Around Mt Taranaki – fast-pack

Date: 30-31 December 2021

Distance: 47.5km

Time: 20hrs

As mentioned previously, Gerry and I usually try to get away from civilisation and into the mountains around Christmas and/or new year. This would normally involve a five day tramp or something similar. This year we opted to go further and faster, by looping both Mt Ngarahoe and Mt Ruapehu in three days, followed by looping Mt Taranaki in two days.

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Pouakai hut, Holly hut and back, with a twist

For some time now we’ve been keen to walk this stretch in the Egmont National Park with friends who live in New Plymouth. Gerry and I have walked this twice before, but each time coming from the mountain side, walking out to the carpark. As we know, doing the same route in the opposite direction often proves to be a different experience. But, as it turns out, the mountain looks exactly the same as the previous times – rainy, windy, cloudy and cold! Again, we did not see the mountain’s reflexion in the tarn on the way in, or out two days later.

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