arete Forks sidle track, because I don't recall it being that bad. :) Not terribly interesting, but basically a sidle track under trees. Checking my notes, though, I recorded it as undulating rather vigourously more than "sidle". Recurring tree-fall frequently obscuring track markers (especially for the third of the length nearer to the Arete Forks end), occasional giant slippery logs to roll over the top of, a couple of significant but navigable slips, and so on. Very doable, though. That was September 2010. I have heard that many people prefer the gorge. I'll probably try that next time. Not sure what type of ultra-light you are, but I'd strongly suggest having some decent portable shelter despite the proliferation of huts. PLB? Yeah I'd take one, or something similar, merely because they're now available and on the grounds that you're planning to be possibly solo and mostly out of touch for 8 days. You'll potentially meet many people in the range, but moreso on weekends with nice weather than weekdays with yuck weather... Rolling an ankle down an out-of-the-way creek on day 2 could otherwise be very inconvenient. Maybe consider a SPOT or InReach if you can get one? Less effective from certain localities in emergencies, but if you get trapped by the weather, you may have a better chance of getting someone to collect you from an alternative exit (if you've arranged in advance).

Thanks for all your kind advise. Take account all the suggestions I shortened my trip to only 6 days now. Staying Te Matawai, Nichols, Parawai, Renata and Alpha Hut. Cut out all the loops. Come back next time. Some may curious about "How fit am I"? Had done Powell-Jumbo loop 1.5 day, Totara Flat 3 days, Tararua Peaks loop 2.5 days. Dusky Track 6 days, Stewart Northern Circuit 8 days, Hunua trail running 60k in 12 hrs. I am now training for adventure tramp.