Kaimais: Sentinel Rock track to Motutapere hut
Original post
OK, I've got an easy question. I've been in the Kaimais multiple times but never at Motutapere Hut.
I was thinking of a weekend loop idea from Hot Springs Rd, up Sentinel Lookout track, then to Motutapere Hut for lunch and to Te Rereatukahia hut for the night.
The problem is that on the topo map it seems that it shouldn't be so hard to got from Sentinel Rock lookout track to Motutapere hut, but if there's no track between the two, I guess there's a good reason that is not on the map.
So the question: is it actually possible to link Sentinel Rock lookout to Motutapere?
By possible I mean not taking 8 hours to do the 1 km on the apparent ridge to the N/S track, and not being a life-threatening experience :)
Cheers.
@bohwaz. I was hoping someone who actually knew the answer would reply to you .. but in the absence of that:
I thought the same - that dead end track leading to Sentinel Rock _surely_ mist connect up to Motutapere Hut. When I was at Motutapere 6or so years ago I kept my eyes open for a route coming from that direction and saw none. But I could have missed something.
Here's a photo of the ridgeline between Sentinel and the hut.
http://routeguides.co.nz/system/images/100/IMGP0230_original.jpg
Yeah I read that climbing on the lookout hill at the end of that track is considered dangerous (apparently there's a sign), but I was wondering about going around it.
And as this area is quite popular with hunters I'm pretty sure if there was a route it would be known as they wouldn't miss on that kind of shortcut :)
So I guess the best is to go there and check myself one day :)
Yes. I've been trying to recall the south side of that ridge. My memory is there is a good gentle basin of mature bush between the Mt Eliza track and the spur leading to the lookout. But I've lost the notes from that trip and have no photos that help and am far from certain.
Fishnhunt would be where I'd ask next.
Keen to hear how it goes.
Ive walked from Motutapere Hut down the stream nearby which then connects into the Tuahu Track. It was a long time ago, stream was marginally high, but very doable with the odd scramble along the bank above the water.
Yeah I found that: http://trampaddicts.weebly.com/te-rereatukahia-stream-tributary-loop.html
So I know the stream is doable, but it's not the right season to do stream bashing for me, it's getting too cold ;)
I'll be going there next weekend (I hope) to check out the end of Sentinel rock lookout track and see if there's a route.
I've been in the area but not at Sentinel Rock, and met local hunters and one of them said that there was no track and the bush was too thick. I'll try to see for myself another time though.
There is a taped route off the Sentinel track but you would need better than average bush craft navigation skills
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
|---|---|
| Started by | bohwaz |
| On | 5 May 2017 |
| Replies | 7 |
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