Kaimanawas- Cascade-Oamaru river via Maungaorangi

I havn't been in there for a while but it has always been a marked route. The bush is fairly open so there isn't a lot of problems getting along there. It is a full day from Cascade to the Oamaru valley and a very long day for this time of year if you want to get to Oamaru Hut. There is no water along the tops so take plenty.

I seem to recall hellmission walked over this last year as part of his first solo and had some heavy going from the top of Muangaorangi to Oamaru. When I did it in 2008 the top was poled but decidedly historic and the track overgrown.

DOC are supposed to have at least taped this route to provide an alternative to the private land in the North Arm. I have read in the Boyd Hut log book about extended journeys. I have been over Manungaorangi many years ago and the travel is pretty easy so am a little perplexed at these hell times.

Yes we did a recci up there soon after Air Charter started charging for the North Arm route. We advised DOC that the going was good and they would only need to mark the route and would not need to cut a track. They were quite keen on this. The Taupo Tramping Club went in there and marked it with tape. DOC did poles across the top but not sure if they got any further. There has never been a track in there. However there have been some major snow storms in the last 3-4 years and this has caused a lot of bush damage in the Kaimanawas. I wouldn't be suprised if this area has been quite heavily hit.

I think Hellmission commented on snow damage at the time

I have been and done it! To my surprise and delight and a first in 35 years of tramping there is a brand new MARKED and CUT track. The open section over Maungaorangi has poles at about 20m centres and the long bush section south of there is marked conspicuously and recently (last couple of months)cut. At the Oamaru end the track leaves the river where the main valley track leaves the Oamaru and heads up the Whaitiwhero Stream to the saddle into the Ngaruroro. Its a long day from Cascade to Boyd, just over 9 hours but we weren't rushing. I would recommend doing it that way as its a long climb out of the Oamaru the other way. What would be ideal is a hut up on Maungaorangi. That would make a superb tramp! We had a great day and there are extensive views from the top of Maungaorangi and its a long easy climb from Cascade.

Great news. That will be Terry Slee at DOC Turangi. he is one of the shakers and movers as far as tramping is concerned.

bmackz... Do you want to update the track notes at http://www.tramper.co.nz/?2900