Penny Stove Geocache, Ruahine FP

I’d just been away for an interesting week’s flying up in Auckland and was looking forward to a bit of a rest, but the weather for Saturday just looked too good to pass up. Given that I decided this late on Friday afternoon, I was expecting to be going tramping by myself. However on the off chance, I gave Scotty McIntyre a ring. He didn’t take much arm twisting, so I had a buddy to tramp with. I’d been wanting to place a GeoCache for some time now and thought tommorrow would be a great chance..

Scotty rocked up in the dark as advertised. I’d been toying with a few different routes for our trip and upon consultation with Scotty, we agreed to do a thru-loop with a car shuttle. We’d start up the Oruakiritaki Stream, go up over the ridge to the north and descend the Kumeti Stream to the other waiting car. Some where along the way we’d place the Geocache..

We enjoyed a great sunrise lighting up the Te Apiti windfarm as we drove east in the light of a new day. Pausing briefly in Woodville for some fuel and a notebook for the Geo Cache, Scotty and I made it to the Kumeti Rd end with little fuss. Loading my stuff into Scotty’s Smurf, we bounced our way back to the Oruakiritaki and began hiking.

As I’d remembered it, the Oruakiritaki was a delightfully little stream with a number of fun rugged sections to overcome. Infact, as we continued past the hunters access to Kiritaki Hut, the stream became rather gorgey, with some neat waterfalls and chutes to climb up, around and through. It was looking very canyoniferous, but sadly returned to normal near the uphill turnoff to the north.

Though the weather was forecast to be clear, it was rather overcast and a little nippy. Scott and I paused for a quick nibble and change of clothes before the uphill push. The track ascended very steeply up a thin spur through the sub-alpine scrub. Occasionally we would pop out in a clearing and get to examine our progress.

Scotty was fresh from the Kaweka Challenge and I was feeling rather unfit, so every ‘progress examining’ stop was gratefully received. On the far side of the valley, the bright orange roof of Kiritaki Hut gleamed in the distance. Once up the side spur, the angle of ascent diminished and we were afforded our first views out to the north east. The once overcast sky had begun to break up and before long we were slogging uphill beneath intense sunlight.

The track was now the typical ‘Leatherwood Corridoor’ of the southern Ruahines. Arriving at the crest of the main range, we arrived at a track junction with good views and some shelter.

Time for lunch it seems!! As we munched on yummy sandwiches, I brought out my little ultralight Penny Stove to show Scotty and brew up. He was most intrigued with the little can stove and rather impressed when I fired it up! Sipping piping hot berry Tea, we scouted the local area for a suitable spot to place our Geo Cache. Not far away a good location was found and the Cache duly hidden..

Glancing at our watches, we packed our bags and began our long descent of the gentle ridge towards Kumeti Rd. Under the hot sun we chatted about Scotty’s Vietnam trip whilst walking past beautiful views. At one stage we even heard a deer stag roar!

The track lead us steeply off to the north of the ridge and quickly down to the Kumeti Stream. From there, it was a simple walk through the dry gravel stream bed and back to our cars… Adventure complete!!

Track Times

Oruakiritaki Stream to Kiritaki Hut Turn off 2hrs

Hut Turn Off to tops intersection 1.5hrs

Tops intersection to Kumeti Rd End 1.5hrs