Friday Night: Walls Whare (Waiohine Gorge) - Cone Hut
After travelling from Wellington on possibly the last running of the "Midnight Express", (the dearly beloved Wellington Tramping & Mountaineering Club bus) we arrived at Walls Whare near dusk. We soon set off for a night walk to Cone Hut, joined by the fit party who were heading to Cone Saddle to camp for the night. We left the nice campsite at Walls for the easy, easy-medium and medium-fit parties - some of whom suggested that we might be mad! The club is obviously in a healthy state with five trips running for a weekend in the Tararua's!
The night walk was surprisingly swift and we arrived at the historic Cone Hut in a shade over 2 hours. Another tramping club dropped by a few minutes after we arrived (a busy weekend at this road-end!) and headed on to Tutuwai Hut to escape the seven of us.
Saturday: Cone Hut - Cone Ridge - Totara Flats
'twas a wee scamble down the river bank to get the water for breakfast and the obigitory billy brew. The day began with a climb up the Cone Saddle track to Cone Saddle. After a quick breather we continued up toward the radio mast on Cone. Unfortunately, right as we got into the open space near the radio mast some typical Tararua clag set in to ensure that there were no views to be had. We wandered past the radio mast and then found our way onto the trail along the goblin forest covered ridge. As the breeze was nippy, the goblin forest offered not only magnificent scenery but welcome shelter. After enjoying lunch along the ridge we soon foud our way to the steep spur leading down to Totara Flats. At the hut we joined the easy party sun bathing on the deck and enjoyed a brew before both parties headed down the valley to camp. After careful selection of a campsite, the dinner preparations gradually moved nearer, and nearer to the river with the sun! After dinner the wind started to pick up, and over night there were some minor dramas trying to keep the large fly pitched.
Sunday: Totara Flats - Walls Whare
Since we had plenty of time before we due to leave Walls Whare on the bus, most of us enjoyed a brief detour over the Waiohine River to the nostalgic Sayers Hut before the easy amble down the river and over the swingbridge to the bus at Walls Whare.