Tapping Out of Tappy
Tapuae-o-Uenuku, Tapuae-O-Uenuku Scenic Reserve
Tapuae-o-Uenuku pierces the skyline on the eastern flank of New Zealand’s South Island. The 2,885 metre high peak is the tallest peak outside of the Southern Alps. Climbing its soaring massif has been a rite of passage for generations of New Zealanders. This includes Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first up Everest, who once said of his ascent of Tapuae-o-Uenuku “I’d climbed a decent mountain at last”. When I saw that my friend Emily was leading a tramping club trip up the famous peak I could hardly pass up the opportunity. I would be joined by Emily, Erik, Josh and Andrew (of Whanganui fame). Our plan was to take the ferry to the South Island on Thursday after work. The following day we would drive up the Awatere Valley and begin our ascent by following the Hodder River to its headwaters, staying in Marlborough Tramping Club’s Hodder Huts. Saturday would be summit day, followed by a day of retracing our steps to get the ferry back to Wellington on Sunday.
