Mount Pirongia Summit (Waikato) Te Tahi, NI, New Zealand
By tgsnoopy on Friday 2 November 2001. Waypoint GC25E4

1st

Well I think the cache description is reasonably accurate re terrain & difficulty. Hopefully you'll be ok in a few days.

Last time I went up I did it on my own, setting a personal best time, but I was sore for about 5 days afterwards.

In any case, I think it's a great climb and well worth the effort.  

29th

So, a free Sunday and Mt Pirongia at a measly height of 959m. A stroll in the park, right? Left Auck at 8am, started walking from Grey Rd at 10am, got to the summit at 4pm (via a "think we're on the wrong track so turn around, walk back, only to find we weren't" incident), then the heavens opened. Found the cache after quite a bit of bush-bashing, and almost gave up. Did the deed, then spent the next 3.5hrs cranking it back down to the carpark, completely soaked from waist down, and limping, cos my knees just arn't used to a 9hr walk these days. Still, an awesome day, on an underated quite technical stroll-in-the-park. Thanks!!
 

20th

Took the Ruapane Track, started at 0830 and got to the summit at around 1200. What a climb! The track was rather muddy in places. It was a shame about the non-view, full cloud and rather cool wind.
The cache was hidden well and all in good condition.
A really good spot for a cache thats been on my todo list for a while.
After the summit went down to the hut for a well deserved lunch break.
Cheers for the cache, motivation to get up here.
TNLNSL
(some coins came for a trip)
 

22nd

Training tramp for the Kepler Challenge. Haven't been up this way before, what about the MUD!!! It was fairly bad, but thats OK cause once you're muddy thats it! Took 2 1/4 hrs to the summit, not bad for our combined age of 118!! Next the cache - GPSr was pointing sort of in the right spot, but used the clue cause it was cold up there!! See they have built a big new lookout since the last visit. Thanks for a good day out.
 

6th

Did this cache as part of a three day father-and-son tramp around the Pirongia Forest, hit the cache and summit on day three. A highly recommended tramp, two days up Bell track, stay the second night at the hut and down via Tahuanui Track to complete the loop.

Bell Track is not for the faint hearted or clean-freaks, my son thought it looked like Shreks Swamp a lot of the time, the mud is so deep and the bushes so eerie. You've been warned!

The view from the top is magnificent, we could see Ruapehu to the south, not a cloud in the sky (which probably accounted for the 2 degree temperature in the hut last night)

There are easier ways to the cache, but for those wanting some time away from it all, the above route is great. We never saw another person the whole three days.

Needed the clue to find the cache, but the comprehensive instructions soon had us on the spot.

- Marbles
+ Builders Tape.

TFTC

The Fergs
 

10th

I thought a relatively dry week and a forecast of "possible showers" would make this an interesting choice. LUred by a geocoin I set off for a day in the mountains. It rained for about 50% of the time I was there, and I had to be careful I didn't step in mud puddles deeper than the top of my boots, but clad head to foot in Goretex, I made it to the lookout. I got a decent fix and headed off for the cache. After the effort of the walk in I wasn't about to give up the search easily, and soon found the cache. Took Mount10bike Geocoin.
 

11th

As I don't live in the area and aren't as active as I used to be, I would consider adopting this cache to a local who would be in a better position to maintain it. Please contact me if you feel you would like to add this cache to the caches you maintain. Thanks.  

3rd

Boy was this tough indeedy-cache easy to find thanks. overcast day. Left mountain bike geocoin. Now to get down.
I got down and id have to admit i am absolutley stuffed-can hardly walk now-the things we do. I initially logged this using wap.geocaching.com in the field-works well. Couldnt see a date in the field.
Just as I was approaching the summit-from Corcoran rd end a chap comes up behind me-he left at 10am and Id left at 8am. He went on to the Hut to boil up a brew and as I was going down he passed me and said he had to be home by 3.30 (TA) sheesh he must be fit-he estimated getting to top in 1.45 mins. I however got in my car to go home at 1710-yes you can calculate that is some hours.
But worth it-got it off my closest and always wanted to climb that mountain.!!
Weather was a bit overcast and obscured top for taking pics. My new friend took one of me at top to prove I made it.



[This entry was edited by psychrn on Friday, September 01, 2006 at 10:07:48 PM.]
 

13th

Heading back down after a night in the hut and a raid onto the Cone. TNLN. A nice find and My first ever Cache!!
 

25th

Hurrah, 3 for 3 on our Pirongia assault! Certainly a
reasonable walk, a lot of up-n-down, and some interesting
novelties (like the chains), and track quite wet in
places (despite sunny couple of days). A bit hazy/cloudy,
although did get glimpses of Ngarahoe and Ruapehu snow.
Glad we finally got up here, thanks.
 

11th

Up here for Search & Rescue.

It was great to fly up for a change. Took 3 minutes from Corcoran Road end to the hut.

Checked the cache and all is okay  

21st

The shortest day of the year. Heavy rain and very strong winds. On a search and rescue training programme so stopped to check, all okay  

5th

Willbuild
Up here with my 11 mates from the Auckland Tramping Club doing the Mountain Easy find on a great sunny day
 

7th

This one has haunted me for quite some time on the "nearest" list so a very good feeling to "knock the bastard off" to quote a famous NZer. Hard work for an overweight office worker but pleased that it only took just under three hours to get to the top when the DOC sign said 3 - 5 hours! Took another three hours to get down again with "jelly" legs. Absolutely Perfect weather and I was pleased to have done it on such a good day to get the views. The cache was perfectly dry but I noticed that a Muggle signed the log back in April.
In: Yoyo, Out: Backgammon

 

3rd

Hard climb after checking The Hook Nose yesterday! Beautiful day though - first time without whiteout! - but now there's a haze blanket obscuring any decent view. Mts Ruapehu and Taranaki peak out brilliantly above it though.
Easier find this time - I must have crawled all over it last time!
+ backgammon travel game
- safety torch.
Cheers, M@
 

18th

The original cache was cracked and leaking, the container half full of water. I was unable to remove the lid it had been screwed on that tight, the container came apart before the lid came off!

A new cache is in place now, still in the original location. I will be editing the log shortly with a more accurate waypoint and breifer more usefull hint.  

21st

Sunny down below but cloudy up top - whiteout at times. The trig has been removed (although you can guess where it would have been) and replaced with a huge viewing platform. New seats and gravel path. There seems to be lot of building debris where I think the cache would be, eg black polethene sheets buried with weeds - never know though.
M@
 

10th

Went up from Limeworks Loop Road. Rained all the time. Mars bar eaten by one of the group.