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Upper Huia to Upper Nihotupu

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Stephen
Upper Huia to Upper Nihotupu

Details

(You need to read the full description carefully and prepare your answers for the 3 RSVP questions before you RSVP :-)) ...

On Saturday we are going to Piha Road in the heart of Waitakere Ranges for a one way semi-loop hike from Upper Huia car park to Upper Nihotupu car park. Highlights include two concrete dams built in 1920s which may be overflowing after recent rain, scenic reservoirs, waterfalls, a tramline, a tunnel, a variety of native forest, and some rugged tramping tracks.

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Duration: about 5 hours hike (including stops)

Distance: about 13km

Speed: medium pace

Difficulty: 3½ on our 1-5 scale (a bit harder than average)

  • Main difficulty is roughness of tramping tracks. Upper Huia Dam Track and Christies Track have both been quite rough, muddy, and slippery in the past with lots of tree roots and obstacles like fallen trees on tracks.
  • There are a few shallow stream crossings which may require getting feet wet (especially Huia Stream crossing on Christies Track).
  • Distance and hill climbing difficulty is average. Elevation range is about 320m downhill from start and about 220m uphill to end with some moderately steep sections.

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Important Notes:

  • This meetup is for experienced hikers with good sense of balance and suitable footwear for rough and uneven tramping tracks. Not suitable for beginners.
  • Hiking boots are highly recommended (sport shoes may not be good enough).
  • Some sections of track are narrow with steep drop offs on the side. Care is needed not to fall down the side.
  • This is a one way hike so a short car shuttle is required between both ends after hike. All direct drivers need to carpool from Upper Nihotupu car park and leave enough cars there before the hike for shuttle after the hike.
  • You need to be sure you are fit, agile, and experienced enough, and your footwear is suitable enough, to complete whole hike with group at medium pace okay.
  • You are responsible for your own safety & preparation, and keeping up with medium pace of middle of group. If you fail to keep up with medium pace, you may be informed that group will no longer wait for you and advised to go back same way. You need to be prepared well enough to complete hike or return same way on your own in case you need to.

Requirements to attend this meetup:

  • To help simplify things, to attend this meetup you need to:
    -- Be a member of Auckland Hiking Group; do not bring guests.
    -- RSVP Yes on time;
    -- Answer the RSVP questions (see below) when you RSVP, and answer correct code word to RSVP Question 1.
    -- Complete whole hike with group okay at medium pace okay.

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Meeting Places:
(Click bold links to see exact location and satellite view of each meeting place, and italics links for street views.)

Driving Directions:

Transport, Carpooling and Car Shuttle:

  • Carpooling will be arranged for everyone meeting at New World after arriving there (transport permitting; you can read more details here (https://www.meetup.com/auckland-hiking/pages/Transport_and_Carpooling)).
  • Those not carpooling from New World need to carpool from Upper Nihotupu car park so enough cars are left there for shuttle after hike.
  • Upper Huia car park is not large. To help minimise number of cars we park there, any New World cars with space for more passengers will stop at Upper Nihotupu on the way to pick up direct drivers.
  • There is no option to go direct to Upper Huia car park.
  • If you want a ride from New World there's no need to arrange this in advance: just answer the RSVP questions.
  • If you can offer rides or want a ride from a different location you can mention this in Conversation below then contact each other to arrange your own carpooling.
  • Each carpool passenger from New World gives $10 to driver.
  • After hike, all drivers will shuttle back to Upper Huia, pick up cars, and return to Upper Nihotupu to pick up waiting passengers.

Time Guideline: If meeting at New World:

  • 09:15 - Good time to arrive at New World, meet & greet
  • 09:30 - Latest time to arrive at New World, arrange carpooling
  • 09:35 - Leave New WorldIf going direct to Upper Nihotupu:
  • 09:55 - Good time to arrive at Upper Nihotupu car park
  • 10:05 - Latest time to arrive at Upper Nihotupu for carpoolEveryone:
  • 10:15 - All at Upper Huia car park, introductions
  • 10:30 - Start hike
  • 15:30 - Approx end hike
  • 17:00 - Approx return to New World

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Maps:

Hike Details:

  • Basically, we hike from Upper Huia car park to Upper Nihotupu car park via Upper Huia Dam Track, Huia Dam Road, Christies Track, and Upper Nihotupu Walk, including a short loop from top of Upper Nihotupu Dam down to tramline and back. See hike route map (http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/d/b/9/a/highres_453416218.jpeg) for junction numbers in following details.
  • (S) Starting from Upper Huia car park, go down Upper Huia Dam Track beside Snowy Stream and Upper Huia Reservoir.
  • (1) Explore top and base of Upper Huia Dam, then continue down Huia Dam Road.
  • (2) Turn left onto Christies Track down short distance, cross Huia Stream, then mainly uphill.
  • (3) At Summit Track junction, go left down to Upper Nihotupu Dam.
  • (4) At shelter on east side of Upper Nihotupu Dam, turn right down road.
  • (5) At picnic area with toilets, turn right on tramline to base of dam, then up steps on face of dam.
  • (4) Back at shelter on east side of dam, turn left on Upper Nihotupu Walk road.
  • (6) At junction with toilet, turn right on track to Upper Nihotupu car park, end of hike (E).

More Information & Links:

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Bring:

  • lunch and drink + additional snack food
  • footwear suitable for tramping tracks
  • clothing suitable for spring
  • rain protection
  • copy of hike route map (on paper or mobile device)
  • GPS device (if you have one)
  • plastic bags for wet and dirty footwear & clothing
  • additional clean clothing & footwear to change into after hike
  • first-aid items (at least for cuts and scratches)
  • cash ($10 if carpool passenger + optional extra for refreshments)

Additional Notes:

  • 9:30am is the latest time to arrive at New World and 10:05am is latest time for direct drivers to arrive at Upper Nihotupu car park. We aim to leave New World and start hike exactly on time. We are unlikely to wait for late people. Arriving early is good :-)
  • It is safer and generally more fun to hike together as a group. We aim to do this with stops at track junctions and other points for group to regather. However, there's no guarantee this will happen so prepare well for this hike in case you become separated from group.
  • There are toilets at base of Upper Huia Dam, beside tramline, and at north end of Upper Nihotupu Walk (junctions 1, 5, 6 on hike route map), but none at either car park.

RSVP Questions:

  • You need to answer the following questions when you RSVP (including correct code word for question 1) to stay on Going list.
    (1) What is the code word to acknowledge: you have read the full description carefully; you accept you are responsible for your own safety and preparation, and keeping up with medium pace of group; and you are sure you are fit and experienced enough to complete whole hike up and down rough tramping tracks with group at medium pace okay? (Code word is: 'upper')
    (2) Where will you first meet us?
    -- (A) Victoria Park New World;
    -- (B) Upper Nihotupu car park?
    (3) What is your transport and carpool status:
    -- (A) driver, will bring transport, can offer rides;
    -- (B) backup driver, will bring car, can drive if needed but prefer to get ride;
    -- (C) passenger, need a ride;
    -- (D) other (please explain)?
  • Notes:
  • You will normally be prompted to enter your answers to these 3 questions when you RSVP Yes.
  • There will just be one space to enter all 3 answers. Best to simply enter code word for question 1 followed by single letter for question 2 and single letter for question 3. After this you can spell out your answers in more detail if you like.
  • If you aren't prompted to answer (there are some cases where this might not happen) then:
    -- change/update your RSVP to get prompt.
    -- if not working for you on app, try to change your RSVP on website.
    -- if still not working, message your answers to Stephen (https://www.meetup.com/auckland-hiking/members/7405475/).
  • If you don't answer the questions as required, your RSVP will probably be changed to No. If this happens to you, you can change your RSVP back to Yes if you answer the questions as required :-)

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Preparation:
It is important to be well prepared. Before we meet:

  • Know how to get to all meeting places (even if you won't be driving, you may need to help navigate) and set up GPS if you have one.
  • Study hike details & maps well enough so you are sure you can complete hike or return on your own if you need to (in case you become separated from group).
  • Prepare everything you need to bring (if you need anything from supermarket then arrive early).
  • If you might be driving, have car fuelled and ready to go.

Weather Forecast Links:

Clean Footwear:
Everyone is asked to bring footwear that this clean of dirt before we meet for at least 2 reasons:

  • To help prevent spread of kauri dieback disease (we will also use any footwear cleaning stations provided);
  • To avoid dirtying someone else's car (take care to put dirty footwear in plastic bags after hike too).

RSVP / Are you Going?
If you are interested to attend:

  • Read the full details of this description carefully first;

  • RSVP Yes online soon; by 7:15pm Friday;

  • Answer the RSVP questions as required when you RSVP;

  • If you decide later not to attend, change your RSVP to No;
    Thanks :-)

  • Stephen (https://www.meetup.com/auckland-hiking/members/7405475/)

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