TE ARAROA
Wellington
Before walking the Kapiti Coast to lovely Wellington, the tramper must negotiate the challenging, but breathtaking, Tararua Range.
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TA Day 60, Makahika Outdoor Pursuits to Dracophyllum Hut, 25 km
A 2-day weather-window means fast walking over muddy, tussocky ridges and goblin forests.
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TA Day 61, Dracophyllum Hut to Waitewaewae Hut, 13 km
On a spectacular day, Blissful summits Mount Crawford before steeply down to the Otaki River.
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TA Day 62, Waitewaewae Hut to Waikanae, 34 km
It’s a sidling nightmare past a landslip, up to Mount Pukeatua, and down a clear cut to road.
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TA Day 63, Waikanae to Paikakariki, 21 km
After tough mountain walking, it’s easy along the river, an estuary and the grogeous beach.
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TA Day 64-65, Side trip! Mt. Taranaki
Blissful climbs Mount Taranaki to greet the sunrise on New Year’s Day as the first to summit.
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TA audio narrative: weather window
The most important lesson I learned is if the weather is good, keep moving.
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TA Day 66, zero day
Trail Angels Rob and George insist I take a zero day and they give me Veet to finally clean up my legs.
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TA Day 67, Paekakariki to Camp Elsdon, 28 km
The Escarpment Track rises steeply with fabulous views of Pukerua Bay and the Tasman Sea.
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TA Day 68, Camp Elsdon to Wellington, 29 km
It’s steep up Colonial Knob, then quiet Ohariu Valley and Mount Kaukau with Wellie views.
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TA Day 69, Wellington
Blissful takes a “nero” walking through the Botanic Gardens and visiting bays strung like pearls.
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TA Day 70, ‘slackpack’ Wellington, 15 km
It’s up steep Mount Victoria and Albert before visiting Shorland Park at the end of the island.