Mangahao Flats Hut
Saturday 15 th - Sunday 16 th November 2025
It was an early start as we packed up the car and headed over to Shannon. Four trampers and doggo
Boots from MTC, we were all ready for a weekend in the hills. We had a quick stop at a café to grab
some morning tea before taking the 40min gravel drive up to Mangahao Dam No 1 and the start of
the trail.
We set off around 10.15am with a pleasant stroll around the edge of the dam. The track was in
pretty good condition apart from the occasional tree that had fallen victim to the high winds a
couple of weeks before. We crossed the side streams via several bridges which enabled us to keep
dry feet for most of the day. The weather was cool but pleasant for a tramp.
As it was a late start, we stopped for lunch around 3pm. Having had just a few snack stops along the
way I was ready for my squashed cheese roll, siting enjoying the view, it had never tasted better!
We continued on along the track passing through alternating gorge type sections and open flat. Not
far from the hut we traversed along the bottom of the first small slip, however, the second larger slip
was a little more challenging. We had the option of taking the river route (if water levels were low)
or up and over the slip. We were unsure of the water levels and decided we would go up and over.
Skirting up and around slips are often not as easy as you imagine (or should I say hope for!). What
started out as a bit of a climb ‘up’ turned into more of a challenge than we had at first thought.
Everyone was pleased to get past this point and onto the final flats before getting to the hut at
around 7pm. The hut was very tidy and clean and a pleasure to arrive at. Nobody else was there, so
we had the hut to ourselves. The light was fading, so we quickly washed up and got a brew on. It had
been a long day and we were ready to relax and have some dinner.
The following day, we were up, bright and early. We were breakfasted, packed up and ready to go by
7.30am. We gave the hut a good tidy and sweep, and we were on our way.
We decided to take the river route to pass the big slip, which was a good choice…a lot less climb and
the water only came up to my knees, although I do recall hearing the wails from the shorter
members in the party! It was a slightly warmer day, with plenty of time to enjoy the track. We had
spied a picnic table at Harris creek the previous day, so we made our way there for morning tea and
a swimming stop for the 4 legged amongst us.
We carried on for a couple more hours, before stopping riverside for lunch, a brew and a quick bask
in the sun! Then we were counting down the bridges as we made our way back to the car arriving at
6pm. After the 40min gravel drive out, it was ice creams at Shannon before heading back to
Masterton.
Those on the trip were Nathan, Christine, Conrad and Gail (trip leader and scribe).
Stick carrier - Boots
A SNAIL TALE
As you clean and pack up your gear from your trip - you reflect on how the trip went, the good, bad and the ugly.
GOOD
* I went out with a great bunch of people and we had fun along the way with a lot of challenges.
* My pack was a good weight and my shoulders weren't too sore the next day.
* I had the right gear.
* I tick off the hut I had on my bucket list.
* No bad headaches.
BAD
* Honestly I bit off more than I could chew - it wasn't the distance it was the terrain.
* Crying on the side of the cliff (Sunday)
* Nearly falling off a cliff (Saturday)
* Needing to organise my pack a lot better - taking it all out in the middle of the track is not a good plan.
UGLY
* War wounds (Bruises too many to count ) to show you have done the hard yards.
Don't be put off or worried about going with Gail and Conrad after the war wounds. They are the best people who you want around in the good, bad and ugly situations plus fantastic trip leaders.
All in all the weekend was a brutal but exciting adventure and I think that I will be reflecting on what I want out of Tramping and what it means to me.
As 1 of my friends commented on Facebook on my story; Well done. To quote an old school tramper Sir Ed 'we knocked the bastard off'
Again thank you for a great weekend.
