Around The Mountain, Mt Taranaki, New Zealand – Day 1

North Egmont Visitor Centre to Stony River (GR 877 533 NZ Topo Mao BJ29 1:50 000)

9.5 km, total 13km, 6h 25m (1110 – 1735)

I have always wanted to do the Around the Mountain Circuit of Mt Taranaki (formerly Mt Egmont) but for some reason had never gotten around to it. Mt Taranaki is a beautiful cone mountain formed by volcanic eruption. It is dramatic as it rises steeply in a symmetrical triangle from the relatively flat plains at its foot. It is capped with snow during the winter and is one of New Zealand’s most dangerous mountains with 80 deaths having been recorded and many more near misses, usually caused by having hard frozen snow on a 30 – 40 degree slope.

(Stock image from internet, not taken by my)

Mt Taranaki’s other claim to fame is that it has starred in Hollywood at Mt Fuji in the film “The Last Samurai” starring Tom Cruise.

I was not sure what the trail conditions were like but suspected it was an average NZ tramping track standard considering the trail does not appear in most tourist brochures, including the Taranaki Walks pamphlet. There are many shorter tracks and the more well-known and publicised Poukai Circuit Track. The DOC (Department of Conservation) brochure said the Around the Mountain Circuit track was 49km and recommended it to take 4 days.

Thankfully it was a nice day and I arrived at the North Egmont Visitor Centre mid-morning. I purchased a map and asked for updates on the trail. Unfortunately the route I was planning to take had to be changed as 1.5km of the track was closed due to severe slips so instead of traversing around the mountain I had to descend a ridge on Veronica Loop Track and Ram Track, cross over the Waiwhakaiho River and climb back up the ridge on the other side of the valley on the Kokowai Track. This detour added an extra 2.5 km and instead of just 270 vertical meter climb it was a 250m descent and 520m climb.

I left just after 1100 and was on a nice trail that sidled around the hill before connecting with Ram track to drop down the ridge. The descent was steady and the track was in good condition. Occasionally there was a break in the trees and I could look across the gorge to see the ridge that I was going to climb back up

Near the bottom of that track was a small stream crossing and stairs up a steeper bit before the junction out to the road. Now the slope eased a bit as I descended and just before the river was a series of steep stairs dropping down into the gorge and across a swing bridge.

Now the climb started and it was a steady climb, with a few steeper sections up the ridge. As I was now away from the main trails there were no more stairs.

There was one section where the trail was right on the edge of the steep drop off down to the gorge that you would not want to do if you were scared of heights, though the track was a decent single track so it wasn’t too bad. There were occasional peaks through the trees at the mountain but it was hard to get a good view.

About half way up three girls came down the hill asking if I knew when the Kokowai Track started. They were very happy to hear they were already on it and only 40 minutes from the bridge.
It was sad that I was barely hearing any birdlife. The Egmont National Park had been ravaged by pests such as possums, stoats and rats which severely affected the vegetation and birds. Heavy conservation work started in the 1990’s and it is improving but definitely one of the quieter forests I had been in for a while.
As I gained height the vegetation changed from the lush forest to shorter trees to alpine scrub and the view of the mountain became clear. I could see the ridgeline I was on continuing to climb, the trail I was originally intending to go on snaked below the cliffs and the slips were clear to see.

I came across a man who appeared to be in his 60s who was a local and said he had taken the track and that it was not too bad. He was flying down the hill and looked pretty fit, except for a large beer belly. He told me there was a man about 15 minutes in front of me who looked to be in a bad way and to keep an eye out for him.
I was feeling pretty good, despite the steady climb, though I was stopping often to take photos, video and just admire the view both above me and across the plains below to the ocean.

An hour and a half after crossing the bridge I arrived at the track junction and was back on my planned route. The signs were very clear on the track closure. Now I was on a popular track and the path was wide and well maintained.

It was a steady descent heading around the mountain with the views constantly opening in front of me. I could now look across the swamplands to the Poukai Range to the NE and down the mountain and plans to the ocean to the W. There were information boards describing unique things about the area such as the purple carnivorous snails unique to this National Park, the stratification in a section of bank and the forest of dead trees, killed by possums.

One long section of the trail was covered in boardwalk which I struggled to walk normally on as my toes seemed to catch in the gaps as my foot was moving forward. This was probably not helped as I was staring out at the view more than my feet.

Coming down the hill I could see the hut toilet but not the hut.
At the intersection I met the man I had been warned about and he was looking exhausted but had enough water and energy to cover the last 500m to the hut.

The track dropped down to a riverbed which was completely dry. I had been intending to fill up and was now hoping the hut had water. Not long after climbing out of this riverbed I arrived at the hut. It was large hut with 32 bunks.

Holly Hut

It looked full with 10 pairs of socks hanging on the veranda rails. Inside were two people sleeping, at 1515hrs, and one of them was snoring quite loudly. Several of the bunks in the other rooms had gear in them which I assumed was the Goat Control hunters that several signs has warned about – the hunting not the hunters! I had lunch and filled up my water but decided that having a relatively full hut, and a loud snorer was not what I was after on this trip so continued on.
I was planning to stop at the next nice looking campsite but ended up walking another 3.8km before finding what I wanted. The trail was flat through a small patch of bush before re-entering the alpine vegetation and going around the base of “The Dome” a steep little hill.

The track then dropped down into the forest and dropped steeply. This section had once been nice with lots of stairs but had not been maintained for several years and the rain had washed the dirt out between the wood supports meaning I was having to balance and step from support to support which was a bit of a pain and tiring. Thankfully my hiking poles helped with my balance.

After the steep section was an intersection with a 10 minute walk to a waterfall. It seemed like an interesting detour and was a short hike to the river. It was them boulder hopping up the side of the river to get closer to the waterfall, though it was visible from where the track came out of the bush.

Back on the main trail it was flat and for the first 10 minutes and there were signs of recent vegetation maintenance with dead grass over the track but after 10 minutes this changed drastically. The trail emerged from the bush into an open area alongside the river. The trail was really overgrown, and the ground was really rocky, making for slow going. There were a few stream crossings but I was able to hop across all of them.

The track then climbed steeply out of the river valley and went through the mossy forest. Being on the west side of the mountain this forest got plenty of rain and was a lush vibrant green, though sadly still pretty quiet. I was starting to get a little tired and was actively looking for a campsite but the terrain did not suit it. Either the slope was too steep, the vegetation too thick or in the few flat open bits it was too wet. Finally I found a tiny little clear patch that I could squeeze my tent into with millimetres of clearance only to the trees on two sides.

I prepared my dinner and desert. Once my mattress and pillow were inflated I sat there looking at the vegetation around me relaxing. There was one bird calling that sounded like a male Kiwi but it only called for a few times so must have been something else.

An hour after I was set up I heard a really weird noise on the trail coming to me. I was really confused as it sounded like a four legged animal but moving strangely for a goat or deer. I only had a few seconds to consider this when a loud snuffling noise sounded right at the side of my tent making me jump. Next was the nose of a large dog pushing into my insect netting desperate to see what this strange person was doing in the tent. Two more dogs joined it and finally two men in Fluro Orange hunting gear, carrying rifles. They were really good at calling the dogs away, despite their reluctance to leave this interesting puzzle. After a few comments about nice tent spot, which I interpreted as why are you crammed in to that tiny spot they were on their way, to the hut I assumed.

Thankfully the rest of my night was a lot more peaceful.

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