I was shivering and looking at the side of a mountain. It was 8am on the 25 th February 2006. The shiver may have been due to apprehension, or maybe the fact that I was wearing shorts and a singlet! I wasn’t alone (although most of the crowd were wearing considerably more clothing than me). Why, then, were we standing there?
Half-way between Taihape and Napier lays the Kaweka Forest Park. Home to the annual Kaweka Challenge: “the highest mountain race in New Zealand” they tell me. Of course, you don’t have to run. Most people don’t. You can enter the mountain marathon if you’re a die-hard trail runner but there are a large selection of grades and courses to choose from.
My good friend Shannon and I were about to embark on our first Kaweka Challenge. We had entered the Men’s Pairs grade on Course Four. We’d chosen the two day version of the course meaning that as well as the mandatory survival rations and clothing, we were required to take a free-standing fly and sleeping bags.
Thirty kilometres later we would be standing on this spot again as finishers. Between now and then would we get lost? Would we get horribly sunburnt? And most importantly, would we win any of the fantastic prizes available? The course prescribed that we were to climb 750m to Kuripapango Hill at 1250m above sea level, follow the ridges via Kiwi Saddle and Kaiarahi (1500m) to Mackintosh Spur and then descend Mackintosh Spur to Mackintosh Hut. That would be our overnight camping spot.
I had completed much of the course on a tramp with my father during the Christmas holidays. The memory of a couple of “navigational glitches” plagued my mind (not too sharp from an orienteer and a mountaineer!). I was much more relaxed as Shannon and I jogged along though. Small orange streamers marked the route thoroughly.
We had high hopes. We were silly enough to intend to be some of those people who ran most of the way! Shannon is a former school-boy whiz kid, literally. He was one of New Zealand’s top school-boy road racers when we were at high school. I was in the New Zealand Orienteering team for the Junior World Champs a couple of years ago. So we figured we were contenders. We had even bought new socks!
The climb up Kuripapango was the first obstacle. We toiled away up the well-used footpath through the native bush. Steep, but not too steep. The spur that the track follows flattens out a bit when you’re two thirds of the way up. You also get to the alpine vegetation at around this point. We gazed at the distinct tree-line contouring the mountainside as we entered the moon-like gravels and low-growing shrubs. The windswept spur offers Waratahs as way-markers. The occasional cairn reminds you that this mountain is often blanketed by snow in the winter. And what a view at the top! If you look back on your way up you can see the river winding away below and a fantastic waterfall crashing into it. Look to your left and you can see Ruapehu in the distance. Definitely a good excuse for a “drinks break”.
After reaching the top of Kuripapango we started passing through native beech forest where the canopy gave some welcome shade after bounding all the way up. The blanket of tiny dead leaves was terrific to feel under the feet. An undulating ridgeline lead us, on an overall descent, to Kiwi Saddle. This was the first checkpoint and gave us the opportunity to refill our water.
An altogether much gentler ascent was encountered as we continued on. The climb was spread out over a longer distance too. We took it in turns going ahead as we progressed along the 8 inch wide furrow carved through the bushes by generations of hunters and trampers. The ridgeline that we came to was much less up and down than the one on the way to Kiwi Saddle. We took the chance to eat some of our muesli bars and appreciate the alpine daisies while we half hiked, half trotted along.
We soon reached “Castle Camp”, a small polythene-walled construction used by hunters in the summer. It was nestled in a small dip beneath the tree-line and gave us a second chance for the day to refill on water. By this point we had started to experience the onset of cramps. The sweating had caught up with us! (Must remember to put a pinch of salt in the water next time.) We scaled the day’s last climb to reach Kaiarahi at 1500m elevation. The second checkpoint of the day marked the entrance to Mackintosh Spur and the longest downhill of the whole course. By this point however Shannon was being crippled by his cramp.
I don’t think either of us will ever forget the experience of him having to walk down Mackintosh Spur. Backwards! This decreased pace certainly suited me too. My quads were beginning to scream. In pain-free hindsight the descent of the spur was actually rather pretty. Radiata had invaded this area of the Park which made for a new change in scenery. The root network has allowed for some razor-sharp spurs to develop, just to keep you on your toes.
The spur flattened out into large clay pans surrounded by wattle scrub. At this point we knew that it wasn’t far to the finish-line for the day. Yet another change in vegetation saw us on a dry track surrounded by swamp-land. We reflected later that night on the cramping problems and the time that these lost us. The decision was made that we would go at a slower pace the next day and absorb more of the stunning surroundings that we were in.
As we trundled towards Day One’s finish-line at Mackintosh Hut we slipped back into Native Beech forest. We were welcomed and congratulated by the volunteer marshals and the team that had finished before us. This was a universal experience for all of the people coming over the finish-line at the hut. Even as we had our gear-check the officials were warm and friendly.
The rest of the afternoon saw us set up our fly, fetch water and congratulate the other challengers entering the camp. The stream provided not only a water source but also a great spot to soothe aches. As we soaked a fair few others joined us and recounted their tales of the day. We had all been over the same arduous course and everyone at the camp felt a real camaraderie that evening. There was a total mix of people out there. Ranging from the fifteen year veteran to the backpacking couple from Chile. Needless to say, a lot of friendly banter also flew between competitors over tea that night.
On day two we were set off at intervals depending on how behind the course leaders we were. This created a “chasing start”. Anyone over an hour behind their class leader was set off in a mass start so that everyone had ample time to complete the course.
The route for the day was shorter and didn’t climb back up to the ridgeline. Instead we found ourselves crossing the river a few times as the track negotiated the wild terrain. As on day one there were several vegetation changes as we progressed. Native Beech gave way to Native Bush as we traversed the base of the mountain on our way back to the start/finish area. Although we crossed the river at least three times we always found a way across to keep our feet dry. I found the first half of this day to be the most exciting of the event. There were short, sharp climbs and descents following twisty little tracks and even the odd place where we had to stop for twenty seconds to locate the next way-marker tape.
We climbed up a winding path pushing the Toitoi leaves aside and the path widened. Thereupon we saw four-wheeler tracks. The first sign of civilisation since the Huts that had been airlifted into the Park! In another couple of minutes we could see the Lakes Car Park. This was our last checkpoint before we were on the 6km finishing straight.
After the car park comes a treat. Commercial forestry that the general public are only allowed to pass through during the Kaweka Challenge. The course itself weaves in and out of the forestry meaning we got a good mix of native Bush as well.
The course from this point was the flattest it had been with one exception “The Wall”. This steep rise came at the end of a long flat section of track used for logging tucks. To our eyes it seemed to go straight up for a mile! The scramble didn’t take long though and fifteen minutes later we were crossing the finish line.
Did we get lost? Almost. Sunburnt? Not Shannon. Prizes? We left before prize giving and missed out on our random spot-prize of a sleeping bag. Rats!
I would like to thank the Hawke’s Bay Orienteering Club and the Heretaunga Tramping Club for their organisation of the event. I heartily recommend this as an event where it is safe, sociable and above all satisfying to get out into one of New Zealand’s fantastic tramping areas.
Todd Oates