"Closed" tracks, Egmont

Chap convicted of cutting tracks was named Goodwin, recall seeing it in the local paper. about 10 years or more. he had been doing a lot of volunteer upkeep for DOC but did one that wasn't in the plan, it seems. wwas a route linking the Kiri track to the kaitake range. nows it part of an idea to create a walk something similar, not sure if on the same route. he got fined about $1500 I think doc are now looking for more volunteer effort on Taranaki In the Tararuas, DOC have earmarked nearly all 45 huts in the range, for handing over to volunteers - except Powell, I think

Not just a Taranaki issue, seems to crop up most places. I think DOC is struggling to keep up with maintaining the tracks it has in the face of less and less funding/resources. If new tracks are put in by 'other' people that go on to become general useage with resultant demand from the general public that they are maintained to the DOC standard then they end up with even more to do. My club is looking to have an official track cutting tramp, coordinated with DOC, once a year in the Ruahines to help out a little. Personally I love all the 'alternatives' in the hills, it makes life far more interesting and opens up all sorts of possibilities. While I don't mind wandering about off track it does make life a lot easier if there is a bit of permolat or cruise tape where navigation is less straightforward and some cutting through scrubby/leatherwood type areas makes life a whole lot more enjoyable. I agree with Honora the key is to make sure that these alternatives can be found by people who want them but don't mislead the general public.

its a nationwide issue. a lot of tracks in the Kaimais were in various stages of being overgrown, its taken volunteers an extensive amount of work to do something about clearing the tracks, its a massive ongoing job. meanwhile on great barrier island, a fortune is spent on great walk style tracks that are under utilised and huts are largely empty most of the year, because of the expense and difficulty of getting to the island. DOC does relatively little around the areas of main population. what few huts they have have to go on booking systems to stop major over crowding.

"DOC does relatively little around the areas of main population. what few huts they have have to go on booking systems to stop major over crowding." True that. The Packhorse Hut being a case in point. Now on a booking system along with its co-hut, Rod Donald Hut on the Te Ara Pataka walkway.

In late 2015 I visited Kaupokonui Hunters Hut on the south eastern side of Mt Taranaki & the track from Manaia Rd to the hut is in excellent condition. I ventured further south west from the hut around to the remains of 'Otakeho Biv'. As an aside this track continues clockwise around the lower reaches of the mountain to link up with the Auroa Track descending from Lake Dive Hut. As mentioned by others in this discussion, at the point where these tracks intersect with DoC 'maintained' tracks it is not obvious another track veers off or exists but venture 20-30 metres into the bush & they can be located with some effort. Anyway, this is what I wrote to DoC Taranaki upon returning to the city: "The section of track between Kaupokonui Hut & the remains of Otakeho Biv is very overgrown with quite a bit of windfall. The 'orange' triangles are generally still follow-able, except in some sections where the growth has obscured them. I tossed a lot of windfall off the track too, & cut back some areas with my silky saw so the triangles were visible again". This is what DoC replied with: "Hey Paul - definitely no cutting of tracks unless you want to come in to the office and sort something officially as a volunteer. The danger is that you end up cutting tracks we no longer want". I take my silky saw with me on all tramps & it often proves invaluable; not just to cut firewood at huts but to clear windfalls & overhanging branches off tracks.

Well, Paul. I am gobsmacked. Did the track you were cutting have DoC triangles? I can understand they're not wanting to spend money on cutting some tracks but to say they don't want tracks they've abandoned cut by volunteers is another matter altogether. As long as the tracks are cut and marked in a way which makes it obvious it is not a DoC track, I don't see why they should object. DoC has come and it will go. Power to your arm. I guess DoC should just be given feedback on the state of their official tracks, not the volunteer-maintained ones. That's what sites like this are for.

"I guess DoC should just be given feedback on the state of their official tracks, not the volunteer-maintained ones." And failing that, maybe DoC (national office) should be given feedback on the state of the inconsistent policies it's implementing in local areas.

It seems DOC's response to the public clearing tracks may be based as much on local staff attitudes and opinions, as it is on official DOC policy.

Perhaps, and that leads to other questions. ie, why are staff in some areas more comfortable with tracks being informally maintained than staff in other areas. Has one or the other been misinformed about official DOC policy about how to react, or is it directly related to and justified by local conditions? Is this a pandora's box that should be left alone?

From the eyerolling & 'rather not know' looks I get when I mention I've been cutting unmaintained doc (ex-)tracks i get the impression that most doc staff feel this is not allowed, and that whilst they're personally happy it's done they feel you're putting them in an awkward position by telling them. If I'm allowed to interpret that from body language and rapid change if subject.