Powell
Hut
On a clear day, Powell Hut
provides extensive views of the southern Tararuas and Wairarapa
Plains. I think some of the best pictures of Powell are Winter
snaps such as
this.
Powell Hut was originally
built in 1939 by those from the Hutt Valley Tramping Club who
wanted to ski. Following World War Two, many skiers migrated to ski
fields on Mt Ruapehu and the hut fell into disrepair. In 1981 a
collaboration between the Hutt Valley Tramping Club and the NZ
Forest Service raised the money for a Lockwood Hut. This burned
down in 1999, so in 2000 DoC spent over $150,000 on a new building,
delivering the materials in 85 helicopter
trips.
Today Powell Hut is one of
the busiest in the Tararuas and you need to book between November
and February (inclusive) if planning on staying a
night.
Getting
to the Cache
The best options for picking up this cache are as part of a daywalk
to the Hut or while completing the
Jumbo -
Holdsworth Circuit. Both
begin at the end of Mt Holdsworth Road, which has a large carpark
with toilets, picnic areas, a hut and a caretakers
residence.
Jumbo - Holdsworth
Circuit
The Jumbo - Holdsworth Circuit is around 24km long and generally
completed in 2 days, with a night at one of the Huts along the way.
It can also be completed as a long daywalk (probably best done in
the summer months). For the really crazy, the circuit is also a
known mountain run, playing host to the annual Jumbo-Holdsworth
Trial Race which has a current record time of 2hrs
16mins.
The circuit, which can be completed in a clockwise or anticlockwise
direction, includes beautiful beech forest and terrific travel
along the tops. Despite being well marked with snow poles, the
alpine traverse to/from Mt Holdsworth to Jumbo can be dangerous in
stormy weather. On a fine, calm day, however, it's a fantastic
place to be.
Daywalk
From the Mt Holdworth road
end it is a matter of following the signs to Powell Hut (signposted
as 7km, 5 hours), up the well formed 'Gentle Annie' track to
Mountain House Shelter. It is around 2km up to
the Hut from the Shelter, climbing from around 730m to 1200m. It is
in bush most of the way so is realatively sheltered even in bad
weather.
If heading back down,
around 400m after Mountain House Shelter is a turn-off to a track
down to the Atiwhakatu Stream which comes out just before the
Bridge Over River Pig Cache and you can continue
along this back to the Carpark. It is slightly shorter, but the
track down to the Stream is rich in tree roots and boggy in places
(i.e. pretty rough going).
The
Cache
The cache is located above
the Hut, so requires heading up the track for a couple of minutes
towards Mt Holdsworth. It is an Ammo Can with a Logbook, pencil and
pencil sharpener.
Note that it is likely to
be covered in snow during winter.
Other
notes
- Please ensure you are
properly prepared.
- The Tararua's are renowned for their changeable weather so bring
extra clothing and food.
- There is some cell phone
coverage above the bush line, including at the Hut.