Posts Tagged ‘Hunua Ranges’

Kohukohunui No 2 – Hunua Ranges, Auckland, New Zealand

Wednesday, June 30th, 2010

S 37° 02.295 E 175° 13.178

60H E 341662 N 5899402
Quick Description: Kohukohunui Trig, at 687 metres above sea level, is the highest point in the Auckland region.
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Long Description:
Unfortunatley there are no views from this trig but a beautiful walk through the native bush with views on the way. This is a challenging track defined by markers, steep in places, muddy at the tops. It will take 6 – 8 hours return depending which track you choose to take.A round metal plate located under the wooden trig has no identification numbers on it.

When I visited the trig the S.A.S. Army were in training and had covered the trig with cammo cloth to hide their radios and to keep them waterproof.

Latitude and Longitude are in terms of New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000
Geodetic
code Latitude
Longitude Orthometric
Height Order
Height order Land
District Name
1325 37° 02′ 17.64731″ S
175° 13′ 10.65240″ E 687.63 3
3V North Auckland KOHUKOHUNUI NO 2

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Te Araroa – Hunua Ranges South and on to Mercer

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

Saturday 30th January – 31 kms, 8.25 hours

An early start because of forecast rain saw me heading off from Moumoukai into the Mangatawhiri valley on a crisp sunny morning. As it happened the rain did not arrive, and my 4 crossings of the Mangatawhiri river were not much more than ankle deep. A steady climb up to the ridge on leaving the valley included a crawl through a large tree fall, but good to see track work is in progress with the construction of new steps on the steeper sections.

The ridge tramping track that followed was well marked and as promised had a very steep downhill section at the end – could be a great slide after rain ! The track out leads past what used to be the smart Hotel Du Vin – now part of Dilworth College. Road walk down to the junction with what is now the Old SH2 – great now that it has only 1 vehicle every 5 minutes, rather than the continuous stream before the new expressway opened. Then a pleasant road to follow over to Mercer on the Waikato River to prove that I am now into Te Araroa’s Waikato section.

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Totara Park to the Hunuas

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Saturday 23rd January – 37.2 km – 7.75 hours

Heading up through Totara Park I am now on the eastern edge of Auckland. On top of a ridge, Te Araroa then follows Redoubt Rd – for the moment anyway – off towards Whitford, and then turning towards Clevedon. But a welcome turn away from roads takes me onto Kimptons Track and the hill reserve behind Clevedon. With lookouts back to where I have come from, out to the Hauraki Gulf, and towards the Hunua Ranges.

Road walking accompanied by cyclists on a 100km race, and then into the Hunuas on the Wairoa River Track – mostly following this rushing wee river for 5 km before taking me out onto Cosseys Dam Road, near the Hunua Falls.

Thanks to Tony for his brilliant account of his experiences

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