North-South Track (Part 3): Poupou Stream to Motutapere Hut

I must have been tramping at least six hours by this stage, and exhaustion was starting to set in. The track heads back into the bush for a bit with plenty more stream crossings, which was lucky because I was getting low on water. After the bush section I came onto the exposed ridge, greeted once again by thick fog. I had to laugh at how comical it must have looked to see my head bobbing along the long grass - it was like an emo version of the Sound of Music. Some of the blue markers got trickier to spot, but I just put that down to the fog and being vertically challenged. I bet this would have had stunning views in better weather.

It was between the Kauritatahi Hut junction and Motutapere Hut that I really struggled. A section that should only really have taken about an hour, took me almost two. The rain had made the narrow and rooty track much harder going than it really should have. That’s the reality of solo tramping - when you tackle a track, you have to know the limits of your mental fortitude, not just your physical ability. What got me out of my head was seeing a buck run off down the hill - there was just something about it that gave me the energy for the final push to the hut.

I arrived at the hut around 8pm, around 10 hours since I set off from Poupou Stream. Two long days in a row had started to take a toll on my knees. The swelling from the day before was only getting worse, but fortunately still no cramps. I spotted the fireplace and there was plenty of firewood, but decided it wasn’t cold enough so I didn’t light it in the end.

North-South Track (Part 1): SH29 to Te Whare Okioki

Tramping in the Kaimai Ranges is an interesting backcountry experience. On one hand you can be by yourself for hours, grunting up a spur on a narrow, rooty, hella muddy track. Then on the other hand, the sound of planes overhead reminds you that you’re not that far from people at all. It’s not to say it commands less respect, because here, you have to earn those stunning views.

As my last adventure for 2021, I did a four day solo mission to cover half of the North-South Track. The plan was to start at SH29, then stay at Te Whare Okioki (formerly Ngamuwahine Shelter), Poupou Stream and Motutapere Hut. I walked out via Tuahu Track and got picked up at Hot Springs Road in Katikati. Te Whare Okioki means ‘the resting place’, and when you get there, you’ll see why. I’ve learned that my mental focus and fitness is good for around four days during solo missions. Taking my average level of fitness into account, this was a good challenge but still allowed me to enjoy it.

The full North-South Track is 82km and maintained by the Kaimai Ridgeway Trust. I found lots of great info on their website with possible itineraries (approx. 5-7 days of decent tramping days). There are huts and campsites along the way. If you’re on Facebook, make sure to join the Kaimai Tracks and Huts Users group. Regulars and track volunteers are always happy to pass on current track info and tips.

Rapurapu Kauri Track in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest

I’ve been ticking off a lot of the day hikes in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest and the Rapurapu Kauri Track was the perfect kind of chill hike to get me out of my recent funk. Normally, I like to hike at least a couple of hours for each hour I’m in the car - I guess this one was the exception. I figured I could make a day of it and grab a late lunch on the way home.

The start of the track is along SH 29, it’s not signposted, but easy enough to find if you Google ‘Rapurapu Kauri Track’ like I did. Even though the turn off to the car park isn’t signposted, there is an official DoC (Department of Conservation) sign on the fence at the start of the trail. You’ll walk through a grass track and a wide gauntlet of gorse for about 10 minutes before you reach the bush edge.

I had recently joined the Kaimai Track and Hut Users Facebook group page before going on this hike, and if you use Facebook, I highly recommend it. We had had a storm a few days before and someone posted photos of large windfalls from that morning. It was still passable, but it’s always good to know what you’re up against. The same was said about the water levels - it was high enough that you were definitely going to get wet feet, but not enough to make stream crossings dangerous.

Te Waihou walkway and Blue Springs in Putaruru

Te Waihou Walkway and Blue Springs is located in South Waikato near Putaruru. It’s almost two hours drive from Whakatāne, so we decided to stay the night in Putaruru as I thought it would be too long for Mum and Dad as a day trip. You know, I don’t even remember having ever passed through Putaruru, but I did discover that they had a cheese factory called Over The Moon Dairy & Cafe. Cheese and hikes...man life’s good!

The North Island's Highest Waterfall - Wairere Falls

The best views always come from some gut-busting hikes and Wairere Falls didn’t disappoint. It’s the highest waterfall (153m) in the North Island after all. Even though it was less than two hours to the top of the falls, the 400m elevation made the last 30 minutes (from the lower lookout) a challenging hike in the 30C heat.

Some parts of the track are only wide enough for one person, and add to that it was Waitangi weekend, there was a lot of giving way. The steepest section comes after the lower lookout and I didn’t have to use my poles until then. I saw plenty of families with younger children at the top, so I guess with a bit of time it’s still fairly accessible as a family track. I even saw some people walking in jandals, though I wouldn’t recommend it.