Thread: Waipakihi Hut

Hi.
First post on the forum.
Planning on going up to Waipakihi hut in the near future. How close can you get to the hut with a jet boat?
Google earth goes very low-def up the river. Probably something to do with army nearby.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Mick

If your are talking Kaimanawa's Waipakahi ? you wont get any place up the Waipakahi in a jet boat - shank's pony up that river or over Umukirkiri track . did bump into a Nissan Navara pathfinder heading up bout 3 or so ks .

Thanks. That saves me a bit of heartache

Side note try WAMS maps as they have a better res than googel

2004 went there in a chopper with a jet turbine

Originally Posted by slowblink

Hi.
First post on the forum.
Planning on going up to Waipakihi hut in the near future. How close can you get to the hut with a jet boat?
Google earth goes very low-def up the river. Probably something to do with army nearby.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Mick

Good luck in there and let us know how you get on. Waipakihi is on my radar, looks promising from the Air via WAMS. Gibo mentioned it and he's right.Tony

Good spot to go in late Nov-mid Dec. Get up on the tops and glass, normally good numbers at that time of year.Big walk in but once you hit the tops it's pretty easy going and a good poled track.Good hut thats popular with trampers as well as hunters so be prepared to have company. Good luck, look forward to the posts on

about your trip ☺

Walk up the river in summer is awesome. Lots of grassy river flats on the way with plenty of sign as well. The Sika are pretty cunning obviously used to the many hunters and trampers that frequent the place. Tops are the easiest for the hunters in early summer, and it is a fair way up the river to the hut.

I agree with tjm, walk the river. It's a pretty cool place to be. They use to float deer back down the river on tyre tubes years back....bit before my time tho.

Bloody lovely valley, real nice beech forest to hunt. Walked up the river to the hut years back, took us 14 hrs, like most areas the time if year is the key.
mainly hunt the lower half of the valley now.

If you are running a jet dingy you would get a fare way up. theres plenty of water in the lower half.
for those of you who haven't heard of JDs search them on Utube.

The last thing I want to see is jet boats or what ever on the Waipkahi.
Unless you have some sort of disability, get off your arse and walk.
Over the Umukarikari, the Urchin or up the river. They all have their charm, and you can hunt all of the way.

Did anybody hunt that area in May/June as I am thinking about heading up there for few days now that the roar is over.

The roars not over. Still plenty of sika roaring.

Originally Posted by Steffen

Did anybody hunt that area in May/June as I am thinking about heading up there for few days now that the roar is over.

From June onwards the Waipakahi valley, like all alpine valleys is as cold as a bastard. In July last year my drink bottle froze solid under the fly. No deer down low at all. They are all halfway - three quarters of the way up the sides, staying in the sun.