31. North Egmont – Lake Dive (AMC 1)

Monday, March 11: Lovely sunrise, followed by variable cloud

Tramping: 17.0 km

Lake Dive Hut (Doc, $15)

Day for a 6:00 start. I had knocked over a glass of water on the night stand reaching for the bed lamp and that corner of the room was a little wet. Apart from that breakfast proceeded apace and I even got to wash the dishes (although I left them on the rack to dry) and had the remaining stuff in the suitcase or the pack and was ready to go @ 6:45.

My shuttle was on time and agreed with me that clockwise was the way to go. He also suggested aiming for Lake Dive as the first stop. On the way up the mountain there is a second car park with a shuttle service. Apparently things are starting to get crowded here as well in the summer, particularly because overnight stays are also allowed in the upper car park at the Visitor Center. Shortly after 7:30 we were at the top. There was a man in hiviz with a radio obviously talking to the car park further down the mountain, because today might also be busy as it is Taranaki Day, a local holiday.

I had my GPS going and decided on the high track to begin with. This is extremely steep and I soon had to moderate my pace. But I could remember the loo with a view and the valley beyond Tahurangi Lodge where the track goes up to move onto a ridge. I can’t have been that far from the summit in 2009, but my track now took me to the south-east and pretty soon I was at the next lodge (Manganui Lodge, which has a public shelter as well), through a tunnel on the other side of a deep ravine and from there to the newly developed car park at East Egmont.

Slide Show

Here I briefly joined up with two British mountaineers who had everything with them except for a map, and at the departing track I took my map out to see where I was going and they decided they weren’t going to Dawson Falls Visitor Center after all. They were headed for the summit and their best bet was to go back the way I came and try the North Summit Route. Later I decided to go via the Wilkies Pools, and while the track was a little wet underfoot I was at the visitor center well before 12:00 and stopped here for lunch. Seriously considered checking out the café for a pie, but let it be in the end.

The last part of the track, and the next part until where my route left off, was very well populated today. This time the upward track is indeed a walking track, and not a road, as the initial part of the Northern Summit route is. I could remember the almost never-ending set of stairs right at the top. Just before that I had stopped a little for a drink and an exchange with an obviously German hiker who had a 40+ L pack with him for a day trip. Then my exit came.

From here on there was no one. The section along the tussock was easily walked and then came an extended downclimb with a couple of tantalising views of the lake and the hut. By now fog and cloud had rolled in so the views were not as good as they might have been, but it fit well with the forest of dead trees that populate the area.

Interactive Map

Had a bit of an issue this morning with the sunscreen leaking out of its container and smearing the pack, and apparently the rei has had the same idea. Might smaller, more stable containers also work? Am also thinking that I don’t need to carry around that much soap with me.

Took a couple of sunset shots as the sun was beginning to shine through again. Found a path to the lake and got some shots there was well. Colors!