Syme to Syme – Around the Mountain

If summiting a mountain was to conquer it, then circumnavigating a mountain would be to invite him over for dinner, have a drink,a good laugh, and raise a toast to his sunset.

On Saturday February 18th, Ben Duggan & I joined Mt Taranaki for a mountain running smorgasbord buffet, and we ate the lot. From Syme to Syme, in a day…And what an adventure!

 

Our goal was simple, to run the ‘Upper Mountain Circuit’ of Mt Taranaki – but another burning desire of mine complicated things… Syme Hut, the highest hut in the North Island was just waiting for  us to stay a night. So we stayed two. Perched on top of Fanthams Peak, Taranaki’s side-kick, we had inspiring views on a clear Friday night as we fuelled up and prepared for our giant Saturday mission. 

5:30AM, I ducked my head outside Syme’s ice-pick studded door. A streak of orange on the horizon ignited the spark of sunrise as we began our epic: AROUND THE MOUNTAIN. We out-ran the sun to the western side along the Brames Falls Track, overgrown and clearly unused even though it has some amazing scenery. Precipitous cliffs fell from Bob’s Knob, one of the many distinctive rock formations jutting from Taranaki’s higher flanks. I clung firmly to lava rock as I dropped into one murderous valley, you couldn’t afford to be half asleep on a trail like this.

Pumped – Bring it on!

Before it became unbearably hot, we dropped down along a ridge, and into the rugged western jungle. We scampered our way through vines and branches with relentless forward progress. Waiaua Gorge Hut brought back foggy memories of our long, wet tramp around Taranaki in the heart of 2010’s winter. Memories of the drenched bush were soon wiped dry, it was developing into a brilliant day with clear glimpses of the Mount bursting into our scene.

Heartily climbing out of Waiaua Gorge

We avoided the chasm of mud and micro-climbs that I knew were hidden beneath the even contours below Kahui Hut, this cut a wholesome chunk off our time up Stony River to Holly Hut. All the while, Ben was developing some serious nausea and hadn’t been able to stomach anything solid since breakfast. Not good. He almost vomited while I gratefully chowed down on fried eggs offered by some frisky hunters. Though delicious, I could appreciate he was wrenching in agony and putting up a brave front. We discussed pulling out at North Egmont, without fuel Ben’s energy levels were deteriorating fast. A hard decision to make…but we pushed on.

Empty stomach perseverance: Up the Stony River.

Somehow, the 500m climb to Tahurangi cured him. When I first heard the words “…let’s stop for food…” I knew we’d make it. We were now running true ‘around the mountain’, for miles in the distance the sidling trail was clearly etched into the mountain-side. The crest of every spur brought with it new views and new hope of finishing. But this was it: the uncertainty of completing your goal in ultra marathons is exactly what makes them so elusive, and keeps us running back for more.

Getting into my rhythm on the climb to Tahurangi. Dieffenbach Cliffs in the backdrop.

Faintly humming gliders swooped above us as we cut past Tahurangi, and the teeming masses returning from ‘Summit Trail’. My favourite section of track followed, and we really opened up our hinds for the first time. It wasn’t long however that I remembered  – the major 1074m ascent of Fanthams Peak that I had saved for lucky last… 

Stratford Plateau. Fantham’s now in Sight.

After 10 hours of tough, tough running, we needed every mental boost we could get. After all, there’s only so much PowerBar one man can handle.

Something special about Wilkie’s Pools. A highlight of the trip Getting emotional at Sir Ed’s memorial. Not far to go now…

 Knocking off the downhill through Manganui ski-field, the glorious Wilkie’s pools, and into Dawson’s Falls set us in high spirits to end the day – we were now amped on endorphins – determined to fling ourselves at the stairs – literally 1000 of them – fourty minutes later – – –

Ben – ecstatic

BOOM! 

Round the Mountain, no mean feat

We were over the moon, and had clocked in at a fraction under 11 hours. Although truly impressed at the thought of Grant Guise’s recent time of 6 hours, we were about to complete a known first. Because as we lay elated on the steps at our loop’s end, the chilling sweat on our backs reminded us our journey wasn’t yet over…

Absurdly destroyed. Scoria was not designed for tired legs

Forty-degree pitched fields of loose scree almost had the last laugh – the extended stop had sent us writhing in cramp as we summoned emergency pockets of energy to help us make it to the top. To make matters worse, cloud engulfed us for a time, not unusual on these slopes but all the more demoralising.

Home at Syme Hut, again

After enough moaning, the hut was not fantasy but once more a reality. The effort invested in the eight-dollar bottle of Corbans Merlot was well worth the trouble, and we lay back contentedly as we watched another prolific day end. We hobbled barefoot over the scoria to watch the sun achingly dip into the Tasman. Exhilarated, and broken. We collapsed inside the hut for a long time.

Taranaki – Like no other…

The Hillary Trail

Running in the Footsteps of Sir Ed


The Hillary Trail is a 75km route through the Waitakere Ranges, beginning at Muriwai Beach in the north to Arataki Visitor Centre in the south. The trail opened in January 2010 to honour our national kiwi hero, Sir Edmund Hillary. The trail has been special for me since, I ran the Arataki-Piha half on January 8th with a group to arrive at the opening ceremony held on the 2nd year anniversary of his passing to mountaineering glory. A year later, I ran with seven others the full trail for the first time in 14 hours. The trail is just too good to make it an annual bash – a further six months down the track I decided to team up with Kristian Day of Napier to take on the trail again for real.

Peter Hillary, Timothy Burrell, Me, Sarah Hillary – Jan 2010

But we didn’t want to make it too easy.

North – South: evil hills saved for the finish.

Unsupported: no cars following us with watermelons, we’d have to carry our own soggy crumpets.

Winter: mud. Enough said.

With no fanfare to blast us on our way, we climbed from Muriwai Beach through backstreets to the beginning of the Te Henga trail – a jewel of Auckland’s west coast. Myself and Kristian were joined by Gene Beveridge and Matt Ogden for this first 10km stretch, they were keen for an early morning bash. At least after some thorough persuasion. They set us off at a solid pace that we dreamed was sustainable for the whole run, but when they left us at Bethells Beach we slipped into our own rhythm. Initial nerves shaken off, and Ruahines damage report coming up clean, we moved through the iconic sand dunes and around Lake Wainamu smoothly.

Te Henga trail

Our first major climb up the Houghton track broke a decent sweat, now 8am I topped up my breakfast of oats with some syrup-marinated crumpets while slipping up the gulley. We almost had a close encounter with the infamous Houghton Boar – rollicking, crunching and snarling in the mud, hidden from sight – we didn’t stick around! I collected a tag at Wainamu junction, one of last remaining from the Bethells 12-Hour Rogaine held in July, good to see the event organisers are cleaning up after the festivities.

Piha Appears!

Kuataika was a fun downhill blitz en route to Anawhata farm and once a large group of Japanese hikers filed passed us on White track, Lion Rock burst into view – Piha in only 3 hours 40 mins! We were stoked at the split. Striding along Piha Beach felt great, too great, we pushed the pace to Glen Esk to enjoy our 8 minute lunch break, lying on the grass, in the sun… Bliss.



Kristian feeling spritual at Kitekite

And off again – a swim at KiteKite falls was tempting, very tempting, but if we were to beat Nick Harris’ 11 hour record, some sacrifices had to be made! We crested to Piha Rd for the road bash towards Karekare, but not before making a costly mistake following the trail markers… Note to self: always bring map! Kristian was psyched to see the marker after an extra half hour of unnecessary knee-crunching along the road.

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We’d taken a blow to our morales, it felt like playing catchup now on lost time, so we barely stopped for a photo of the map at Karekare beach before the next climb to Mt Zion. This is listed on PeakBagging.co.nz, coming in at 272m it gave us just enough height to take in the wild coastal strip. Whatipu beach is an enormous land of swamps of sand dunes, with a roaring surf. The winter rains had taken their toll making the cliff tracks to Whatipu were muddy and energy-draining: our blistering pace from the morning was slowing!


Kristian pelted by rain up to Whatipu trig

It was a different experience along the windy ridges of the Omanawanui track today: a ten hour fatigue meant I was stumbling up the hills and my vision was a mad blur on the downhills. I finished my last food supplies at Karamatura forks – dangerous – there were still 3 hours to go. Fortunately, this was no average food – my energy rich Al’s PowerBars gave birth to a second wind that blew through just in time to destroy the 400m descent into Huia, and we enjoyed telling other trampers what we were up to along the way.

The ever sensational Omanawanui Track

Gritting his teeth along Puriri Ridge Track

But at Huia reality dawned (or rather dusked), and the truth came out. We were absolutely smashed and still had 2 hours of muddy climbing to the finish. The transition from walking to running was slower than a freight train pumping its pistons and rolling into a start – it was becoming an increasingly mental challenge just to get going. And worse, our chances of beating Nick Harris’ record were sinking into the creamy Nihotupu mud…



One ofthe many ‘final’ climbs to Arataki

Twilight darkened under the canopy of bush, straining our night-vision until we finally gave in to sense. Every effort was magnified, even getting out the headlamp. Luckily I’d thrown one in at the last minute – we weren’t expecting to go into the night. It was a bonding experience for me and Kristian as together we pushed through extreme fatigue into the never-ending darkness, rain and mud…but eventually we heard a noise, a light – a Ruby Muir! Our faithful support crew had been traipsing around the trails for 3 hours never knowing when we might arrive. Thanks Ruby. Once we hit Slip track it was one final surge for an emotional finish in 11 hours 56 minutes.

Although we didn’t beat Nick’s time, we were still stoked with our effort. We’d completed the 2nd ever unsupported traverse of the four-day trail in half a day, through some tough winter conditions. I love the Hillary Trail, but for now I don’t want to see the trail again for some time!

Smashed, Ravaged, but Finished

Now that the we’ve conquered the Hillary Trail in both directions (North-South is definitely harder by the way), there’s only one thing left to dream of…

Double Hillary…?

The Hillary Trail