Kaimanawa Mountains: Thunderbolt Circuit

Kaimanawa Mountains: Thunderbolt Circuit
 

Date: Thursday 21st November to Sunday 24th November

Location: Kaimanawa Mountains

Difficulty: Easy-Medium. 6-7 hour days. Basic navigational and bushcraft skills are a plus, but suitable for first timers.
Conditions: A few short and steep climbs, but mostly on the ridge. Day 1 and 3 are poled routes with visible tracks. Day 2 is following a well used hunting trail and backcountry route, or alternatively following the Waipakihi river.
Max People: 8ish, but since we are camping basically as many as cars will allow. Speaking of, we need cars! If you can drive/bring a car, you'll get priority on the trip & I'll shout you dinner :) Also looking for co-leaders for the bushbashing/nav bit!

Note: The trip may be adjusted as weather conditions allow. The ridgeline is beautiful but exposed.

Costs: Waipakihi Hut is $10 + around $150ish in fuel split among your car + around $5-10 per night for group dinners.
Gear: We will be camping most nights. You must bring everything on the overnight tramp list, your own lunches and breakfasts, and plenty of snacks. Warm windproof and waterproof layers are a must. Bright clothing is recommended as there's lots of hunters.

Itinerary

Day 0 - Depart in the afternoon (No later than 3:30pm) from Wellington on Thursday to make the 5 hour drive to the Waikoko Valley Campsites. Get dinner along the way. Camp for the night.

Day 1 - Start reasonably early to begin the 7 hour walk across the Umakarikari Range to the Waipakihi Hut, the only hut on the western side of the Kaimanawas. It's a small-ish 12 person hut and popular with hunters, so we might have to camp. It's one of the few parks where hunting dogs are allowed, so if we're lucky we'll get a hut dog.

Day 2 - This is the weather dependent route. 5-7 hours. Either head up the Middle Range track and follow the hunter/backcountry trail across the ridgeline to the Thunderbolt access, or descend with the Waipahiki River. Some bushbashing may be required. We'll camp at the river's edge. If the weather is absolutely perfect, we can camp on the tops too.

Day 3 - Start off with a river crossing, then head up to the Urchin Track. Excellent views of the Central Plateau. Then descend back down towards the carpark, and be back in Welly by 7-8pm. OPTIONAL post-hike soak in the Tokaanu Hot Pools if people are ok with getting back very late (10pm-ish)