Trip Reports

Snapshots from our  Facebook  Page of the more recent trips are given below, click on these to get more photos of the trip.  Use the links below for full trip reports and to access more photos

2025 Reports 2024 Reports 2023 Reports

2022 Reports 2021 Reports 2020 Reports  2019 Reports    

2018 Reports   2017 Reports  2016 Reports  2015 Reports   

2014 Reports   2013 Reports 2012 Reports   Private Trips

Cycle Trips

To access older trip reports use the Pohokura archive here

JUNE 2025

Don Juan from Te Kowhai 29 June

Sentry Box area 18 June

Kaweka Tops 15 June

Havelock North Reserves 4 June

Pureora 31 May – 2 June Full Report

A small group travelled over the Pureora Forest Park and based themselves at Waihaha Hut for two nights.

MAY 2025

Kuripapango Area 21 May Full Report

Two stayed near the Lakes Road carpark, first venturing down to the Tutaekuri River and then later walking along to the twin lakes. The second ground climbed up past Kuripapango trig and on through the beech forest to get views across to Ruapenu.

Cattle Creek Hut- 16-17 May

One access to Cattle Creek hut starts at the end of Tamaki West Road. From there you follow the track to Stanfield Hut then carry on up the river a bit, to the ridge track that takes you over the main divide. The track down to Cattle Creek hut is about 1.5 Km past catchment boundary between the Pohangina and Manawatu Rivers. Four HTC members took a 5 hours leisurely walk from carpark to Stanfield hut for lunch and Cattle Creek hut for the night. Next day back to carpark over ridge down to the river and back 5hrs return time with an 1hr lunch stop. They tackled some pretty strong gusts of wind at the top of the ridge on the way out.

Lotkow Area 4 May Full Report

A morning trip along the Black Birch range, dropping in to Black Birch Bivvy for morning tea, then carrying on a long the main track for 30 minutes before returning for lunch at Littles Clearing. Early afternoon was spent checking out the first section of the track to Ferny Ridge.

Dealing to a rat trap on the Black Birch range track

APRIL 2025

Aranga/ Upper Makaroro / Parks Peak Loop 25 -27 April

Five club members took the opportunity to complete a tramp they had to abort last June due to bad weather. They started at Mathews Shelter, having first deposited a second vehicle near the Sentry Box track. First up the steep Golden Crown track and then along to the dilapidated Aranga Hut for the night. On the Saturday they carried on along the tops and then descended down Totara Spur to Upper Makaroro Hut. From there it was an uphill grunt to Parks Peak Hut for the night. Sunday saw them return to Mangleton Road via Sentry Box ridge to the car.

Poraiti 23 April

Leon Kinvig and Makaretu Huts 19 – 21 April Full Report

Ormondville Area 9 April

Middle Stream – 6 April Full Report

MARCH 2025

Upper Matakuhia Hut 22-23 March

Kaweka Hut Site 12 March

Te Iringa – Kaimanawa 2 March

FEBRUARY 2025

Blowhard Bush 26 February

Barlows Hut and Colenso Spur 23 February Full Report

Te Karamu 12 February

Kiwi Saddle Hut 6 – 9 February Full Report

Red Island 2 Feb Full Report

JANUARY 2025

Stanfield Hut 19 Jan Full Report

Guthrie Smith Arboretum 15 Jan

Powell Hut 11 – 12 Jan Full Report

Waipatiki Reserve 5 Jan Full Report

DECEMBER 2024

Studholme Hut 14-15 Dec Full Report

Daphne Hut and the Tukituki River 1 Dec Full Report

NOVEMBER 2024

Putara 16-17 Nov Full Report

Cairn – Kaweka J Full Report

OCTOBER 2024

Te Iringa – Kaweka Range 20 Oct Full Report

Waikamaka Hut 4 – 6 Oct Full Report

SEPTEMBER 2024

Top Maropea & Sunrise Huts 22 Sept Full Report

The final tramp in September was a day trip to Sunrise Hut and, for some, Top Maropea Hut. It was a cloudy morning with reasonable views but rain set in early afternoon so rather than finish off the day with a walk around the Swamp track we went directly back and headed for home.

Apiti Track 18 Sept Full Report

This was a Wednesday walk in the hills behind Norsewood. Here we walked part of the Apiti Track, some getting as far as the beech forest, had our lunch in the sun and returned to the van. We then drove around to the end of Manawatu River Road to view Whare 1 and the riparian planting that started there in 2013 to improve the water quality of the Manawatu River.

Rangiwahia Hut 7-8 Sept Full Report

Seven of us travelled over to the western side of the Ruahine Range and walked in to Rangawahia Hut. The weather was not kind which limited options and the rest of the afternoon was spent at the hut.. However, on the return journey 5 went over Mangahuia Peak (1583m) and along the ridge in low cloud, then back to the carpark via Deadman’s Track. The other 2 returned to the van directly and alked down the road.

Taradale Walk 4 Sept Full Report

This was a Wednesday walk i. We started beside the Church Road winery and walked through to Churchill drive then up Sugarloaf regrouping again on the other side at the Lance Leikis Reserve. A short road walk took us to Maggies Way which we followed to Dolbel Reseve. Here it started to rain so most made their way back to the cars.

AUGUST 2024

Coppermine Track and Wharite Peak 29 Aug Full Report

This Sunday the van and 2 cars drove to the Coppermine carpark behind Woodville. We all followed the main track, diverting into the Coppermine Stream where the track had washed out, to the Wharite turnoff. One group did a return trip to Wharite while the rest checked out the copper mine then carried on along the loop track back to the carpark..

Lake Opouahi and Thomas’s Bush 21 Aug Full Report

This Wednesday we drove to Lake Opouahi where we walked to the far end of the lake, followed the side track to the predator proof fence gate and then crossed the paddocks to the Thomas’s Bush loop track. We walked the loop track, loosing it in places and then returned back to the van.

Te Puia and Makino Huts 11 Aug Full Report

This was an extra long day trip to Te Puia Lodge as the van couldn’t make the hill after the Middle Hill carpark. Fortunately, with 16 on the tramp we had to take a car as well which was 4 WD and was able to ferry most to and from the road end. We started the tramp around 9 and the last ones got back to the van around 6.15. Some walked through to the Mangatainoka hotpools while others returned from Te Puia lodge via the Makino Track.

JULY 2024

Central Plateau 27 – 28 July Full Report

Waipatiki Reserve 17 July Full Report

Manawatu Gorge 14 July Full Report

JUNE 2024

Aranga and Parks Peak Hut 28 – 30 June Full Report

Poor weather and bad visibility meant we couldn’t do the round trip we planned. Instead we walked into Aranga Hut via Golden Crown on the Friday and spent the night crammed in the hut. Saturday we retraced our steps to the Parks Peak range and followed the track to Parks Peak Hut and spent the night there. We returned back to the van on Sunday via the Sentry Box ridge and the long walk along the road.

Havelock North Reserves 19 June Full Report

Galbraith Hut 16 June Full Report

SW Kaimai Mamaku Conservation Park 1-3 June Full Report

MAY 2024

Whirinaki Forest Park 18-19 May Full Report

Taradale Hills 15 May Full Report

Waewaepa Reserve 5 May Full Report

Ngaruroro Pathway May 1 Full Report

APRIL 2024

Kaweka J – Cairn Trip 25 April Full Report

The Hogget 7 April Full Report

Mokai to Lake Colenso Easter Full Report

MARCH 2024

Awatere and Happy Daze Huts 24 March Full Report

Haumoana to Clifton 13 March Full Report

Zekes Hut 9 & 10 March Full Report

FEBRUARY 2024

Training Day and Half 24-25 Feb Full Report

Waipawa Forks Hut 11 February Full Report

Lake Tutira 14 February Full Report

Bell Rock 7 February Full Report

Bridge To Nowhere 3 – 6 February Full Report

JANUARY 2024

Blackhead Point to Blackhead 28 January Full Report

Ruamahanga and Putara Road end 13 – 24 January Full Report

Black Birch Bivvy 7 January Full Report

DECEMBER 2023

Puketitiri 17 December

Maraetotara Reserves 13 December Full Report

NOVEMBER 2023

Unofficial Cairn Trip 19 November Full Report

Kaweka Lakes 15 November Full Report

Boundary Stream 5 November Full Report

OCTOBER 2023

Labour Weekend Whirinaki Forest Full Report

18 Oct Tukituki Trails Full Report

8 Oct Ruamahanga Valley Full Report

4 Oct Waipatiki Reserves Full Report

SEPTEMBER 2023

20 Sept Holts Forest and Lake Waikopiro Full Report

9 – 10 Sept Howletts Hut Full Report

6 Sept Te Mata Park Full Report

AUGUST 2023

27 Aug Sparrowhawk Bivvy and Gold Creek Hut Full Report

17 Aug Ahuriri Estuary Full Report

12 -13 Aug A weekend near Pahiatua Full Report

2 Aug Clive to Haumoana Walk Full Report

JULY 2023

30 July A Frame Hut and Rokia Track Full Report

19 July Kairakau and Mangakuri Beaches Full Report

14 – 16 July Pureora Forest Park Full Report

2 July Kahuranaki Full Report

JUNE 2023

17 – 18 June Burn Hut Full Report

3 – 5 June Northern Hawkes Bay Full Report

MAY 2023

20 May Cape Kidnappers area Full Report

17 May Blowhard Bush Full Report

6 – 7 May Totara Flats Hut through tramp Full Report

3 May Te Mata Park Full Report

APRIL 2023

25 April. Te Angi Angi Marine Reserve Full Report

9 – 10 April Mackintosh Hut Full Report

MARCH 2023

25 – 26 March Kiwi Saddle Hut Full Report

11 & 12 March Southern Escape Full Report

Saturday Sledge Track, Hardings Park and Arapuke Park (Manawatu)

Sunday: Mangapuaka Stream toward Kiritaki Hut

FEBRUARY 2023

12 Feb Awatere and Longview Full Report

5 Feb Kaweka Flats and Iron Whare Full Report

JANUARY 2023

14-16 Jan Waikamaka Working Bee Full Report

A group of 5 traveled to the end of North Block Road, then up to Waikamaka Hut via the Sunrise Track and upper Waipawa River. Over 3 days a goodly amount of hut maintenance was done.

14-15 Jan Top Marapea. Full Report

A small group stayed the night at Top Marapea Hut this weekend. While Sunrise Hut was busy there was only 1 other who spent the night with them at this 4 bunk hut,