2025-12-17 < Weekly activities > 2026-01-14
Activity summary: Wednesday 2026 January 07 to Tuesday 2026 January 13
The Crows Nest & Skyline South/Butcher Track, Orongorongo River/Karapoti Rata/Mt Reeves via Coal Stream & Pt 628m
Wednesday
Picnic in the Botanic Gardens’ co-ordinated by Kath Kerr, Wed 07/01 7M
We enjoyed a most enjoyable catch up as we ate our lunch and then most of us walked back to the CBD to catch public transport home.
E Trip ‘The Crows Nest and Skyline South’ led by Michele Dickson, Wed 07/01 6M/1NM
The group met in Silverstream Rd, Crofton Downs before an amble up through Huntleigh Park Reserve, over the style and up towards Crow's Nest. The nice seats on a little northern diversion from the track were an ideal morning tea spot, before the other style and 'rocky bit', with more slog onto Crow's Nest. The wind was a bit pesty here, as forecast, but once heading south on the skyline we weren't bothered. After the westerly view just before the style in the saddle over lunch, we took the Kohekohe Tk and Blue track down into Otari and exited at the northern car park. Most of the party walked up the road back to Crofton Downs.
EM Trip ‘Butcher Track, swim option in Orongorongo River’ led by Mary Perkins, Wed 07/01 8M/3NM
The group enjoyed wonderful weather and company. We met at the Catchpool, climbed the Butcher Track then along the Cattle Ridge Track dropping down onto the Orongorongo Track. Had lunch at Turere Lodge while two members swam in the river.
M Trip ‘Karapoti Rata’ led by Cathy Wylie, Wed 07/01 16M
On a clear sunny and warm day, 16 members enjoyed a walk to locate the Karapoti rata, aka Giant rata. We took the route up to the ridge along the true right of the Little Akatarawa Stream, then along till an old tramline that took us down to the stream, which we followed, crossing and wading up it at times, then left it to briefly follow another old tramline until the turn off that took us to the 1000 year old Karapoti Rata. We admired it as we ate lunch below its imposing trunk that curled around and soared above us. We made our way back over points 386 and 445 to join the ridge track back. About 6 hours.
MF Trip ‘Mt Reeves via Coal Stream & Pt 628m’ led by David McNabb, Wed 07/01 2M
Just two members did this trip. Because of this, and slow progress, the Coal Stream section was abandoned in favour of following the main track (on the ridge east of Coal Stream) to Mt Reeves. Hot sunny conditions with little wind made this climb exceptionally hot. Lunch was enjoyed on top in a patch of shade, before returning along the ridge north, to Pt 682 on the Cone Track and back to the road end from there.
The main track up to Mt Reeves from Waiohine Campsite now has orange triangle markers and is in good condition.
Total 39 members and 4 non members