Hot Springs Road Loop

Boot cleaning station at the start of the track

A loop hike/run in the Kaimais, taking in a Kauri grove, a hut, and a section along the main ridge line.

Kauri die-back disease has become a serious problem in New Zealand, so both ends of the track have boot cleaning stations, where boots can be scraped clean and sprayed with an anti-fungal agent (photo at right).

We were completing the loop in an anti-clockwise direction, which would give us a steep climb and gentle descent, rather than a gentle ascent and steep descent. A short distance back down the road to the trailhead, and then it was down to the river. A very pleasant tiver, and the exposed stones made it easy to keep one's feet dry at this time of year.

Across the river and the track climbs to the kauri grove, and keeps on climbing through more kauri, and then keeps on climbing some more. It's a solid slog and also quite hot at this time of year.

River crossing

Early part of Kauri grove

Near the top the track heads over a knob, which of course means a descent and then a further climb. The vegetation opens up, the ground is now essentially flat. Nearing the hut we hear a low whistling noise and look up to see a glider soaring along the ridgeline. Before long we are at the Te Rereatukahia Hut.

Te Rereatukahia Hut and name plate

After a short look around the hut we head back out to track and south along the ridgeline. Undulating, but more down than up in the direction we are heading. Immediately to the west of the track along the ridge is an old post-and-wire fence, including a strand of rusted barbed wire. It's hard to imagine why such a fence should ever have been here in the first place.

Along the way we cross a slip, see some fungi, bumblebees on scotch thistles, and as we descend to the track junction that will take us east back to the cars, impressive rock formations further south on the ridge. We had run the section of the track down to the carpark before, but as usual it seemed much longer than we remembered it. A reminder of how unfit we currently are, but a good day in the hills.

Bumblebee on thistle flower.

Fungi

The slip.

Looking east to Tauranga Harbour.

Looking west into the Waikato.

The ridgeline, immediately south of where we turned
east on the trail back to the carpark.

TMR: Kaitoke-Holdsworth

The Tararua Mountain Race ventured into controversy this year by daring to try a different course – the plan being that the traditional course from Kaitoke to Otaki Forks across the tops (i.e. the Southern Crossing) would still be employed on odd numbered years, but on even years a different course through the Tararuas would be trialled. This bold new plan was intended to attract new entrants to one of New Zealand’s oldest and longest running mountain events (not to mention the toughest event).

2014 this bold new plan was put into action, with the race staged across the rugged Kaitoke-Holdsworth route. Some of the traditionalists grumbled and moaned, with early entries very low. But a week to 10 days out from the event there was a surge in entries (almost doubling), and the race was on.

The race starts with almost 80m (maybe only 50m) across grass before plunging into bush and the first climb. A bit of a rude shock at 7am, but before long one is out onto more runnable track gently climbing to the Puffer Saddle.

Track across the first slip
 

Following Smiths Creek down the other side the track is at times steep, rutted, and rocky, and at other times gentle, smooth, and fast. At the bottom of the descent the first (very welcome) surprise… course markings directed us away from DOC’s alternative route up and around some slips (now a few years old), and instead along the well-padded tracks across the slips. Excellent decision – the alternative route is very steep, rooty, slippery, and a lot more dangerous.

The only stream with a guide wire.
This runner also appears in my finish photo...

First check point is Smiths Creek Shelter and then it is up the Tauherenikau River to Tutuwai Hut. Lots of good running along here, so long as you don’t mind the odd roots, rocks, and stream crossing. Excellent water supplies were provided on course – every time we cross a side stream the water is crystal clear and drinkable.

Tutuwai Hut itself is off the main track and up in the bush, so the SAR team marshalling at this location have come down to the track. A quick check in and time to go again. Still heading up the Tauherenikau River, this time towards Cone Hut. I wasn’t 100% sure of the track here so stopped to get my map out and was passed by a team of two girls… right track, a bit of a climb and up to Cone Hut. Cone Hut is an “iconic” backcountry hut dating from 1946.

Running in to Cone Hut

At Cone Hut

Marshalls / SAR Team on top of Cone Saddle

We’re now about halfway in distance, but the climb is about to begin in earnest. This is a fairly steep climb with lots of roots. There’s a couple of trees down, but nothing too much of a problem. Top out and there’s the next SAR team and lots of tape and signs making sure we don’t go the wrong way. The navigation is easy! Down the other side… get to a stream… looks like the track goes across… over I go.. nope, no track. Clamber over a fallen tree… maybe it’s here… nope, slip, crush left calf between right leg and fallen tree. Head back towards the stream and none other than Jean Beaumont makes the same navigational call, she heads to where I’ve just been. I find the track marker… down the stream… let Jean know, and soon she’s caught me up and passed again.

Some good Tararua running here (downhill with roots), but soon another runner catches and passes me. He’s gone… until I get to the next stream. There’s a really BIG orange triangle on this side and… nothing on the other side. The other runner is searching in the obvious place, and I briefly join him there too. Not there, so back to the marker… ah, there’s the track, hidden by vegetation and heading in exactly the opposite direction. A couple of ribbons on the far bank indicated the exit point, and a few metres beyond that the track became obvious.

Climbing again, up another hill the same height as what we had just descended. A big downhill down the other side, descending to the Waiohine River valley. A slip and a fall on a tree root down here, but nothing serious. Down to the flats and the immediate potential to go wrong again… the natural lie of the land draws runners right towards the river, whereas the track goes left and across a new bridge. One of the leading teams went astray here and I did my last good dead for the day calling them back to the bridge.

Totara Flats
 
 

Along the track towards Totara Flats, this should be easy. Lots of little ups and downs, twisting, weaving, and then ouch… I ground my right ankle against a rock. Hobble and walk for a bit, but I’m getting pretty tired now anyway. The flats might be flat, but the running isn’t great… even the pretty grassy flats have lots of rocks in the trail. Eventually check in at Totara Flats Hut, with just around 11km to go. The problem is that the last 5km is a big downhill, and there is still 1,000m of climb to go.

Near the top of the last climb. Centre photo is a team,
providing perspective to just how steep this climb is.

Over the swing bridge and in to the first climb. My legs are toast now and this is a long, slow plod for me. Eventually top out from that climb and it’s runnable again. A short downhill to meet the old track, and then it’s the most horrendous climb of the day. Rooty, and at 30% very, very steep. Another slow plod and I eventually top out at the groomed Mt Holdsworth track. 5km to the finish, yahe! Time to run again! My legs are pretty fatigued though, so there’s still a few walk breaks down here.

The Finish. The guy just behind me
is the same one crossing the stream
ahead of me in the earlier photo.

Hit the flats, 1.2km to go, and the legs suddenly feel like lead. Still, how much of this can I run? I pick off one runner who I had last seen much earlier in the day, and then spot another just ahead. This is the same guy I was running up the Tauherenikau River with prior to Tutuwai. I fall in behind him on the final bridge across the Atiwhakatu, and then blast past in a finishing sprint.

My time is nothing flash, but that’s 40km and 2,000m of ascent done in a much faster time than my original time (the winners are perhaps 10 mins faster on this course), and I had not really trained for anything much longer than 17-20km. Definitely happy with that!

Ketetahi and Te Maari

A quick trip up to Ketetahi Hut to see the damage from the recent Te Maari eruption. I was hoping to head right on to the tops and maybe around the back of Blue Lake towards Te Maari itself, but slow traffic and other commitments meant that we ran out of time and just went as far as the damaged hut.

The large plume of steam from the Te Maari vents was easily visible from the carpark, but as we climbed above the bushline it became evident that there was increased thermal activity all over the mountain. Steam was pouring out of the Te Maari vents, there was significantly more steam from Ketetahi than normal, and exposed hillsides with sulphur deposits were also steaming. Perhaps the cooler air temperature made the steam more obvious, but it seemed a lot more than that. Whatever heat source is responsible for the Te Maari eruption must surely be responsible for the general increase in activity. Perhaps there will be more eruptions, or perhaps the mountain will just continue to steam away for months to come.

Track damage: rocks strewn across the track by
a lahar.

Mud from the lahar between the trees.

Although there had been snow overnight, the snow was not nearly as low as the Metservice forecast (1200m) and the snowline was about at the hut (just under 1500m). We were pleased that other aspects of the forecast were wrong, as instead of rain it was pleasantly dry for most of the way up. It wasn't until we were about 20 minutes from the hut that it started to rain and got quite cold.

Impact crater with boulder inside.

Impact crater cordoned off.

We stopped at the hut to put on dry tops, have a bite to eat, and survey the damage from the eruption. One bunkroom had serious damage from a boulder that had come through the roof, and there are big "bites" taken out of the roof in two other places. DOC has removed the bunks from the central room so that people can't sleep there anymore, but it still provides a welcome shelter.

Ketetahi Hut from a distance.

Ketetahi Hut showing damage.

Hole in the roof.

Damage at the back of the hut.

Dead vegetation in the grey ash from the eruption.

Ketetahi Stream - this was just tepid to the touch.

DOC declared a 2km "volcanic hazard zone" around the Te Maari vents and warned that:

• You are still at risk from further volcanic eruptions if you are within the 2 kilometre Te Maari Volcanic Hazard Zone.
• You enter the Te Maari Volcanic Hazard Zone at your own risk.
• You should move quickly through this Volcanic Hazard zone.
• Be aware of the potential of renewed volcanic activity.
• The main danger will be from flying rocks.

DOC also published the map below showing the recommended direction of travel in the event of an eruption.

Postscript

Eight days after this trip, just before 1:30pm on Wednesday 21 November 2012, Te Maari did erupt again. A much less significant eruption than previous, with no rocks ejected and no significant ash. But it was enough for DOC to close the track again.

Kohaihai and Oparara Caves

With heavy rain overnight the river was high, dirty, and unfishable, so we decided to head up the coast north of Karamea.

The first stop was at Kohaihai - as far north as the road goes. Kohaihai marks the southern-most end of the Heaphy track, but we were just here to eat our lunch and have a look around.

After lunch we drove back down the road to Oparara. The turn off is only about 5 minutes drive down the road from Kohaihai, but the 14km in to the carpark takes a long time on the narrow, winding, unsealed road. With kids in tow we did just one of the two arches and the two readily-accessible caves - photos below.

Kohaihai

Kohaihai River mouth.

Kohaihai Shelter at the end of the Heaphy track

A Nikau palm just across the swingbridge.

Looking south along the beach.

Moria Gate Archway

Moria Gate Arch

Stalactites on the roof of the arch.

Patterned limestone underfoot.

Heading back up out of the arch.

Forest on the way to the arch.

Crazy Paving

First view of the tesselated floor of Crazy Paving

Cave weta. We saw only one of these.

The large cave spider, spelungula cavernicola.
We also only saw one of these.

White egg sack of the cave spider hanging over the
tesselated floor.

Box Canyon

Inside Box Canyon

Formations at the side of Box Canyon. These are
side passages easily large enough to walk into.

Looking back at the entrance to Box Canyon, with
people to show the scale.

Water streaming from moss beside the entrance to
the caves.