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This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 83, no 8, September 2010

Beyond Holdsworth's Forest Lookout (M)

13 August 2011

Forecast-induced weather anxiety almost had us heading to western foothills, but, arriving at Holdsworth carpark we debussed into full sunshine - the only sun we were to receive on an otherwise windless, rainless but cloudy day.

Turning left after crossing the Atiwhakatu bridge we took the broad DOC track rising to the Forest Lookout at about 580-600m, somewhat higher than shown on the map. (Neil's GPS showed the track also deviates significantly from its line on the map; see illustration.) Beyond the Lookout a good pad including orange triangles continues south west to Bump 670 and on along the ridge, finally descending to Gentle Annie Saddle. (The Saddle itself is well marked as is the track down to it from Carrington Ridge in the west, so there is a marked track, not shown on the map, looping from the road end via the Lookout to Gentle Annie Saddle and back to the road end via Carrington Ridge and the Mount Holdsworth Track.)

However we chose not to descend to the saddle but to continue south along the ridge to Bump 637, a good pad through forest. From the bump we followed a spur (even this minor feature carrying pink marker tape at its top) west down to Carrington Creek east branch, across and up onto Carrington Ridge. Then north along the ridge track to the well marked Gentle Annie Saddle turn off, down through the saddle and up the track to rejoin out inward route on the ridge above.

The trip was intended to be largely off-track, a vain hope in terrain so near to such a popular road end. Seven hours, about 10.5 km and 1050 m of ascent.

Party members: David Castle, Neil Challands, Colin Cook (scribe), Susan Guscott, Sieny Pollard, Bob White, Cathy Wylie.

Category: Day Tararuas

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