# Outdoors > Other outdoors, sports, huts and tracks >  Tramper missing in Tararuas

## ebf

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113...tararua-ranges

How on earth anyone would think it was ok to attempt the northern crossing during the weather we've had since Thu night is just beyond me  :Wtfsmilie: 

Unbelievable !

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## Tararuas hunter

Airforce chopper just went back in, still looking it seems
Not good place to be, if not in a hut
https://www.facebook.com/TararuaRange/?epa=SEARCH_BOX

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## madjon_

> https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113...tararua-ranges
> 
> How on earth anyone would think it was ok to attempt the northern crossing during the weather we've had since Thu night is just beyond me 
> 
> Unbelievable !


But its Queens Birthday weekend,we gotta do it :O O: 
We had one too
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=12236699

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## veitnamcam

Something doesnt sound right to me with that one....heres the stuffed article.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113...son-lakes-area

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## Max Headroom

> https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113...tararua-ranges
> 
> How on earth anyone would think it was ok to attempt the northern crossing during the weather we've had since Thu night is just beyond me 
> 
> Unbelievable !


I suspect he's the kind of optimist who "always got away with it before"

Comedian Ron White talks about a man who refused to evacuate before a storm in the US.

"He said that at 53 years of age he thought he was in good enough physical condition to withstand the wind and the rain from a force 3 hurricane.
......Alright.. Lemme explain something to ya. It isn't _that_ the wind is blowin, it's ..._What_ the wind is blowin.

If you get hit with a volvo..it don't really matter how many situps you did that morning."

Blind optimisim is a killer.

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## Martin358

That explains all the chopper activity this morning

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## Tararuas hunter

doesn't seem right. seems the guy left her and went on to the hut. If they didn't have a PLB, probably no other choice. other than he retraces his route 
you'd think he would have been more help staying with her. dry warm or whatever
who knows
and another couple were headed for trouble same time, same place. but lucky enough to get cell phone call out
could say both were dumb decisions, then you don't know what you don't know

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## veitnamcam

> doesn't seem right. seems the guy left her and went on to the hut. If they didn't have a PLB, probably no other choice. other than he retraces his route 
> you'd think he would have been more help staying with her. dry warm or whatever
> who knows
> and another couple were headed for trouble same time, same place. but lucky enough to get cell phone call out
> could say both were dumb decisions, then you don't know what you don't know


Doesnt seen right that he made the hut that night but didnt/could radio for help till next morning? It is only a stuff article tho.
I dont recall if that hut has a radio in it I have only stopped in to cook a feed for lunch but it is a very popular hut and in peak season always has "Honorary hut wardens" so may well have a permanent radio.

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## ebf

Does not make sense why he would be heading to Holdsworth - it is a hell of a slog from Mitre down to Holdsworth.

If he started in Otaki and planned to finish at Holdsworth, that sounds more like a modified Southern Crossing.

The area between Arete, Lancaster and Mitre is not poled, hardcore terrain up there even in good weather...

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## Tararuas hunter

> Does not make sense why he would be heading to Holdsworth - it is a hell of a slog from Mitre down to Holdsworth.
> 
> If he started in Otaki and planned to finish at Holdsworth, that sounds more like a modified Southern Crossing.
> 
> The area between Arete, Lancaster and Mitre is not poled, hardcore terrain up there even in good weather...


  @ebf, he went in from Levin, stayed at Arete bivvy, didn't leave entry in hut book but did text his partner he was heading to Holdsworth. few trampers doing Nth Crossing bypass Mitre and exit at Holdsworth. He left Arete biv on Thursday, snow was bad until late Saturday I think.
 The Otaki Forks bit was usual Stuff reporting

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## outdoorlad

It’s not like the shit weather wasn’t well forecasted?

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## Magnus

Looking out my back door at the ranges, plenty of snow up there. It wil be fn freezing, hopefully he makes it out OK.

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## Bonecrusher

Sad but I think he is




Should really do the following

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## Boaraxa

One still missing down here as well , awesome lake completely surrounded by bush but its ruff as fcuk at times iv been caught out twice .
https://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-ti...t-in-southland

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## Munsey

> Doesnt seen right that he made the hut that night but didnt/could radio for help till next morning? It is only a stuff article tho.
> I dont recall if that hut has a radio in it I have only stopped in to cook a feed for lunch but it is a very popular hut and in peak season always has "Honorary hut wardens" so may well have a permanent radio.


I cant recall there being a radio , its a long  long way above the bush line that hut . It would have been brutal . 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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## ebf

Not looking good...

Wx is turning poos again for next 24-48 hours.

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## Russian 22.

Does it get much below minus zero at the tararuas. It was minus 3 at galatea at 1 am.

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## Paddy79

> Does it get much below minus zero at the tararuas. It was minus 3 at galatea at 1 am.


It sure can

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## ebf

well below zero on the tops... 

in winter you can get ice down to 800/900m

if you factor in wind-chill it is a grim place to be.

common to have 50 to 80 kmh wind in exposed places

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## Russian 22.

> It sure can


not a nice place to be then.




> well below zero on the tops... 
> 
> in winter you can get ice down to 800/900m
> 
> if you factor in wind-chill it is a grim place to be.
> 
> common to have 50 to 80 kmh wind in exposed places


sounds deadly.

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## veitnamcam

> I cant recall there being a radio , its a long  long way above the bush line that hut . It would have been brutal . 
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Yea.....Its actually not all that high at around 1650asl but it is a long way from the bushline....especially from the mount Robert route with all that exposed ridgeline to walk its about the worst way possible to access in bad weather, Speargrass route keeps you in shelter 90% of the way and there is a hut at the bushline if conditions are too bad to continue...maybe the river put them off that route I dont know.

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## Micky Duck

you have got to feel for the SAR people who will be out trying to locate people like this...one bad decision and they will be out there giving thier all to try and bring them home to thier families..... looking up at the hills here recently Im very pleased Im not having an unplanned night out.

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## Rushy

Hmmm how many people across time have been told not to underestimate the New Zealand high country and back country and yet still choose to do things that are ill advised ad at times to their peril? I hope this pommie bloke is OK.  I for one wouldnt fancy being up there at the moment.

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## Bonecrusher

The hardest decision to make is too turn around but I think you would be hard pressed to final an example of where a fatality has happened when a party has retreated to shelter / cover  in inclement weather

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## Russian 22.

> Hmmm how many people across time have been told not to underestimate the New Zealand high country and back country and yet still choose to do things that are ill advised ad at times to their peril? I hope this pommie bloke is OK.  I for one wouldnt fancy being up there at the moment.


I don't think people realise that the she'll be right attitude can kill. Can't afford not to have the right gear and lots of food and water.

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## ebf

Too little water is very rarely a problem in NZ tramping.

Too much in the form of rivers is the big killer.

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## Rushy

> Too little water is very rarely a problem in NZ tramping


And our bush will feed you if you know what you are doing.

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## Russian 22.

> And our bush will feed you if you know what you are doing.


I have eaten a few supplejack shoots. And heard that ponga shoots are Alright.

What else is good to east?

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## Woody

Most NZ berries are poisonous to humans. Safest food is fish koura etc from streams, or rats and possums. ( assuming they havent bern 1080'd)

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## Rushy

> I have eaten a few supplejack shoots. And heard that ponga shoots are Alright.
> 
> What else is good to east?


For a start most all the insects and larvae you find although Wetas taste pretty foul.  Koura and eels are fairly easy to catch and thereafter head up the animal scale.  come with me to a park some day and I will find you some stick insects, cicadas and grass hoppers to get you started.  After your first cicada I bet you take the wings off the next one.

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## Russian 22.

> For a start most all the insects and larvae you find although Wetas taste pretty foul.  Koura and eels are fairly easy to catch and thereafter head up the animal scale.  come with me to a park some day and I will find you some stick insects, cicadas and grass hoppers to get you started.  After your first cicada I bet you take the wings off the next one.


That's a done deal.

I have a few spots in galatea foot hills I could show you around.

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## Frodo

Locusts and cicadas aren't bad. You can fry them, but they're fine fresh. 

Cicadas have a nutty sort of flavour. Locusts have a gelatin sort of texture and a grass-like taste once you get past the initial 'crunch' and get into the juicy innards. Great source of protein and a host of valuable minerals.  :Have A Nice Day:  

If you're in the sub-alpine/alpine you can eat Spaniard Grass roots - which taste a bit like carrot/parsnip. In fact, I'm pretty sure they're in a similar family. They can be quite tough to chew on and are nicer cooked. Some of the early NZ pioners actually lived off Spaniard roots when food was scarce. 

Coprosma berries - another source of food in alpine areas across the South Island. They're small perfectly round berries about the size of a large matchstick head, and they come in different colours: reds, yellows, blue/purple. They're very sweet and a handful of them can be quite moral boosting. 

Thistles - you may find them close to farmland or in low-land bush. You can eat the leaves fresh (once you've taken off the prickles), boil them, and you can also eat the heads of the bulbs (they're similar to a 'nut') and the stalks (quite stringy, but you can get a bit of moisture/minerals from them). You can also eat the roots of thistles. The younger the plant the sweeter the root. Thistle leaves are actually used in salads in some Asian dishes, and I'm fairly sure it's a European thing as well (or at least used to be). 

Chicken fern fronds.

Lichen.

Mushrooms (better take a field guide with you). 

Hedgehogs, possums, rats, mice etc. 


You won't fill your belly as you may at Mcdonald's, but it's enough to keep you alive until you knock over another deer. 

And with deer, you can eat the eye balls, bone marrow, brain, heart...you can get most of the minerals you need. The muscle meat alone won't cut it and it may upset your stomach if that's all you're eating.

Plenty of stuff to try.  :Have A Nice Day:

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## Rushy

And Huhu grubs.  I love those bloody things straight out of the log.  I have been eating them for over sixty years.

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## chainsaw

> And Huhu grubs.  I love those bloody things straight out of the log.  I have been eating them for over sixty years.


Ahah ... that explains your liking for Waikato swamp water.

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## kidmac42

Yea, quite like a feed of huhus myself. Don't get them much round here tho. Cooked on a sqauremouth shovel over a fire used to be the norm.
Any news about the fella gone missing?

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## Rushy

> Ahah ... that explains your liking for Waikato swamp water.


Just a boy from the bush chainsaw.  A little town in the middle of nowhere that doesn’t exist any more.

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## Allizdog

Cabbage tree too. If you happen to be close to one.

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## A330driver

Quote..And Huhu grubs.

Waikato and Huhu grubs,MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE,gourmet tucker..

...............what was yr dads name????.we might be related

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## 2post

I’m not sure hunger is the guy who’s lost is his biggest need right now.

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## Tahr

We can last a lot of time without food so long as we are warm enough and have fluids.

Personally, I can only ever recall during my lifetime (seems like a long time) one occasion when someone lost has had to revert to eating off the land to actually survive. Does anyone remember the 2 sisters who were lost many years ago in the Waiau up near Waikerimoana?

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## Shearer

> The hardest decision to make is too turn around but I think you would be hard pressed to final an example of where a fatality has happened when a party has retreated to shelter / cover  in inclement weather


The DOC hut booking system can influence this (not DOC bashing here). Because people book and pay for huts like Angelus they put themselves under more pressure to get there on a given day, otherwise they loose their place. Stupid to risk your life for I know but it is one more factor that makes people "press on". As QB weekend approached and we were driving down to St Arnaud my wife (having seen the forecast) commented on the likelyhood of the rescue chopper having a busy weekend down there. Unfortunately she was right. 
I heard that the missing man in the Tararuas has a tent? Maybe he is hunkered down somewhere out of the weather. Lets hope.

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## tetawa

> We can last a lot of time without food so long as we are warm enough and have fluids.
> 
> Personally, I can only ever recall during my lifetime (seems like a long time) one occasion when someone lost has had to revert to eating off the land to actually survive. Does anyone remember the 2 sisters who were lost many years ago in the Waiau up near Waikerimoana?


Yes.

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## tetawa

> We can last a lot of time without food so long as we are warm enough and have fluids.
> 
> Personally, I can only ever recall during my lifetime (seems like a long time) one occasion when someone lost has had to revert to eating off the land to actually survive. Does anyone remember the 2 sisters who were lost many years ago in the Waiau up near Waikerimoana?


If I remember correct the cold did a bit of damage, was near Ruatahuna?

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## Rushy

> We can last a lot of time without food so long as we are warm enough and have fluids.


Yes it is generally accepted as ten days but a man of my considerable reserves ......... well potentially several weeks.

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## tetawa

> Yes it is generally accepted as ten days but a man of my considerable reserves ......... well potentially several weeks.


Met some of your new recruits tonight who had been on a weeks exercise in Pureora Forest, the first couple were running, the next lot walking, the end of the line were hobbling. This was their easy training exercise, they are heading for Waioru in the morning to get really cold.

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## Rushy

> Met some of your new recruits tonight who had been on a weeks exercise in Pureora Forest, the first couple were running, the next lot walking, the end of the line were hobbling. This was their easy training exercise, they are heading for Waioru in the morning to get really cold.


One of my grandsons is in the next intake in July.  She’s bloody cold standing on the parade ground with the wind whipping around your arse.  I did my basic in mid winter and remember the numb extremities well.

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## tetawa

> One of my grandsons is in the next intake in July.  She’s bloody cold standing on the parade ground with the wind whipping around your arse.  I did my basic in mid winter and remember the numb extremities well.


Would have been a lot colder then with "man made climate change" affecting them there now. The crew I met today were from Linton, the drivers had it cushy, waiting at the highway for them to drag themselves out 10 plus km after the week in there, been fairly cold and wet the last week, was 6`c when I left there.

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## Tararuas hunter

winds were up to 140kms when Darren Myers left Arete bivvy to  keep going on the Northern Crossing. 
Just spend 4days up there, wasn't on the tops though. The search teams up there had a fairly hard time, snow was quite deep, and still blowing. it still is. Most got pulled out on Tuesday, rivers were too high to search tops were impossible to search in heavy rain/gales.
The teams back up there now wont be very warm.
Couldn't think of much worse place to come unstuck. for the missing person or search teams, or the controller figuring out where he is

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## Boaraxa

The leather wood up there is bollocks I remember doing a SAR exercise at Nichols hut & dracophyllum biv , be hard yakka searching off of the track south of Nichols , was he carrying a plb ?

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## Tararuas hunter

> The leather wood up there is bollocks I remember doing a SAR exercise at Nichols hut & dracophyllum biv , be hard yakka searching off of the track south of Nichols , was he carrying a plb ?


no PLB

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## Dundee

> One of my grandsons is in the next intake in July.  She’s bloody cold standing on the parade ground with the wind whipping around your arse.  I did my basic in mid winter and remember the numb extremities well.


I was probably on the same parade ground 50 years prior to you Rushy,I hope the SAR team bring him back,good result from the team down South.

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## Rushy

> I was probably on the same parade ground 50 years prior to you Rushy,I hope the SAR team bring him back,good result from the team down South.


If you were on that parade ground fifty years before me Dundee you’d be a crusty old bugger now.

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## Preacher

Searchers have located the poor guys body today.  At least they will be able to return him to family to allow proper farewell.

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## A330driver

BUGGAR!!!!!

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## Woody

Sad. Sympathy to his loved ones.

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## Been Upto

That really sucks man. Sympathy to his family

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## Micky Duck

SAR are going to bring him home to his family.....well done folks,we cant save them all,but you gave it a plurry good try...

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## Sako851

Sad news alright

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## Mathias

Hats off to the guys out searching, sad result for the family. RIP

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## Rushy

Very sad indeed.  Valiant effort by LandSAR.  RIP.

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## Tararuas hunter

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/113...Ak9oMZQm8cNFEA

RIP Darren

akso an interesting read. fairly typical experience of the area
https://astrangereverywhere.wordpres...NnyM8Jff9YCp-8

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## ROKTOY

A sad outcome, but at the very least they can re unite him with his family one last time. RIP.

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## Puffin

> also an interesting read. fairly typical experience of the area
> https://astrangereverywhere.wordpres...NnyM8Jff9YCp-8


Certainly an interesting and somewhat alarming read   @Tararuas hunter 

In light of this would it be possible please to advise what Tararua headwaters you would include in a list to be avoided for this reason, or are they too numerous?  I'm thinking of rivers as described; multiple waterfalls and where it is also too steep to climb out. Isabelle Ck historically, though it might be just the one large waterfall with the ability to sidle rather than a trap situation? The upper Tauherinikau is another I've heard to avoid, but again this might just be because it is impassable when in flood. Sooner or later in the Tararuas the need arises to duck off the tops and it would be good to have an idea of headwater routes to definitely avoid - or to only use below a given confluence?  
If I didn't have a lot of the old maps that show historical routes and some waterfalls it wouldn't for example be clear to me that the upper Waingawa (that you and the NZHA guys used as an exit route the other year) is fine when the Arete Stream branch is not.

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## Russian 22.

> Certainly an interesting and somewhat alarming read @Tararuas hunter 
> 
> In light of this would it be possible please to advise what Tararua headwaters you would include in a list to be avoided for this reason, or are they too numerous?  I'm thinking of rivers as described; multiple waterfalls and where it is also too steep to climb out. Isabelle Ck historically, though it might be just the one large waterfall with the ability to sidle rather than a trap situation? The upper Tauherinikau is another I've heard to avoid, but again this might just be because it is impassable when in flood. Sooner or later in the Tararuas the need arises to duck off the tops and it would be good to have an idea of headwater routes to definitely avoid - or to only use below a given confluence?


Google earth in 3D is a useful tool. Tells you terrain and likely slips and clearings. 

I now have the rule that if I am moving then if I can get to a track then to just use it. I've done too many "short cuts" that turned into nightmares.

They tried to do a short cut. I have found that most of the tracks are where they are for a good reason. 

If I'm hunting then of course its off piste and you just have to be able to turn tail and run if it is too dangerous. Quitting while you are ahead can be life saving.

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## Tararuas hunter

> Certainly an interesting and somewhat alarming read   @Tararuas hunter 
> 
> In light of this would it be possible please to advise what Tararua headwaters you would include in a list to be avoided for this reason, or are they too numerous?  I'm thinking of rivers as described; multiple waterfalls and where it is also too steep to climb out. Isabelle Ck historically, though it might be just the one large waterfall with the ability to sidle rather than a trap situation? The upper Tauherinikau is another I've heard to avoid, but again this might just be because it is impassable when in flood. Sooner or later in the Tararuas the need arises to duck off the tops and it would be good to have an idea of headwater routes to definitely avoid - or to only use below a given confluence?  
> If I didn't have a lot of the old maps that show historical routes and some waterfalls it wouldn't for example be clear to me that the upper Waingawa (that you and the NZHA guys used as an exit route the other year) is fine when the Arete Stream branch is not.



Its a good question  @Puffin. But the answer is loonnggg

probably half the side streams are passable, and more with lots of difficulty

The main rivers,, like  waiohine,(except mid waiohine gorge)  waingawa, otaki (except lower gorge) are easier (generally). the exception being the Upper Ruamahanga, Tauherenikau (Hells gate up)  - off top of my head. some of these involve swimming through gorges still, though. 
side streams that would be difficult as an exit, would be likes of Chamberlain creek (Dundas route  - impassable without ropes), some sidestreams of mangahao,, south mitre, north mitre, Isobelle - (can be sidled) maungahuka, probably others havnt thought of. Arete stream is actually quite passable, just got know where to bypass steep bits. and get thru the scrub

some of these are more passable in low river levels. or visa versa

Lot of spurs are best route, rather than creeks. eg off main range

The Sutch search in 1933 spent 2 weeks wandering down the waiohine. flooding and the Mid waiohine gorge slowed them down, to. The could have exited from the valley over the tops at Angle Knob or thereabouts, but didn't for some reason. probably their condition.

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