Trip report by Jenny Andrew
Trip dated: Fri 3 - Sat 4 March 2006
This trip was re-scheduled from a Friday-Saturday format, cancelled because
of torrential rain in the Coromandels.
When five of us, Jenny (scribe), Rae (leader), Ken, Bryan and Anne, set out
on Saturday morning after a cosy night in the new bus at the Kaueranga Valley
road end, we could not have asked for better weather. Frost clung to the grass
as we sauntered up the Webb Creek track at ACTC crack of dawn time at just after
8 am. There was an atmosphere of suppressed excitement and caution as we had
received many warnings about this track from numerous people, including DOC.
It was reputed to be long, difficult to find, overgrown as maintained by DOC
and best tackled as a two day trip. Some (but none of us) had felt that the
project was too ambitious as most made it a two day trip, staying overnight
in the Pinnacles Hut. We five were determined to give it a good go and make
the best of it. We all had confidence in our abilities as experienced trampers
who are not afraid to make it up as we go.
The feeling that it was summer became a conviction as we reached the junction
close to the Pinnacles Hut for morning tea. As we sat at the cross roads, a
large group of young American (mostly) departing the Pinnacles Hut greeted us
cheerfully as they passed with their tutors. They had enrolled at an EcoQuest
school which gave them hands-on experiences and ecological insights, as I understand
it. There is a website to check out. Food for thought contributed by one of
our number on the appropriateness of a commercial group taking up beds in the
hut and potentially excluding New Zealand taxpayers. However, one of the tutors
was a local who used the Rangihau track to walk out from her hut warden days.
There was no difficulty ahead except that it could be slippery in wet weather
at the Rangihau end.
The well marked track took us over a stream which run down the Kaueranga gorge.
A previous torrent had torn out trees and left them above us in a heap. We luxuriated
in the sunshine and had a cup of tea. There is nothing like fine weather to
make you feel invincible. As is usual fresh air. the greenery of the bush and
the majesty of the ranges, stimulated some highly interesting conversation not
at all related to our surroundings, although future trip possibilities were
discussed in the region. There was some hand over hand climbing up clinging
to roots and branches to get out of the stream and then a relatively easy course
over ridges until we reached the highest point before descent to the Rangihau
end. The track was well defined and well trodden except where we picked our
way over a slip which had dammed up a stream. There were plenty of orange markers.
Slips of vegetation were observable on steep slopes of the ranges around us.
The hardest part was the heat which would be even more problematic in summer.
On the Rangihau side we passed a zone which had been burned-out save for a healthy
ricker standing alone in the midst of dead trees. The bull-dozed track was exposed
for most of the way. Young saplings were growing up through the track track
closer to Rangihau. They would have been useful in wet weather to hold on to
as the greasy white clay would be far more slippery and would ad at least another
hour onto the track time. We crossed the river at the end over the boulders
while one of our party used the swing bridge. At the end of dirt road there
there is a gated paddock and further on a ford to cross to reach the privately
maintained Rangihau road. An hour later we reached the bus parked at the end
of the public road by the gate warning the vehicles not to proceed any further.
We were then to Rae and Quentin's house at Hahei for an evening of luxury.
The trip was a resounding success. The Coromandel Ranges provide magnificent
tramping country. We took nine hours in favourable weather. This should not
be possible in wet weather or summer heat. Water might be a problem in summer
if the streams are low.
Thanks are owed to Ken and Dianna for driving the bus, to Rae and Quentin Mitchell
for their hospitality, to Dianna for catering for everyone and to Ken, Dianna,
Janine, Judy Mac, Bryan, Anne, Rae and Quentin for their company.
Jenny Andrew
(Sorry there are no photos because none of us took a camera. Another trip will
have to be scheduled to capture the scenery and the enjoyment of this track.)