Waipakihi River

Yes, great trip. I deal for summer when you can stop and swim and picnic. At least 8 hours solid walking up to Waipakahi Hut but probably better to camp along the way and enjoy it. By the way the end of Waipakahi Rd is very eroded by the river probably making it difficult to turn around in a car. Probably best to start walking from the point where the road starts descending to the river.

Cheers for the heads up! You popped up to Patutu from the river?

No I havn't been up to Patutu from there. I have been right along that Middle Range from the southern access at the top of the Desert Rd. I do believe there is good access up to Karikaringa though. At first I thought that there was a track going up from the Parakakariki Stream but I was speaking to a hunter who said that the bush on that side of the valley is all quite open and easy to move in. Must do a recci someday.

Last question, I promise - how you go for finding water in there?

No problem, ask away. I once camped near the top of Patutu at NZMG 2757212,6213925. There was a stream there starting in a little spring which horses had been into but we managed to get clean water. There is a kind of hanging valley on the other side there so you wouldn't have to go down far if you wanted to camp by a stream. Going north along the range there is a point at NZMG 2761256, 6218725 where the ridge line comes very close to a good stream.

Clive: I see from your pics that you got there. Must have been great weather. How did it go?

Camped in the car park over night and walked up from Waipakihi Rd to about NZ50 1845385, 5653957 - shot up a quite prominent ridge heading SEbE and got on the tops at NZ50 1846404, 5653269 - it was bloody hot! Then walked around Patutu to the higher 1718 peak. Tempting to head over to the prominent ridge WNW of there which ends comes down at a peak noted at 1131 - could be nice? A bit of a long day, I was in post Christmas and BBQ season shape... Came down the way we went up. Saw some Blue Duck which was a heck of treat, the Stoat that nearly killed me of fright, no so nice.