There had been rain, but now a window was opening, at least on the south western end of the Ruahine Ranges. Time to enjoy some tops photography with Shaun Barnett, while giving the legs a stretch.
We arrived at the Renfrew Road end late morning, in no hurry because our intended route up Deadman’s Track, giving access to the Whanahuia tops, is gradually inclined. We also hoped that the cloud cloaking the terrain would burn off as the afternoon wore on. While that didn’t appear to be happening as we climbed, we did enjoy some great landscape photography on the rounded tops as cloud swirled, revealing glimpses of folded hillsides and stream beds bathed in warm sunlight.
Even more spectacular was a coating of rime ice. Delicate at first, but consolidating as we climbed higher, it made for a crystal landscape that glinted sunlight and tinkled as we made our way through it. By the time we reached Mangahuia at 1,583 metres, when the clouds parted the rime coating was so dense that it looked like light snow-cover on the range ahead. Neither of us had encountered so much delicate rime before. It really was beautiful, though any chance of retaining dry boots disappeared as the afternoon sun gradually melted much of it, turning the trail into a trickling stream.
After three or so hours we found a small flat picturesque tarn-scape that looked like a good bet to set up the tent, located southeast of an un-named 1,635 metre highpoint, just off the trail leading on to Triangle Hut. The weather remained undecided about whether or not to obey the clearing forecast, but that evening, as we tinkled our way up on to the highpoint, it eventually did clear and we enjoyed some lovely light, particularly as it caught the rime ice still spread out around us.
Under a clear sky it was very cold that night; and bright too, because we were illuminated by a blood moon. I made a half hearted attempt to photograph it, but in bare feet due to my boots being saturated, I didn’t last long outside the tent. I was more motivated by a calm, clear dawn, in which the moon was still clearly in view.
Unfortunately Shaun woke feeling a bit unwell. He’d forgotten to pack his ground mat and really felt the cold overnight. As he’d already been over my morning’s objective on a previous trip he opted to enjoy the morning sunshine while I siddled around to the next saddle containing a larger tarn (which would make an even better bivvy site due to the line of sight to Mounts Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe that it offered), then climbed easy ground up to 1,661 metre Maungamahue.
Reaching the top took me through the heaviest rime ice yet — big blobs coated the tussock, breaking and tinkling all around me as I moved up. The view was worth the effort — east to Te Hekenga and the Sawtooth Ridge, north to Mangaweka, while Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe held my eye to the northwest, and Taranaki was clearly visible in the distant west. In the south the nearby 1,635 metre highpoint dominated. On my return I discovered that the easier route is to climb that to 1,600 metres, then drop back down rather than siddle, which appeared to be the more direct option but is actually more difficult terrain.
An hour or so later I was back with Shaun enjoying a brew in the sunshine, which had perked him up nicely. Our route out retraced our steps until a little north of Mangahuia, at which point another trail gradually descends west along a long broad ridge to Rangiwahia Hut (1,320m). We stayed there that night, enjoying more beautiful dusk and dawn light playing on the intricately folded landscape of the Rangitikei, lying between us and the volcanoes. Next morning involved a couple of hours of easy descent on a mostly excellent track, the highlight for me being a gracefully arched bridge high above an un-named river that joins the Mangawharariki further down.
Peter Laurenson — www.occasionalclimber.co.nz