Thread: Umukarikari Track Advice

Great place to be. I've stayed in the hut a couple of times and it's great. Gets a fair bit of foot traffic. Echoing what others are saying though - I spooked a sika about 5 minutes walk from the car on my last trip. And have run into the over the urchin side too.

Instead of starting a new thread just on water ill ask here if thats ok?
Other than the water source that's been mentioned just before you break out of the bush is there anywhere further along the ridge say from midway along the open tops to before you start dropping down to the river where you could get some water. I realise you would have to drop down the side into a creek head just wondering if anyone knows from expierance which one would be the best and most reliable one to drop into. We are also planing a trip in there in the next couple of weeks we intend on camping out on the tops to start with then we may carry on to the hut then up into middle range area.
Thanks

Originally Posted by 6.5

Instead of starting a new thread just on water ill ask here if thats ok?
Other than the water source that's been mentioned just before you break out of the bush is there anywhere further along the ridge say from midway along the open tops to before you start dropping down to the river where you could get some water. I realise you would have to drop down the side into a creek head just wondering if anyone knows from expierance which one would be the best and most reliable one to drop into. We are also planing a trip in there in the next couple of weeks we intend on camping out on the tops to start with then we may carry on to the hut then up into middle range area.
Thanks

Depends on the weather. If you know its unreliable water source then take a 2 litre bottle of water. Better safe than sorry

I'm not sure about the water before you come out of the bushline, but there is some on the EASTERN side of the ridge. You sort of exit the bush, walk 100m sidling a bit on the south side of a spur then come to a north-south ridge with a wind scoop where you collapse down in the shelter just out of the wind. Poles turn left and head further up to the range towards Umukarikari. You have a great view of a big scrub basin and tussocky ridges and there are about 3 tent sites within 40m of you. This is where you drop down a dry creek for about 50m and find a trickle of water.

About an hour further north along the range (past Sharp Cone and near to Umukarikari 1591) there is a big basin in the middle of the ridge with a creek in the middle of it. Tread carefully through the moss.

This is a reasonably popular area so expect to find other hunters and trampers camping around or burrowing into the scrub.

In fine weather it will be a nice trip.

Originally Posted by Bagheera

I'm not sure about the water before you come out of the bushline, but there is some on the EASTERN side of the ridge. You sort of exit the bush, walk 100m sidling a bit on the south side of a spur then come to a north-south ridge with a wind scoop where you collapse down in the shelter just out of the wind. Poles turn left and head further up to the range towards Umukarikari. You have a great view of a big scrub basin and tussocky ridges and there are about 3 tent sites within 40m of you. This is where you drop down a dry creek for about 50m and find a trickle of water.

About an hour further north along the range (past Sharp Cone and near to Umukarikari 1591) there is a big basin in the middle of the ridge with a creek in the middle of it. Tread carefully through the moss.

This is a reasonably popular area so expect to find other hunters and trampers camping around or burrowing into the scrub.

In fine weather it will be a nice trip.

Yeah the creek up high in the big basin past the high point is a spring I believe so usually has water in it.

Stayed in the Waipakihi hut many many times. One time the weather turned ultra shit, the whole hut was shaking. Seriously powerful weather. (The building is huge.) The next day was howling with wind and snow in the tops. I could barely stand upright, I got blown over a few times.

Always sika in the bush, go slow and stalk your way up until you come across sign.

Thanks guys that's a huge help