The team at the end of the trip.
A GWBNteam of Jim Hepburn , Michael Guerin, Brett Main and Derrick Field spent the last 4 days clearing the 6.3 kms of this track from Richards Knob to the Ohau river. This was always going to be the most challenging job this summer, with the last maintenance looking like more than 10 years ago, and needing to camp on the track, with long commutes
Our camp gear, packs, fuel etc was dropped into a camp site at Mayo Knob, under the Kamahi canopy by Pilot Bill Rainey of Cold Air Helicopters. .
Brew time
Cutting began from Richards Knob but after 8 hours of hard going, seemed we’d only done about 400 metres. After which was a 2 hours tramp to camp at Mayo knob.
Back at the camp site at about 6pm, the gear delivered by @Bill rainey was found a few meters from the GPS waypoint. In some mud.
Our camp gear, packs, fuel etc was dropped into a camp site at Mayo Knob, under the Kamahi canopy by Pilot Bill Rainey of Cold Air Helicopters. .
Pick up by Bill Rainey of Cold Air Helicopters
Cutting began from Richards Knob but after 8 hours of hard going, seemed we’d only done about 400 metres. After which was a 2 hours tramp to camp at Mayo knob.
Back at the camp site at about 6pm, the gear delivered by @Bill rainey was found a few meters from the GPS waypoint. In some mud.
Next day didn’t seem much better with about a further 700 metres of progress. And the long walk back to camp.
.
Eventually the regrowth eased a bit and on the 3rd day to cut the remaining track to the camp after a longish day ending at about 7pm
The Gable End Ridge, with track cleared
Last day wasn’t much easier, with cutting downhill to the river, and taking gear and , equipment for the days effort, plus returning to camp and collecting our rather heavy packs. So after about 7 hours of down, up, down every 100 meters of descent we got to the heli pickup site at the Ohau river near the old shelter site. Pleased it was over.
The track is used by Te Araroa walkers and trampers heading direct to Te Matawai, and also by those doing a Waiopehu-Gable End-Ohau valley loop. Now made a bit easier. The frequent mud along the track wasn’t solved, and didn’t help progress. This will hopefully be dealt with in Plan B for the track. When funding allows.
Big thanks to the Backcountry Trust for funding this and further maintenance in the Ohau