33. Waiaua Gorge – Kahui (AMC 3)

Wednesday, March 13: Storm with rain overnight, less rain @ around 7:00, until quite a rainy period from 11:00 – 15:00

Tramping: 6.4 km

Kahui Hut (Doc, $5)

The hut hadn’t really cooled down that much during the night, although the fire had soon been reduced to embers. I was up @ 7:00 and was packed ready to go soon after 8:15. It was going to be a rain-prepared day so I had the raincoat on, camera in the pack, GPS in a plastic bag, and I would have put the two bob watch in a plastic bag as well, but inserting it pushed two buttons at once which reset the time to the zero hour. This had to be rectified before continuing, so the camera had to be taken out again to find the time. Tripod was carried breastwise, the two crox were tied to the front strap extensions and the pack was put under wraps.

As for the track itself, apart from being wet, it was eminently walkable. I don’t see what the problem is. Between the turnoff to the Ihaia Road End and the Kahui Track there are about 37 bridges, which is a good way of assessing progress, a couple of very steep (and today slippery) ups and downs, and one major ladder. However, by the time I had gotten to the Kahui Track (4.2 km in just under two hours) it had started to rain, and that seriously. I decided that the only way of getting anywhere would be to take the hut route, and see if I could dry out (and warm up) there before deciding how to get off the mountain. A mad dash for the 2.2 km to the hut ensued in just a ¾ hour and by the time I got here everything was wet and one croc had taken its leave. I watched the weather for a while but it didn’t seem to be changing in any particular direction, so I had lunch and set a final time of 5:00 for a departure for Holly Hut. Otherwise it will be down to Puniko Road End to try to hitch to New Plymouth. Not rosy prospects.

I was getting a bit cold, so I stripped off sox & trousers to try to get them to dry, put on the fleece jacket and put myself in the rather damp sleeping bag for a snooze while I listened to the rain pour down. That was interrupted by changing out of the wet shirt as well and into the ski undies and dry sox.

The hut here has no heating whatsoever but is currently @ 18.1°C and very damp. When I think that I am at ⅔ of the times suggested, then Holly would have been an option yesterday, but only just. But with the weather as it is, and Stony River having to be crossed without a bridge, then even staying here last night would also have been possible. Too bad.

The other thing worth noting is that metvuw.com predicted heavy rain (>8 mm) for this morning, whereas metservice.com was only really predicting a shower or two. I know where to place my money next time.

Interactive Map

Was getting ready to cook when a German tramper, Lukas, turned up – thoroughly wet. He claimed to have started in North Egmont @ 8:30, with a two hour break in Holly Hut to weather out the worst of the rain. Stony River has to be forded, and he said it was thigh deep. Also said that the weather report was better for tomorrow. I convinced him that Waiaua was the better hut, had firewood prepared, and could be reached before dark, and off he took.

Will now try to listen to a podcast or two as a bedtime story while holed up in my sleeping bag.

Where	When
Leave Waiaua Gorge Hut	8:30
Arrive Kahui Hut	11:00