This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper in August 2000
The Southern Main Range
4-6 February 2000
The traditional way to do a weekend Southern Main Range trip is to go to Kime on Friday night, Andersons Hut on Saturday and out to Otaki Forks via Shoulder Knob on Sunday. I was keen to depart from this a little bit by going from Kime to Waitewaewae Hut on Saturday given good conditions. The trip to Kime on Friday night was made easier by a dinner break and a brew at Fields Hut. We had reached Fields without the use of torches but from Dennan we were following the familiar small circles of light on the ground. Our first objective of the weekend was reached in a little under three and a half hours tramping. After a brew and an inspection of the, by now, clearing sky we had a good nights sleep with the expectation of a good day on the tops.
We were all up early next morning since our expectation of a good day had been realised, announced loudly by the first person out the door, a magic Kime day. Shortly after 6.30 we were on our way to Maungahuka in calm bright conditions. While travelling between Vosseler and Yeates our day was made even brighter as we were treated to a very professional rendition of the hit songs of the sixties and early seventies by Mike and Tim.
At Maungahuka we were greeted by the traditional mist and a work party from the Tongue and Meats who were doing some hut maintenance. Since taking responsibility for the Hut the Tongue and Meats have done a great deal of work and the hut is in really good shape. After a long lunch and a brew we set off for Andersons still in good conditions; calm and a little high cloud to take the heat out of the sun. Andersons Hut was a bit of a mess with a strong rodent smell and droppings on the floor and on the bunks. It would appear that the DOC cupboard had been broken into and the food left around. After a brew and a rest and something to eat we were on our way to Waitewaewae Hut which we reached just on dark. The total time, including the meal stops, was 14 hours.
Waitewaewae Hut was a popular place but we all managed to secure a mattress and some place to rest our bodies after a rather late meal. The toll of a long Saturday couldn't have been too much as we managed to walk out to Otaki Forks in about three and a half hours on Sunday morning.
The party members were Yvonne Ashworth, Bernard Molloy, Sieny Pollard, Dave Reynolds (Leader and scribe), Mike Rose and Tim Stone.