Southern beech, Pinnacle Creek

I left Waterfall hut some time after Laura and Jono, following them back up Pinnacle Creek. I'd hoped to catch them partway up but, delayed by the Ruahine's offer of photographs, I didn't meet them until I found them waiting at the foot of the final climb to the saddle.


[2 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 38mm, ISO 200, 1/50 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

Evening rainbow, Pohangina valley

The weather's been all over the place recently. This afternoon was beautiful and the forecast for tomorrow's even better, but up until yesterday we've been having squally rain, some of it more persistent than the brief, torrential downpours. One of the joys of this kind of weather, though, is the kind of evening you see here. Short-lived but spectacular.


[25 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 30mm, ISO 200, 1/60 at f/4]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

The Pourangaki catchment from Wooden Peg

By the time we'd left the main Hikurangi Range and made our way to Wooden Peg — a bump on the ridge — we'd left the misty cloud well behind. Clear blue skies make for dull photographs, so this was one of the last before I packed the camera away for good.


[2 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 18mm, ISO 200, 1/200 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

Pinnacle Creek, Ruahine Range

After the initial steep descent into the head of Pinnacle Creek, the route's straightforward all the way to the Kawhatau and Waterfall hut. Here, Jono descends one of the small, rocky steps in the head of the creek; further down, the riverbed opens out and takes on something of the character of the beautiful Kawhatau, with small terraces and beech forest that remind me of some of the Canterbury riverbeds.


[1 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 31mm, ISO 200, 1/500 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

Waterfall hut, Ruahine Range

Almost as soon as we'd arrived, Jono set about making a fire. Waterfall has been kept as an historic hut, so the traditional open fireplace hasn't been replaced with a wood-burning stove, as has been done for many of the Ruahine huts. Consequently, until the fire's burning strongly, you have to keep one or both windows, and possibly the door, open at least a little or the hut fills with smoke. Thanks to Jono's good efforts, though, we stayed comfortably warm without asphyxiating.

This was only my second visit to Waterfall but, as on the first occasion, I felt a slight wrench when I closed the door for the last time the following morning. I guess that says a lot about Waterfall hut.


[1 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 12mm, ISO 200, 1/5 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

The way to Waterfall hut — Pinnacle Creek

The descent into the head of Pinnacle Creek is straightforward if you pick the right route. Here, Laura and Jono lead the way in near-perfect conditions for tramping. Although hard to discern on this small version of the photograph, Waterfall hut can be seen as a tiny point of light near the centre of the photograph, just to the left of the scree near what appears to be the end of the creek (the hut is actually on the far side of the main river, the Kawhatau).

[This morning I published a new post on Pohanginapete. Check it out if you're curious.]


[1 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 12mm, ISO 200, 1/640 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

The way to Pinnacle Creek (2)

Jono stopped further up the ridge track to photograph (I suspect he has a photograph of me photographing him). Further still up the ridge, Laura was nearing the top of the long climb. A strong, cold wind blew, but that's usual for the Ruahine.


[1 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 26mm, ISO 200, 1/320 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

Evening over the Pourangaki Valley

At the top of the track that drops steeply to Pourangaki hut, we paused to enjoy the evening. Within an hour I'd reached the transition between scrub and forest. The last sunlight had slipped from the ridgetops and the cold had begun to tighten. I packed the camera away and dropped into the rapidly darkening forest to catch Jono and Laura.


[31 May 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 12mm, ISO 200, 1/320 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

Kaikawaka at sunset, Pourangaki valley

Near the bushline on the descent from the tops to Pourangaki hut far below, I lingered to photograph the last of the sunlight. In places, the track was still solid with frost that had remained unthawed all day. Moving fast kept me warm, though, and I caught up with Jono and Laura a few hundred metres above the hut. We almost made it without resorting to headlamps.


[31 May 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 31mm, ISO 200, 1/15 at f/2.8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

Spectre of the Brocken

In the early morning shortly after we climbed out of the head of Pinnacle Creek and began the long walk along the tops, the low sun grazed the tops behind us and cast our shadows on the mist in the Pourangaki valley — ideal conditions for the phenomenon known as the Spectre of the Brocken. I've only seen it once before (that I remember).


[2 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 40mm, ISO 200, 1/500 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor

The Way to Pinnacle Creek

I returned this afternoon from three days in the Ruahine with Jono and Laura. We walked to Kelly Knight hut then up over the tops and down to Pourangaki hut on Saturday; on Sunday we climbed the spur you see here and dropped down into Pinnacle Creek, which we followed down to the Kawhatau River and the delightful Waterfall hut. Today we started at first light, climbed back up Pinnacle Creek, then followed the tops along and down to Purity hut and eventually back to the car park. A Queen's Birthday weekend to remember — Ruahine tramping at its finest.


[1 June 2014, Olympus OM-D EM-1, 12–40mm f/2.8 at 12mm, ISO 200, 1/400 at f/8]

All content © 2014 Pete McGregor