Masterton Tramping Club

Roaring Stag Hut 18 th – 19 th July 2026
The forecast was for a dry weekend as 6 of us made our way to Putara Road end for a relaxed overnight trip into Roaring Stag Hut. The track into the hut along the Mangatainoka river is a little worse for wear following the April 2025 storm. A large slip and fallen trees damaged sections of what was a well-formed track but it’s still easy enough to traverse.
We crossed the swing bridge and headed up to the junction at point 770, where we stopped for lunch knowing we had done our climb for the day! The afternoon was a gentle descent into the Ruamahanga valley, crossing 4 streams along the way. Some fancy footwork meant that we still had dry feet by the time we got to the hut.
We arrived around 3pm, and whilst it was still warm, we went out to gather firewood and restock the wood shed, then it was time for afternoon tea. I had packed in the ingredients to make gridle scones and seeing as the fire was glowing nicely, I cooked them on the top. There was much anticipation at the thought of freshly baked scones - with raspberry jam too.
Whilst we were waiting for the scones to bake, Liz produced cheese and crackers then collectively we realised we had 3 large bars of Whitakers chocolate - afternoon tea was quickly turning into a 3-course meal! …. There were mutterings of ‘not having room for dinner’ but that didn’t stop us!
Once the scones were ready, we refreshed our mugs of tea and enjoyed the ambience of a warm hut, great views, good company and full bellies.
As the afternoon turned into evening, a few more folks arrived until we had 12 people for 12 beds.
The evening was spent enjoying good conversation, quizzes and crosswords. We turned in around 9pm and everyone settled down.
It was a mild night and the hut was still pleasantly warm in the morning. We had a lazy start to the day and finally left the hut at 9.30am. We had decided that on the way back we would go in search of Hidden Lake. We walked back along the track until we reached the start of the ascent, then stashed our packs and navigated our way to the lake. Having found the lake we returned to retrieve our packs and head up to the junction at point 770.
Not long after we started back uphill on the track Tony, a club member, caught up with us. Tony had been up to Cattle Ridge for the night. He had hoped to catch us on the way out and we couldn’t have timed our return to the track better if we tried. Once at the top of the climb and the junction, we stopped again for lunch. Then it was just a hop and a skip down the track and back to the carpark before sundown..
Those on the trip were Nathan, Liz, David, Michelle, Monty and Gail (Trip Leader and Scribe)

Last reminder MTC members - submit your photos by 5pm on the 20th August.

12th July 2026.
A group of five managed to make the most of improved weather on Sunday, to complete a trip around some of the lesser known tracks, and traplines, in the Holdsworth area. Nigel managed to take in both of the Rocky lookouts in the one trip, which provided some good views.

Start researching your photos for the annual photo competition! You must have paid your MTC 2026 subs to enter :) Refer the FMC Photo Comp page for rules and categories https://fmc.org.nz/members-area/members-benefits/photo-competition/

South Wairarapa Tramping Club trip. Rangitūmau, Sunday 12 July (With 3 MTC members and 1 WWF member researching for the Wairarapa Walking Festival). Report from John R.

Dawn brought a day of crystalline clarity after a week of bitter cold and rain. A small convoy—with its origin in Akatarawa and pickups in Greytown, Carterton, Masterton and Double Bridges—proceeded up the valley towards the peak that dominates it.

A short drive from the Lake Mallard gateway brought us to a large woolshed. On foot, we then followed the vehicle track that leads to the microwave and radio communications tower at the summit of Rangitūmau.

As we climbed, our view of the valley below expanded, as did that of the snow-capped Three Kings, rising above cloud that almost hid Pukeamoamo / Mitre.

Rangitūmau seemed to keep receding, and with it the coordinator’s hopes of an early morning tea. But at last we reached the survey mark, 604 metres above the sea.
There Peter said this karakia:

Whakataka te hau ki te uru
Whakataka te hau ki te tonga
Kia mākinakina ki uta
Kia mātaratara ki tai
E hì ake ana te atakura
He tio, he huka, he hau hu
Tìhei mauri ora

Cease the winds from the west
Cease the winds from the south
Let the breeze blow over the Iand
Let the breeze blow over the ocean
Let the red-tipped dawn come with a sharpened air.
A touch of frost, a promise of a glorious day.

Peter and John then recounted the story of Haunui-a-Nanaia, who long ago came this way after pursuing his runaway wife Wairaka down the west coast of Te Ika a Māui.
From the top of Remutaka, Hau saw a lone mountain at the northern end of the valley, which he used as a landmark. He named it Rangitūmau, meaning that it holds up the sky.
Wairarapa Māori express their identity and kinship with the land by saying, ‘Ko Rangitūmau te maunga, ko Ruamahanga te awa, ko Wairarapa te roto’ (‘Rangitūmau the mountain, Ruamahanga the river, Wairarapa the lake’). The saying recognises the mountain at the head of their valley, the great river that drains their valley and the lake at its foot.

Several trampers asked about the origin of the limestone on Rangitūmau, which is weathered into intricate shapes.
The Rangitūmau limestone consists of quintillions of broken bits of shells. Shelly invertebrates living in such numbers need clear water, free of sediment that clogs their delicate filter feeding organs. Also, the water must be less than a few hundred metres deep to allow sunlight to pe*****te, so that diatoms—the start of marine food chains—can live. However, most such sea floor is near land, where sand and mud abound.
The shelly animals that make the Rangitūmau limestone lived on a ridge free of land-derived sediment, shallow enough for light to reach it, and surrounded by deeper water where sand and mud accumulated.

This ridge was one of several caused by the pushing together of the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates, about a million years ago. It slowly rose above the water to become part of the land. Limestone of the same kind and with the same origin is found right along the eastern side of the Wairarapa valley and as far north as Hawke Bay.
Looking north from Rangitūmau we saw Mt Ruapehu looming in the distance (185 kilometres away), reminding us that we’re on an active plate boundary.

Our hosts, Viv and Chris Bunny came up on mountain bikes and stopped to chat with us in the sunshine, then executed flawless hill starts.
We were 11: Peter A, Margaret B, Sandra B, Sheila B, Chris C, Liz C, Stuart H, Katrina M, Cushla M, John R and John W.

Wednesday Walkers 1st July 2026.
Six of us walked up to Blue Range Hut in fine weather. One first timer on this track. There were 5 MTC members and 1 guest. (And some happy dogs !)

Two men cooking breakfast on a campfire at Miki Miki, dated 1923.

Found among photos relating to the Masterton Tramping Club.

17th June 2026
Wednesday trampers.
Our trip was up the Barra track and was well attended with six members and three guests. We began into a bitter headwind but soon were more sheltered and the weather eased. The track seems to be getting more rugged with time and we did turn back a little early after one person twisted their knee rather painfully. Still overall a pleasant outing enjoyed by all.

14th June 2026.
Remutaka Trig track.
Josh and TJ started the tramp at the road end at 8.23. The weather was windy and low cloud which made the walking hard. A small walk was achieved with great views.