Kaimai Tramp November 1985

Click on thumbnail to enlarge or return to Tramping Index

K11_14: Ian Bardsley

Here are virtually the only pictures of an adult Keith without his beard!!

4 nights, November 1985: Trampers were: Alan Rogers, Alan Leopold, Ian Bardsley, and me, Keith Blayney. This was my first tramp with Ian's group. We started with a 300m grunt from behind Te Aroha up over the Tui Saddle (passing the old Tui mines), then we swung north by the Mangakino Stream to Daly's Clearing Hut, near old logging works. The big kauri was beyond this, but the sheer drop and magnificent views from the top of Ananui Falls was awesome.


K11_15: Alan Leopold

K11_20: Alan Rogers

K1IB1: Keith & 2 Alans at ruins [photo IB]

K11_18: Tui gold mine ruins

K11_19: Tui gold mine ruins 2

K11_21: Ferns

K11_28: Daly's Clearing Hut

K1IB2: 2 Alans & Keith [photo IB]

K11_29: Maungawhio tapu

K12_01: Alan L & kauri

K12_02: Peaking over Ananui Falls

K12_03: Ian above Ananui Falls

K12_06: Waitengaue Hut

K12_10: Ian crossing stream

K12_17: Ian on old Kauri Dam

K12_18: Kauri Dams Shelter

After Waitengaue Hut, we went to the eastern edge of the Park before heading up the Wairoa Stream with its many Kauri dams, and stayed in a pleasant ponga shelter. Rather than stay in the 18 bunk Waitawheta Hut the next day, we worked our way up a badly eroded track in the rain onto the Kaimai Range to the 3 bed, rat infested leaky NZFS Upper Waitawheta Hut. Guess who ended up sleeping on what was left of the floor? The last section involved dropping down the historic Waiorongomai Valley, dotted with old gold mines and tramlines, some with very impressive slopes.


K12_19: Kauri Dams Shelter 2

K12_24: Pigeons

K12_29: Old Mill stream

K12_30a: Keith on log

K12_31: Forestry Hut

K12_33: Ian in Hut

K12-34: a Waiorongomai tunnel

K12_E: Overgrown tracks

K13_00: Gold extractor ruins

K13_01: Another Waiorongomai tunnel

K13_03: more ruins

AR1: Drinks at Te Aroha