Ohakune

Friday night, April 2, we booked into a B&B in the tiny town of Ohakune (about 1000 people) at the southern end of Tongariro National Park. It is the ski center for the other side of Mt. Ruapehu but is pretty quiet in the summer. That evening, following the advice of the B and B host, we went to dinner at the biggest restaurant in town--a sort of large sports bar. The main room was full so we seated ourselves at a comfy couch with table in a deserted room off to the side. Mark went round to the bar to order. About 30 minutes later, the management turned on all the big screen TVs and we were no longer alone! A big rugby game between the Christchurch Crusaders and the Wellington Hurricanes was being televised. We ended up having a lengthy chat with some Kiwis there for the Easter holidays but not all that interested in the game. We all tuned in for the big plays, though.

Saturday morning was overcast and cold. We had a lovely big breakfast and did a little internet then headed out for the Ohakune Old Coach Road and Historic Viaduct Walk, about a 4 mile hike.

An aside: there is lots of pampas grass here--we've even seen hedges of pampas grass

The hike began on what was once a cobblestone horse-drawn coach road that served as a link between two railways. After hiking along rolling farmlands and through native bush and forest, we arrived at views of the two viaducts or train trestles as we would call them. The old one is no longer in use except as a walking and cycling platform. The new one carries the Overlander passenger train from Wellington to Auckland which we have tickets for in several weeks. Detailed history and engineering signboards along the way added to the interest of the walk. We completed the walk and went to town for a hot lunch.

             typical forest look from top of the walking trestle

After lunch, the sun came out, the clouds moved on, and the temperature warmed up dramatically. We decided we needed a grand vista or two now that we could see the mountain. First we drove the Ohakune Mountain Road to its end at the ski area. The drive up was a harrowing drive for me in the left side passenger seat--few guide rails and sheer drop-offs. I did better on the way down when we were on the inside of the road.

                                      
Mark all relaxed at the top of the road to the ski area.........

I was hoping for a short afternoon walk but our options were either 5-15 minute walks or an hour and half hike to the park’s highest waterfall, Waitonga Falls. We chose the falls walk. Once again we were hiking through beech forests on a well traveled path. About midway, we came to a large alpine bog where the path turned to meandering boardwalk. Towering Mt. Ruapehu’s reflection can apparently be seen in the small pools on a calm day--too much breeze and pool ripples on our day but glorious nonetheless. Was the kind of special place that makes a walk memorable.

 Mt. Ruapehu from the bog boardwalk 

                                                   

From there the hike went downhill--literally. We went down several switchbacks of giant steps to the bottom of the falls. Sadly, after a dry summer, the falls were not all that impressive.

fellow hikers playing in the stream--can you see the falls?!

All that energy for not much of a view and, of course, we still had to climb all those giant steps back up again. A return through the bog made it all worthwhile. Mark’s Whittaker’s chocolate bar helped, too.