Tutuwai Hut via Cone Hut

Overview: an overnighter to Tutuwai Hut from Waiohine Gorge Road via the historic Cone Hut.

 The DOC campsite at the end of Waiohine Gorge Road offers what has got to be the most impressive start to a tramp in the Tararua Range (if not the whole of the north island): the iconic suspension bridge over the lower Waiohine Gorge. Opened in 2007 to replace an old Forest Service swingbridge dating from the late 1980s, the bridge spans 124 m at a height of 40 m above the river - making it one of the largest of its kind in the country.

 Once across the bridge, the left branching track towards Cone and Tutuwai huts splashes through some mud, crosses a small creek, then immediately shoots steeply uphill. It's a real slog, a slow sub-2 km/h trudge, until the ridge proper is reached, about 1.5 km from the start. At this point the track flattens out nicely, punctuated with the occasional short, steep upward punch. The map looked promisingly flat in this area of the track, but I had suspected it would be 'Tararua flat' - where there is a heap of elevation change hidden with the 20 m contours of Topo50 maps. I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong.

The forest along the ridge is lush and green. The track is on the rough side, often muddy, but easy to follow - typical Tararua fare. It has been sheltered coming up to the ridge, but now a biting wind whipped through trees, enough to make even me put on another layer. 

The track ambles along, heading mostly westwards before swinging northwest around Pt 682 (the highest elevation on the track). Not far from here a signposted junction is reached. The left track drops straight down to Cone hut whilst the other option follows what seems from the map to be a gentler descent to Cone Saddle, from where another descends to Cone Hut. I take the direct option.

 

Cone at Cone

It's a steep descent, but less so than the ascent from the bridge. There's even a little bit if zig-zagging to ease the gradient. Shortly before the hut, the track from Cone Saddle is met. The rustic edifice of Cone Hut emerges suddenly from the surrounding trees.
Cone Hut is the second-oldest hut in the Tararua FP (behind Field Hut), and the sole example of a 'slab hut' (so named after the construction from totara slabs, cut and milled by hand on site) in the park. Its got an undeniable cool factor, though not enough to tempt me into spending the night. I suspect good company and a crackling fire would be required.

From Cone, the track follows the Tauwharenikau river downstream to Tutuwai Hut. DOC time suggests 1 hour. Maps suggest that it's mostly flat. Again, I suspected Tararua flat. Again I was wrong.

It's rugged, sure. There's some treefall, lots of mud, and a tiny landslide of loose rock at one point, but it's never difficult. The track is always near the river, sometimes right next to it, other times seperated by grassy flats. Several un-bridged creeks are crossed, though only two are of considerable size. Both had ankle deep fording points and fairly flat rocky bottoms. Hard to say how much they do or do not swell in heavy rain, but today it was easy to keep my feet dry. 

Along the way, DOC signposts point the way across the Tauwharenikau to first the Bull Mound track and later the Omega tracks. Eventually I arrive at the flats below Tutuwai Hut and then its a short final upward burst to the terrace the hut sits on.

The hut is clean and well looked after by the Greater Wellington Backcountry Network. It was downgraded from serviced to standard after recent cuts to DOC's budget, so there is no longer firewood supplied. The wind was roaring down the valley all night and I frequently awoke to the sounds of heavy rain and/or high winds. 

The next morning it was raining heavily, and I looked out the window to find that at some point during the night, the wind had stolen my gaiters from the porch, including the pegs I'd hung them up with.
I dilly-dallied for a while, on the off-chance the rain would let up. It was showing no signs of doing so, so I set off anyway.

 

After an hour I was back at Cone Hut, a welcome respite from the rain to stop for a quick break. I couldn't stay there forever though, so after a few minutes I was back on the trail, heading back uphill. I had considered going via Cone Saddle, but the rain turned my decision-making to favour the more direct route.

At some point I realised my jacket hood wasn't being pelted by fat rain drops, soon after that small patches of blessed clear sky could be seen through the trees. The track seemed steeper than it was coming down the day before (though still easier then the ascent from Waiohine gorge). Back on the ridge, it was easier going once again, if not slipperier than yesterday. 

 It was pretty clear by now that the rain wasn't returning, and the wind had the advantage of drying out a bit of my rain-damp clothes. It was a pleasant walk, if particularly muddy from the nights downpour. About 1.3 km from the bridge, the descent begins. It's not fun, but it could be worse. In many places the track consists of a layer of wet, slippery mud on top of even more slippery clay stuff. Careful steps are needed. Eventually I was back crossing the bridge, the river much higher today.

Times and Distances:

 Waiohine Gorge Road-end to Cone Saddle track fork: 4.10 km, 2 hr 11 min.
Track fork to Cone Hut: 1.35 km, 30 min.
Cone Hut to Tutuwai Hut: 3.67 km, 1 hr 14 min. Total: 9.12 km, 3 hr 55 min.

Map: