I worked on track cutting & mtce as a 17/18 yr old in 1978/79 for the old Forest Service out of Turangi. Spent many weeks on the Urchin/Umakarikari over the tops to the Waipakihi hut and then down the Waipakihi to the Desert rd end. Brought back some great memories. Fantastic views of the CNI. Kia ora.
Great video and really informative for me. My daughter lives local in this area of NZ and has just discovered this trail and she wants me to do it when i visit in early 2024. Keep up the videoa, really good..
Been on that track many times over to the Waipkihi river. The track is good across the tops but a lot steeper down to the river - very hard work coming back up again if you have a heavy pack. BTW there is a small creek on your left just as you break out of the bush on the way that you went - makes the hike a little more pleasant if you're thirsty.
Yes I wish I'd had the stamina and confidence to explore a little more. Was meaning to get out that way for a summer trip before I left the North island but didn't quite make it! Such a beaut spot though 😍
The Urchin tops are fantastic aren't they. I have camped up there twice now, and apart from the lack of water, it is a great experience, especially watching the sunrise and sunset. If you want to ad an extra adventure to your trips camping solo is great fun. There are a few tiny hunters camp spots around if you get off the track and look around the bush edges. I can't recommend it highly enough!
I absolutely loved my time up there - so peaceful and serene. I'm working my way up towards overnight trips... but very much looking forward to it! Still gotta get my tent in order first :)
Looks like a good walk, I'm doing this hike on the Easter weekend! Glad I'm doing it in autumn, looks like pretty hot work in summer, and the flies are a pain. I appreciate your editing style, some walking and talking with just a little bit of music, rather than music dominating the whole video.
I hope that you enjoyed your hike! The weather was perfect for it this weekend, so hopefully you managed to make it out before this rain hit! I probably should have realised, but the Urchin tops are VERY exposed in the summer, so when I finally came out of the 'green tunnel' onto the scree slope, it was hard work! Thanks for the feedback on my videos too - glad you like them! :)
Yep, we had stayed at the Urchin campsite the night before, and did the hike on Saturday, so we avoided the rain. It was a great hike! Lots of interesting birds and bugs to catch on video, and the view was spectacular. The only disappointing aspect was that we were there about midday, so the view was a bit hazy from the heat of the day. Maybe we should done the hike first and then come back to pack up our tentsite. Oh, well!
It's always difficult to say with any certainty whether a carpark is safe. This is a popular area for hikers to access the Urchin to Umakarikari Loop, which means it's always likely that there will be people around and using the carpark. It is quite a way off the main road up a gravel road, too, which (I would hope) would deter anyone with bad intentions.
I worked on track cutting & mtce as a 17/18 yr old in 1978/79 for the old Forest Service out of Turangi. Spent many weeks on the Urchin/Umakarikari over the tops to the Waipakihi hut and then down the Waipakihi to the Desert rd end. Brought back some great memories. Fantastic views of the CNI. Kia ora.
Great video and really informative for me. My daughter lives local in this area of NZ and has just discovered this trail and she wants me to do it when i visit in early 2024. Keep up the videoa, really good..
Awesome, I'm glad you found it useful! Your daughter has good taste!
Been on that track many times over to the Waipkihi river. The track is good across the tops but a lot steeper down to the river - very hard work coming back up again if you have a heavy pack. BTW there is a small creek on your left just as you break out of the bush on the way that you went - makes the hike a little more pleasant if you're thirsty.
Yes I wish I'd had the stamina and confidence to explore a little more. Was meaning to get out that way for a summer trip before I left the North island but didn't quite make it! Such a beaut spot though 😍
The Urchin tops are fantastic aren't they. I have camped up there twice now, and apart from the lack of water, it is a great experience, especially watching the sunrise and sunset. If you want to ad an extra adventure to your trips camping solo is great fun. There are a few tiny hunters camp spots around if you get off the track and look around the bush edges. I can't recommend it highly enough!
I absolutely loved my time up there - so peaceful and serene. I'm working my way up towards overnight trips... but very much looking forward to it! Still gotta get my tent in order first :)
Altra Lone Peaks! Love em!!!
Just spotted my first off-trail person walking down the street in a pair. Nice to see! Great shoes :)
Looks like a good walk, I'm doing this hike on the Easter weekend! Glad I'm doing it in autumn, looks like pretty hot work in summer, and the flies are a pain. I appreciate your editing style, some walking and talking with just a little bit of music, rather than music dominating the whole video.
I hope that you enjoyed your hike! The weather was perfect for it this weekend, so hopefully you managed to make it out before this rain hit! I probably should have realised, but the Urchin tops are VERY exposed in the summer, so when I finally came out of the 'green tunnel' onto the scree slope, it was hard work! Thanks for the feedback on my videos too - glad you like them! :)
Yep, we had stayed at the Urchin campsite the night before, and did the hike on Saturday, so we avoided the rain. It was a great hike! Lots of interesting birds and bugs to catch on video, and the view was spectacular. The only disappointing aspect was that we were there about midday, so the view was a bit hazy from the heat of the day. Maybe we should done the hike first and then come back to pack up our tentsite. Oh, well!
Great vid! Will have to do this track
Is your car safe in the car park if you did an over night
It's always difficult to say with any certainty whether a carpark is safe. This is a popular area for hikers to access the Urchin to Umakarikari Loop, which means it's always likely that there will be people around and using the carpark. It is quite a way off the main road up a gravel road, too, which (I would hope) would deter anyone with bad intentions.
Long White Gypsy thank you 👍