OFF the BEATEN TRACK
The Tararua Range is punctuated by ‘classic’ tramps, routes trodden over many decades and memorialised in generations of photo albums. Of these routes, the southern and northern crossings are perhaps the best known. The most spectacular, though, would be the traverse of the main south range from Junction Knob to Bridge Peak. Add an off-track excursion into the rugged Snowy River and there's a recipe for an unforgettable experience.
My friend Emily and I shouldered packs and began down the Ōtaki Gorge Road from Shields Flat. It was a hot morning in April. We were soon over the Ōtaki River swingbridge on the track to Waitewaewae Hut, but 500m along the track abruptly turned up the hill and lost all semblance of civility. We scratched up the slope, glad the ‘track’ wasn't wet.
The reason for this detour was
