Maketawa Hut Circuit

At the risk of boring you with too many hiking stories, I am sharing my March hiking adventure with you. We always get a long weekend towards the start of March for Taranaki Anniversary so this year I used the day off to avoid research by trekking the Maketawa Hut Circuit.

In 3 hours my friend and I managed to complete the 6.5 kilometer track, and even timed things so that we were leaving the mountain just as it decided to rain!
From the main visitor center the track plunges straight into native forest. It was a rough but clearly visible track that steadily climbed, although it was not nearly as steep as I had expected (a welcome surprise). The majority of the climb to the hut was wooded, but the views when suddenly arriving at the hut were fantastic. It was cloudy over most of the mountain so we did not get to see the summit, but there was an impressive gorge visible on one side of the hut.

The hut itself was lovely, with 16 bunk beds, wood heating, space to prep food and a lovely wooded rustic feel. I have not yet stayed in any of the huts around the mountain but have mentally flagged this one as potentially the best option for a first hut-stay.

From the hut, the track continues up a rather serious number of stairs, definitely the steepest part of the hike. As we climbed higher there was a rather odd sensation of being almost entirely removed from the world due to the clouds, which by this point had descended far enough that there was visibility up and down the track but not off to the sides much. It must have been my day to be a hobbit wandering the NZ wilderness haha!
But the track soon merged with the summit climb, onto a 4WD track that was a quick way back down to the visitor center, something to be grateful of when it started raining.

Pictures below :)
Check back soon for a grad school update and have a good week!

Pouakai Summit

I mentioned in my previous post that a monthly hike was on this year's to-do list.
My brother helped tick off the February hike, as he stayed on for a couple of extra weeks after the wedding. His final weekend here the weather was looking good so we decided to plan a hike.

We picked up some pies on the way out of town and headed to the end of Mangorei Rd to start the trek to the Pouakai hut. In some respects, the climb to the hut is one that could be considered less challenging due to the track being easily accessible, with minimal erosion and uneven terrain. However, this track is not to be considered too easy, as it is a series of stairs almost the entire way to the hut. The signposts advise allow 1-3 hours for the climb. I am not sure how many steps it really is, but it is a lot, my legs kindly reminded me for the next three days! We did quite well actually and reached the hut in 75 minutes.

Since we still had plenty of time at this stage we decided to press on a bit further. We stopped at the tarns to appreciate the stunning view of Mt. Taranaki, and then decided to carry on to the Pouakai Summit. This was a rather spur-of-the-moment decision, but the sign said only 3.2 kilometers and 1 hour to the summit. It was a beautiful day, we had plenty of water, and it sounded doable.

It was doable, and in fact quite enjoyable for the most part, but it did remind me that if I intend to do many serious hikes I should work on my climbing endurance a bit.
We continued on the boardwalk for a bit before gong through a swampy field area (although it was pretty dry after the recent lack of rain). It was the final chunk that was the big challenge. The track was quite eroded which meant we had to occasionally get creative in finding the most economical way up. But as with all these adventures I have attempted, definitely worth the view! If you stood at the right angle, you could see the Tasman Sea and Mt. Taranaki all at once :)

Hiking at Pukeiti

Something I have always enjoyed about New Zealand is the prevalence of beautiful, free, safe places to be outdoors. Mountains, gorges, beaches, gardens and parks are everywhere, and almost all of them are free. The Doc segment of the government works hard to ensure safe and reliable trails and conservation areas are tidy and well maintained. With the wet and windy winters, frequent tourist traffic and natural predators, this is a massive task. Some places are flasher than others, and one should never presume there will be much in the way of amenities, but I have found it is always worth it to get out and discover a new place.

I was having a conversation with dad awhile back, when he shook his head at me and said he was not entirely sure how I managed to cram so much into every day/week/month, whatever. Hate to break it to you daddy, but I am pretty sure it is a hereditary trait :)
But, in order to not disappoint, I have set out to keep busy with a few things in 2019 (the biggie was pulling off the wedding, which I am happy to report was splendid!). One of those things is at to plan and enjoy one hike each month. Of course I am not limited to only one but since I have decided 3-4 hours is a reasonable timeframe to set aside, I figure setting one definite goal is reasonable.

January's hike was a chunk of the outer circle trail at Pukeiti Gardens. This is one of Taranaki's main large gardens, a massive work in progress to protect and main Taranaki rainforest. It is best known for the large amount of rhododendrons, but has a wide range of colorful sections. More recent additions to the garden include a lovely cafe (for the obligatory coffee after enjoying the garden) and several treehouses for the kids.

Mom picked this hike and it was an excellent choice. The outer circle are the rainforest tracks, about 9 kilometers in total that provide treks through rainforest, a summit climb, views of the Pouakai and Kaitake ranges and outlooks to the Tasman Sea. I estimate we did 5-6 kilometers of the tracks, saving the rest for another day when Taranaki summer decided to remind us just how hot it can get! Like any good Kiwi hikers, we retired to the cafe for a cuppa and a treat :)