The view North towards New Plymouth from Pouakai Hut is interrupted by this prominent peak, which the Mangorei Track circles around enroute to the hut. Among locals it has been known as Photographic Peak as the view North and up and down the coast is an awe inspiring panorama, but it is the view South of Taranaki visible over the Pouakai plateau and hut that really makes the trip worthwhile.
Among Walking track categories, DOC describes a Route as...
- Challenging tramping/hiking
- Track unformed and natural, may be rough, muddy or very steep
- (Suitable for people with high level backcountry (remote areas) skills and experience, navigation and survival skills required)
- (Complete self sufficiency required)
- Track has markers, poles or rock cairns. (Expect unbridged stream and river crossings)
- Sturdy tramping/hiking boots required
The 'track' to the geocache is not even a route - you are retracing a very old track/path to the summit of peak 1232. Note there are no track markers, poles or cairns to follow, but once you're on the 'track' the route is fairly obvious. (It's actually much easier coming back).
Due to its close proximity to Pouakai Hut (500m straight line), this is not really as dangerous as this description suggests.
This is the approximate route to follow...
From the Mangorei track bend below the Pouakai hut, STAGE1, follow the definite path in a northerly direction to "the Sewer". This is part of the original Mangorei track, so named as the water flowing down the track had worn out a large pipe shaped passage, resembling a sewer pipe beneath the streets of a city like London. This was the actual track up to the plateau before it was upgraded in the late 1970s.
The ridge you need to ascend is ahead of you on the skyline, so still continuing in a northerly direction, you'll pass some large rocks, a large lone rock and a boulder field.
Continuing northwards through a patch of waist-high leatherwood the 'track' is still visible beneath your feet, you'll exit that to a beautiful moss field. Please keep to the obvious path here as the moss is quite fragile.
Still continuing basically north, negotiate the track through some more leatherwood to the rocks at the western end of the ridge mentioned above, STAGE2.
Climb (if you're confident, you won't need to use your hands) the obvious track up the ridge through the boulders to the summit at elevation 1232m. At the NE end of the summit there's a prominent rock under which the cache lies.
The cache is a 120ml camoed Sistema under something no photographer can do without.
Enjoy the views. Below you to the North is the Mangorei track crossing Grayling's Clearing, with road-end and New Plymouth in the distance to right up and down the Taranaki coast. To the South, Taranaki looms large over the Pouakai plateau with the hut in the near distance. The full extent of the Pouakai range is spread in front of you from West to East. On a good day Ruapehu and the other Tongariro National Park mountains are prominent. This is a great place to be at sunrise or sunset.