few pics of the 42nd traverse
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jims-terrano
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Wow thats a beautiful place and looks like some fun driving too.
bud
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the 42nd traverse is named after "State forest 42" which is a large expanse of native forest in the central north island just north of Mt Tongariro.
It was a 52km long logging road used back in the 50's and 60's to transport native logs to sawmills. Ironically the Sawmill I work at uses the very same head rig that cut those logs albeit updated and modernised with computer technology.
The actual track takes around 8 hours to complete from end to end starting at Owhango and ending on SH47 between National park and Turangi.(for those savy with google earth)
The track is on Department of conservation land so is public access from the 1st of december to 31st of march (our summer).
We arrived at Owhango at 11am and travelled half way in, along the way negotiating several creek crossings and steep rock climbs and a few slips.
Camping the night at Waione Creek. During the trip we bumped into the local Ranger who informed us any pests we saw he was more then happy for us to shoot.
So that night at camp we sat the rifle on the bonnet of the hilux, taking turns spotting with binoculars and picked off 2 pigs,4 goats and a dear up on the sides of the valleys.
Next morning our first obsticle was a 45 degree climb about 60 meters long striaght up onto a ridge, stopping at a side track that leads right to the rim of a extinct caldera volcano. After exploring a few older logging tracks and huts/ playing in a few mud bogs(nissan to the rescue again) it was back to civilization. All up a 650km round trip.
The track is probably not for the faint hearted, the tracks climb up and down the valleys with up to 500 ft vertical drop offs in places, mud tires, winch, snorkel and LSD's are a must.
It was a 52km long logging road used back in the 50's and 60's to transport native logs to sawmills. Ironically the Sawmill I work at uses the very same head rig that cut those logs albeit updated and modernised with computer technology.
The actual track takes around 8 hours to complete from end to end starting at Owhango and ending on SH47 between National park and Turangi.(for those savy with google earth)
The track is on Department of conservation land so is public access from the 1st of december to 31st of march (our summer).
We arrived at Owhango at 11am and travelled half way in, along the way negotiating several creek crossings and steep rock climbs and a few slips.
Camping the night at Waione Creek. During the trip we bumped into the local Ranger who informed us any pests we saw he was more then happy for us to shoot.
So that night at camp we sat the rifle on the bonnet of the hilux, taking turns spotting with binoculars and picked off 2 pigs,4 goats and a dear up on the sides of the valleys.
Next morning our first obsticle was a 45 degree climb about 60 meters long striaght up onto a ridge, stopping at a side track that leads right to the rim of a extinct caldera volcano. After exploring a few older logging tracks and huts/ playing in a few mud bogs(nissan to the rescue again) it was back to civilization. All up a 650km round trip.
The track is probably not for the faint hearted, the tracks climb up and down the valleys with up to 500 ft vertical drop offs in places, mud tires, winch, snorkel and LSD's are a must.
Ogri
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Oops, thought it must have something to do with the 42nd parallel, oh well :doh
macabethiel
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- Aug 20, 2008
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- 4,412
Off Road in Kiwi Land
Awesome looking place certainly must be a thrill to do the trip.
Awesome looking place certainly must be a thrill to do the trip.
