Join me for 8 days tramp in Tararua.

Another issue with the Tararuas is that they're often clagged in on the tops obscuring lots of visibility, even if it's not windy or only raining lightly. By itself this doesn't ruin a trip, but if you're not confident with navigating in such situations (and if the routes you're following above the bush-lines aren't too clear) then don't be afraid to adjust your plans to match. Just leave as much info as you can about where you're going if you do, keep an eye on the time and all that stuff. Enjoy.

Thank Izogi, My stuff for 9 days weight only 8 kg includes food, cooking utensil, sleeping mat and bag, warm clothes, parka, first aid, GPS, walking poles...etc. Got emergency blanket and tarp sheet but no tent and PLB. Have registered Adventure Buddy. Other than Garmin Oregon and Casio Altitude watch, I will polish my nevigation skill by compass and topomap. Will attempt 8 day route first, in bad weather then 6 days. Happy to cross ridge 3 times in this trip. Good challenge!

Good to hear you'll give the full trip a go - I was feeling bad if we'd dissuaded you from even trying such a great sounding trip. As has been said above - the key is keeping your options open and being ready to adapt your plans to the conditions / your rate of progress. The key is to make sure that anyone looking for you can find you if plans change. I use real people (not adventure buddy) as points of contact, and in the Tararuas with coverage on the tops any changes of plan can normally be texted out to my contact. In the absence of this, making sure accurate details of the next leg of the trip are left in each hut book is essential - including any escape routes if weather turns bad. I tramped for years without a PLB - didn't we all? But I carry one now as much out of responsibility to others (search & rescue, family) as for my own good. If accidents do happen it'll be volunteers out there looking for us, and I believe there's a moral responsibility to make their job as easy as possible.

8kg - now that really is ultra-lite! I'd be worried I was cutting things fine at 8kg even on an overnighter. For 8 days (plus a couple of days emergency rations) I'd need at least 3.5kg just in food. Either you eat less than me, have amazingly light gear, or are cutting things very fine. Does the 8kg include your pack, or just the contents?

I would love to do some Tararua tramping but alas distance and cost makes it unlikely. Sounds like a nice route, but a long way.

Doing the Tararua Peaks loop in an amazing 2.5 days is obvious proof of your experience/fitness; I took that length of time just as pit days! I would just support Izogi's points about navigation in a white-out. GPS is incredibly useful for avoiding those false ridges. And you're probably aware that groveling around in the mud/tussock/leatherwood can be unforgiving on lightweight gear, but that's just a matter of not over-extending past the capabilities. Snow in January? Always possible. So know your escape routes.

Yes, 8kg seems very light when including food for this type of trip, but I know little of ultra-light except that I'm nowhere near disciplined enough for it to be for me. :) I'll just assume you know what you're doing. Enjoy the trip.

When your swinging in the air connected to the helicopter winch scream out across the unforgiving tararua tops "YOLO, tax rebate motherf#*ke,ultralight till I die" . I jest. Im doing a ten day trip in the Ruahine traversing all the majorr ranges and visiting over 15 huts. You just have to do it. Have a blast. I will.

15 huts in the Ruahine? You should be able to do that in 45 hours nonstop, right? At 3 hours between huts?

I don't think I could do 9 days with just 8kg. Sometimes I carry that much on a day trip! Weighed my three day pack before a trip on Monday & it was 14kg though I could easily have cut that back by a couple of kg. Below a certain weight say 12 - 15kg is it not better to just carry the weight and have the added comfort and safety of the extra gear?