Location: Ruahine Forest Park
Trampers: Chris and Emma G
Our walk in: 13.2k via Rangi Hut and Mangahuia - 6hrs (stops to clear 32 traps)
Our walk out: 14.4k via Oroua River, Mangahuia south ridge and Rangi Hut - 8hrs (stops to clear 40 traps)
I was invited by Emma to help reset the Ruahine Whio Protectors' traps around Triangle Hut. This involves opening each trap lid (removing any dead animal if necessary), resetting the trap mechanism and adding in a cube of mashed rabbit bait. Our section of the trap-lines contained 72 traps.
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| Heading up from Rangi Hut |
We set off from the car park on the Rangiwahia Hut Track in light rain with a quick stop at Rangi Hut for lunch. From here it was up across the tussocks towards the high point at Mangahuia. Clouds rolled in from the east, but we glimpsed the occasional view of the neighboring ridges as we climbed gradually.
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| Stoat |
We cleared the traps on the track down to Triangle Hut, which transitions from tussock, through leatherwood and horopito, into mossy beech forest. The track also gets progressively steeper before you suddenly pop out on the Oroua River.
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| Triangle Hut |
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| Powelliphanta Snail |
Triangle hut stands on a small plateau on the true left of the river. It is a really tidy hut with a great Pioneer wood-burner. There are some nice spots to be explored around the hut including a gorge and a swimming hole just upstream.
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| Heading downstream from Triangle Hut |
After a good night's sleep we made our way down the river bed, again clearing traps. There have been a number of slips that have washed some of them away. There's no track - you criss-cross the river for 2.5km until you pick up an orange triangle marker on the true right. This is a steep detour up and over the south ridge of Mangahuia.
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| Resetting a trap |
From 1037m, we followed the south ridge all the way up to the peak, searching out the traps that were positioned at 100m intervals. The ridge begins climbing gradually through the beech for 1km before steepening sharply to rise up to the summit.
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| Climbing the south ridge |
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| View down to the Oroua River |
As we climbed higher, we found some open spots to take in the amazing views up towards the main divide, and all the way down the Ruahine Ranges to the south. Fortunately, there is a track cut through the leatherwood, after which you follow your nose through tussock, speargrass and alpine plants for another 1km to the top.
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| Emma on the south ridge |
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| View down the ranges from the south ridge |
At the peak, you can choose to return to the car park via Deadman's Track, but we went for the slightly quicker option (the way we came) via Rangi Hut, enjoying some sunshine and fantastic views on the way down.
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| Mangahuia 1583m |
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