Kaweka-Kaimanawa East-West Traverse

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Kaweka-Kaimanawas East West Traverse Murray MacRae and Sean Wakely embarked on this epic trip earlier this year. This trip through both the Kaweka and Kaimanawa State Forest Parks, from the eastern to the western side of the ranges, took just on seven days. ( x * * * * * There I sat on the sun deck, a feelings. But being an old-fashioned chocolate biscuit melting between my sort of bloke, I didn't cry; I just fingers. We looked out at the blue suggested that we get going. So we Kaweka hills. Finally a move is made, did. and we're off to Makahu Saddle, 70 km away. Lunch was stumbled onto some two hours later at Te Puke Hut, where a fire There is a chill in the air as Sean a smouldered before a mad, barefooted, and I sling on 701b packs, and sweat possum trapper. Food and heat our way up to Dominie Biv, some 500m rescued Muzza from the onset of a from the carpark. quiet sleepy death, at the hands of mother exposure. Sunday, and it's out into the cold for a foggy haul up Makahu Spur and onto From Te Puke we raced over and down to the Kaweka Tops. Sunshine greeted us Harkness Hut. There we met a Wildat lunchtime, so sheltered from the life ranger who was doing a survey of wind, we stripped off our storm gear. falcons and their activities at Boyds And then it snowed! Rock. Next day was a cracker! Wandering up We scooted over to Tira Lodge in a the Harkness Valley we crossed the good mix of sleet, snow and rain. The river at least 50 times. All the lodge, nestled in the bush at about tension of the last weeks at work just 1450m, was a storybook scene as we set flowed from me as we moved along the up our radio with light snow falling. tussock covered valley floor. At Tussock Hut we paused to drink and Next morning I lost my breakfast someread of the pale-ale sponsored where near the hut as the intrepid exploits of shooters. Soon the gumboots of Sean set a hot pace. intrepid twins were off, sweating and Morning tea, and a green-gilled 'Muzza' grunting, over into the Ngaruroro, and could be seen clutching a bowl of hot then wandering on upstream to "Chateau" refresh at Mangaturutu Hut. It was Boyds Lodge. End of part one! still snowing, and by this time I was having one of those, "I want my mum" Very busy place, Boyds Lodge = what Ngaruroro Valley, Boyds Lodge with planes landing, choppers flying around, and hunters 10 a penny. That night, while trying to avoid a heap of trainee forestry bods with big rifles and even bigger egos, we sorted out