This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 79 no. 5, June 2007
North Ohau Hut
Saturday the 10th of February
North Ohau Hut replaces the North Ohau bivvy and was completed during 2006. This was a significant time for Tararua Huts as the new Maungahuka Hut and the new Elder Hut (also replacing a bivvy) were completed about the same time. When Michael Bartlett asked me if I would lead a trip to the North Ohau, I was very interested as it is an area I had not visited – plus I was keen to see the new hut.
The route to the North Ohau involves following the sidle track from Poads Road to the old Ohau shelter site and then up the South Ohau River to it’s confluence with the North Ohau River. It then follows the North Ohau to the hut site. The exact site of the hut seemed rather unclear but it was not as far up the North Ohau as the old bivvy site. The route across the farmland was as dry as I can recall seeing it and as anticipated, water levels in the rivers were low, making for easy travel. On reaching the confluence with the North Ohau, the cloud was beginning to lift. The first section of the North Ohau was straight forward easy travel but this was followed by a section of boulders which was slower going and would be rather difficult in high water conditions. This section of travel then opened into a river flat of toi toi, above which the hut is located on a terrace on the true left.
The hut is well designed and thoughtfully located to take advantage of the afternoon sun. The hut has four bunks, a wood burner, water tank, an outside wood shed and outside seating to enjoy the very pleasant surroundings. There is no cut track to the hut and no obvious high water track, not that we spent any time looking for one. Off track travel from or to the hut would be possible but some of the vegetation may be challenging. Access would be possible to or from Deception spur or the spur to Square Knob.
We opted for a rather easy stroll back the way we came and a swim in the South Ohau in one of the many good swimming holes.
- Party members
- Marg Conal, Russell Cook, Phil Harris, Masaki Kojima and Dave Reynolds(scribe)