WAIOHINE DIVIDE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1932, Page 3

WAIOHINE DIVIDE

NEW TRACK VIA CONE

AID TO TARARUA CROSSING

A VARIANT TO ALPHA

(By G.8.W.) A: further link in the Tararua track system has just been completed by the Tararua Tramping Club. A blazed walking track now connects Woodside and Otaki by a new routo from Eeeves to Hector via the Cone Trig. The track is fairly rough -in places, but, in this class of country, any sort of a tra-k opens up a district which is otherwise practically inaccessible. The now track represents tho final completion of the development scheme commeuced in December, 1929, which lesultcd, durinr tho summer of 1930, in tho cutting of the Akatarawa-Eenata-Dress Circle and Akatarawa - Kapahapauui - Waikanao tracks. Tho above tracks connect up with the main Mount Hector route, crossing the later track at roughly right-angles, thus opening up large territories of fairly new tramping country. WATER RATHER DISTANT. Between Eeeves and the Cone Saddle tho track was blazed by the State lorest Service when defining opossum boundaries. Tho track was cut as far as Neill, 3725 feet high, as the result of three week-ends and a couple of days' work during Christmas, 1930. One part, near the top of the cone, ,was blazed just after a heavy fall of snow, which covered the game tracks and loaded the trees. This poition is remembered as a rather unpleasant piece' of work. The travelling time from <he Pakuratahi (Kaitoke) to tho Cone Trig amounts to about six hours, and thus, further week-end operations became too difficult. A small.contract was therefore let to two members who camped for over a week at 2950 feet in the Neill Saddle between Cone and Neill.' Water was obtained on the Tauhercnikau side of tho saddle, and leqtiired a half-hour trip down a short track cut for the purpose. Fine weather was experienced for a weok, ana the track was cut towards the bushline on the ridge to Hector. The section past Iseifl was fairly difficult, as the track had to be carried around several rocky knobs which crown the ridge. Bad weather set in and very heavy l-ain drove tho two workers from the saddle camp back to the Tauherenikau. FIRST WEEK-END CROSSING. A party of four left the Pakuratahi at-3.30 p.m. on Saturday, sth December, 1931, and arrived at the top Tauherenikau hut at 7 p.m. After threequarters of an hour stop for a meal, the- tramp was resumed just before nightfall. A short-cut was taken up the spur to the west of the Cono Saddle Creek, and the Cono Trig was reached in two and a quarter hours. The night was fine and starlit, and the tops of the main. Tararua Range north of Hector and West Peak could just be seen abovo the valley mi3ts. The-Neill Saddle at the foot of Neill was reached au hour later at 11 p.m., and a few hours' sleep wore snatched on a bed of fern under tho trees. Time was not available in the morning for a lengthy meal, and a meagre breakfast was eaten just before" daylight.. The ascent of Neill, a climb of 775 feet, was a good start for tho day, and the end of the cut trac,k came into sight an hour and threequarters from the saddle. Two and a half hours' energetic work finished the track to the bushline. The packs were i regained and 'carried to tho bushline in ! thirty-seven minutes. Two hours' hard ] climb and the party was on top of ' Hector, somewhat tired and hungry. The descent to the Otaki Forks completed the first, week-end crossing from Kaitoko, to Otaki via the Cone Ridge, the one other previous crossing having been a two-day trip before tho track was cut. A number of mountain flowers were I in evidence, including white mountain daisies, yellow mountain buttercups, a dwarf variety of eyebright, and a few early eidelweiss. | LABOUR SUBSIDY. Tho balance of 'a grant from the Wellington Acclimatisation Society for i .track-cutting purposes was used' to' pay for expenses. The terms of the, grant required a club' subsidy on tho basis of 10s. for £1. In order to' avoid such .expenditure by the club, the members voluntarily offered to do the. work and to provide their labour' and a largo proportion of their tiuveiling and food expenses free. The Acclimatisation Society agreed to tho labour of the workers being accepted as tho equhalent of the club's subsidy. The price for the contract^section was) subsidised by the free labour expended on the other portions for which practically no expenses welc drawn. The thanks' of trampers are due to the members who gave of their time and energy mainly at their own cost, to tho Acclimatisation Society for their grant, and to the State Forest Service for permission to cut through the GREYTOWN-MOUNT HECTOR TRACK. The main routo across the Tararuas is tho well-known, Greytown-Mount Hector Track, which was constructed many years ago by private and Government enterprise. The track starts from Wall's Whare (previously Bassctt's Hut) at the end of the road from Greytown-Woodside, climbs to the top of Reeves (2949 feet), and then descends to the Tauhcr/mikau Eiver, which is a very beautilul and charming locality. Tho top Tauherenikau Hut (1120 feet) is situated at the foot of the track over Eeeves, and, up to recently, a strong suspension bridge crossed the river at this point. This bridge was unfortunately wrecked by last Easter's floods, which washed away the river bank and the bridge supports. The Top Hut also marks the junction of the Mount Hector Track with tho Kaitokc-Tauhcrenikau-Waiohino Track, The Mount Hector Track crosses the river, climbs to Bull Mound (3320 feet), and almost to Omega (36GS ■feet). The Kaitoke-Marchant -Track joins./in at Omega, and the track then proceeds to Alpha (4467 feet) and Mount Hector (5016 feet), passing en route tho Alpha Hut near the bushline onthe east side of Alpha. The Kime Memorial and the Field Huts are situated on the way down from Hector to the Otaki Porks. ■REEVES-CONE-HECTOR RIDGE. The Cone Trig (3547 feet) first attracted odd attention from Tararua Club members early in 1929, and on 2nd June, 1929, Messrs. W. Neill and A. Winehcombe went from the Top Tauherenikau Hut to Hector and the Field Hut via the Cono in a very long and exceedingly strenous day, which was largely occupied in struggling through dense and scrubby bush. Snow on the tops added further to their difficulties. No doubt, when the route of the Greytown-Mount Hector Track was being determined, tho ridge from Beeves to the Cone was considered as an alternative to tho route adopted, which descends to and crosses tho Tauherenikau Valley with consequent extra climbing. The position was well summed up by the lato'Mr. H. E. Girdlostorie, F.R.G;S., Government Surveyor,, in his. excellent account of a Woodsidc-Otaki crossing, which appeared in the 1915 annual report of the Lands and Survey Department. Mr. Gh'dlestono stated: "It looked a tremendous drop down into the Tauhercniknu, and it is rather disheartening to think that after climbing,up to Mount

Reeves from the Waiohine, tho same thing has to be done over again from the Tauherenikau to Omega. There-.is a good leading ridge .\ from Mount Beeves to Mount Hector over Cone Trig, which would have avoided the big drop into the Tauherenikau, but the track committee reckoned the ridge was too rough for a horse track. However, it would not take much to cut a walking track along it, and it would be a good dry route for foot traffic only, whereas the horse track is.always bound to be a bit-muddy." As a matter of fact, the Cone Eidge saves about 700 feet climbing, but the Bull Mound track is nevertheless shorter and easier, and is also served by, more water and by the Top Tauherenikau and Alpha Huts. ROUTE OF NEW TRACK. The track runs north and north-west from Keevcs to the Cono Saddle (1820 feet). The saddle is crossed by the Kaitoke-Tauheienikau Track on its way to the Totara Flats on the Waiobine Biver.- The Tauherenikau Track gives an alternative approach (avoiding Reeves) to the Cone Saddle. The track continues on to the Cone Trig (3547; feet), ;and runs out .on to the open tussock just at the top^ The trig I cairn itself lies a few minutes to tho j north-east, and is a good vantage point for views of the Tararua' Peak and the Cra-w-ford and t Holdsworth Ranges. As soon as the tussock is reached the track turns to the west and skirts along the right-hand side of the bush for a few minutes before re-entering the bush. The big ridge to the north of the Cone should be avoided. The track goes on to a rocky knob before descending to the Neill Saddle (2950 feet). Next follows a steep climb' of 775 feet through the bush to the top of Neill, 3725 fdet. This peak is very prominent from the Alpha Range, and appears to be a rocky knob, but in reality is only a tussock top. The track turns to the south a little from Neill, and shortly drops into the bush.. From this point is the roughest"part of the tra%k, which is, however, quite good for walking purposes. The track then reaches'the bushline, climbs to the top of a grass ridge, and runs up on to the top of a grass knob • (Mount Winch-; combe, 4150 feet). The ridge to Hector turns here, dropping a little to the. west, and climbs a series .of four steep grass knobs to a larger knob (4600 feet), which is distinguished by ii rocky ridge leading from its nOTth flank to the 'Waiohine. These-knobs present no difficulty, and the ridge then leads finally to Hector (5016 feet). ■■ .. -■ -~ </ ~ , The. track is recornmehded for use" from Corie to" Hector., In good clear weather- Hector to. Cone should .be quite easily found, v Practically all trampers should be able to go : ..from the Top Tauherenikau Hut to the -Kiine Hut in a day, and'the week-end crossing from Woodside or Kaitoke to Otaki should bequite feasible f or.many trampers. ■'~-■'_ ■;■•■■'■■ A"fbug'H /estimate" of times for general tramping is as follows (times from Hector to Cone . should . be much quicker):— ■ . . . ' ■ ■ ''' •"■ ' '-' '.'. '".'; ..■'."■' _7 Hours. From Top Tauherenikau Hut (or Reeves) .."'., to' Cone! .Saddle T. '.~-~f--~-■•• •'.. .... 1% Cone.Saddle to Cone Trig ~... v.'ii»;.-'--l% Cone' Trig to TS'eilt Saddle "..'.."...... 1 Neill Saddle to.. Nclll. ...... a: Neill-'-to-.- Bushlino .......v.;....- 1% Bushline to. Hectoi; ... ....."...... 2% Hector to Kinie Memorial -. Hurt ........ % Total hours f..v.;........".....,.....,10 TAUHERENIkAU-WAIoiINE ;-.'.' -.-._-.. : ; ;.'.;':. divide, v: -.';•/■ ■'.";■■ v •The Reeves-Cone-Hector Ridge forms the divide- between: two iarga Tararua fivers, the "Tauheronikau and Waiohine, both flowing to .the'1 Wairarapa.. In the vicinity of Reeves both rivers are very well known, but such is not. the caso regarding the head waters. on either side of the.;Cone-Hector section .'of the divide.';'\.THo Tauherenikau has a large iiuniber: of—heads rising "on tlie long sweep of, the range fromvHector to Omega, whereas the- iWaiohino'; is practically limited to a few heads which are' wedged between tho ConeHector Ridge, and; the. main Tararua ''Range nprth.of Hector,andAVest Peak. (The -Waiohine is 'joined lower down 'by'the Waiohine:iti, which comes from the .north, .behind Levin.) Both the Tauherenikau and Waiohine Rivers run in very'deep harrow' valleys, which, suggest a number of gorge ..formations. The divide, -between ; tho bushline and Hector, is a^different type/of ridge '■from- the' Alpha-Hector Eidge/ and : is more, akin-io-the. JUortherJi ...Tararua ridges; '. ■ "s;v'";^'. 'V-;-'-..- -^ ■!/!•• •'■;:•"" •' ?" -The' track jshpuld .Ppen up the river headwaters to a certain extent, 'the Waiohine • -in particulaV." Quite a possibility is a trip down the ridge north of the.Cone; to the junctionl of the Waiohine and Waiphine-iti Eivers. The main .range north! "of the Tararua Peak, which is a serious obstacle when 'proceeding fi*m West Peak to- Crawford, should be approachable by a ridge leading fr'onYthe Waibliiiie'-iti Fork toMan-gahuka,-juit „:noith ,of the Tararua Peak;"-':;;:v..Vi'V;--- : - .-v ; ..;,..„ v.. :DEER m THE-TARARUAS. The \Cone-Hector track offers possi"bilities - for '.inquiries .iregarding the activities_ of- deer: in the Tararuas. An examination ;*>f the :Waiohine headwaters may reveal one sof the favourite haunts of, the animal. In all probability there ..exists a highway of com^ munication between the Northern and Southern Tararuas overjthe Cone. When disturbed in the accessible lower Tauherenikau and'Waiohine districts, it,is a simple matter foi- the deer to diaappear over the ; : divide into immense blocks of .country never visited by' man. No signs of "deer, are evident around Neill, but-just before reaching the bushline on the ridge to Hector deer tracks suddenly • appear; These come from high up the riyer valleys. Deer seem fairly plentiful ;'on the. grass ridge abovo the bushlipe, and'on the recent week-end trip about a; dozen, including several stags, wke seen at about 10 o 'clock in the morning. . One stag was disturbed, front his siesta in the sun and showed very little intention of departing for some time. Evea then he returned to make sure we were leaving, and finally departed in a glorious gallop which.'was the envy of four track-cutters toiling up the ridge to Hector.- >