Waipakihi Hut

From the track entrance, the track climbs steadily up through beech forest to the bush line. After the bush line, the track continues to climb towards the summit of Urchin. It passes an interesting array of alpine plants. The Urchin trig is located at 1391 m, usually reached 2-2 hours 30 mins from the road end. The trig is a good place to stop for lunch, with a wide vista of Lake Taupō and the volcanoes of the Tongariro National Park. From the trig, the track travels for about 2 km across the open tops. You reach a track junction, with the option of descending off the side of the ridge or continuing along a ridge towards Umukarikari (U2 Route). Take the right-hand track, to descend off the ridge. The track descends steeply into the middle reaches of the Waipakihi River Valley. There are many great places to camp in the valley or you can continue upstream to Waipākihi Hut near the top of the valley (an additional 5 - 6 hours of tramping). There is no marked route to Waipakihi Hut, you will need to follow the river valley. It will be dangerous if the river is high (for example, during/following heavy rain). Assess the river carefully and don’t attempt this trip if you aren’t confident that it’s safe. Genesis Energy monitors flows in the Waipakihi River, see Genesis Energy website or phone +64 7 386 8113.

From the road end, Umukarikari Track climbs steadily through beech forest to the treeline. From there it follows a poled route along the Umukarikari Range, with spectacular views across the Kaimanawa Forest Park, Lake Taupō and the volcanoes. The route passes Sharp Cone (1481 m) and the Umukarikari summit (1561 m). From the summit, the route follows a long, open ridge. At the end of the ridge, the track drops down into the Waipahiki Valley. The route crosses the Waipakihi River. This crossing is not bridged, so take care – it may not be passable during/after heavy rain. From the true left of the river, a short track leads up to Waipakihi Hut. The hut is popular with hunters and trampers. It has excellent views of the river valley and the Kaimanawa tops.

Follow the track down from Waipakihi Hut to Waipahiki River. Follow the markers downstream to the bush edge. The route then climbs a steep ridge through the bush. It reaches the bush line at around 1300m, then continues to climb to the high point at 1475 m.