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Let me take you on a recent adventure from my living room armchair all the way to the top of a mountain range. A lot of my adventures start in the relative comfort of an armchair at home. I get inspired by seeing an adventure happening and my own plan starts to build from there.
On this particular adventure, I got inspired by something unusual… after having completed some trips using a sleep mat to put it through its paces on being warm and comfortable inside a tent, I thought to myself, where would most people not take something like this to camp?
This was the start of my journey from the armchair to the mountaintop.
I started to plan out locations, knowing it needed to be within easy reach so I could take advantage of the weather. I had three possible locations that could work for me, so I kept my eye on the weather and started to prepare my gear for the adventure.
I am a visual person, so for me, laying gear out on the floor is the best way to see what I’m taking. This gear list went through some adjustments each time I looked at it, with things being added and then subtracted as I thought about how I would actually be camping once at the top of a mountain range.
One of the struggles I had was not knowing what it was actually going to be like because I hadn’t been there before. I had some serious questions like:
Will I be able to actually pitch a tent?
If it’s all rock, how will I get tent pegs in the ground?
How cold will it likely be there, and how will I stay warm while I’m 1300 m high and it’s night-time?
Given my outdoor experience, years of knowledge and confidence in adventuring, I changed away from taking a small tramping tent and switched to relying on a small Siltarp instead. Armed with two walking poles, eight guy ropes and a handful of pegs, this would be my shelter for the night. It was a very compact arrangement, and with the tarp weighing in at only 480 g, it was lightweight to carry.
Next was warmth. I needed to consider my clothing and sleeping situation. I run really hot when tramping or being active, so my only concern was once I stop for the night and am less active. I knew the wind would be cold as well, so having good wind protection was vital. Starting with my clothing, I followed the layering process: merino close to my body, then another fleece top before adding a warm 900 FP goose down jacket, a good neck gaiter, gloves and merino socks. I had a beanie as well, but found my cap was fine to keep my head warm on top.
For sleep time, I was very confident in my choice of carrying a heavier mat in favour of getting 12 cm of comfort when inflated, along with a strong insulation rating of 7.2 R-value. This would later prove to be invaluable, as my site location was not as clear of lumps and bumps as I’d have liked. My sleeping bag has already kept me warm through tough weather and extreme cold temperatures, so I was happy with that.
My food consideration was actually really basic, as I don’t get that hungry while adventuring. Everyone is different on what they can operate on, and for me, a packet of noodles and a hot drink before bed is enough. I did take additional food including snacks but never needed them.
Right back to my lounge armchair… watching the perfect weather window forming, I hit the go button.
Finalising my gear list, everything went into my pack ready to go. Chloe decided to join the adventure and opted to stay at Powell Hut, further down from where I would eventually make camp.
The morning of, I was excited. We drove around an hour from home, picking up a footlong Subway, half for breakfast and then half for an easy lunch option during the walk. We donned our packs and off we went.
The walk starts off really easy, following the Atiwhakatu Stream for about an hour before taking a sharp turn uphill. Following the trail uphill over tree roots for about two hours gets you to Mountain House shelter, which makes for a really good lunch stop. From here, it’s around an hour push to Powell Hut.
Once Chloe and I made it to Powell, I said goodbye and headed on further up to the tops to search for a home for the night. I didn’t have much daylight left, so I quickened my pace to find somewhere. I was looking for somewhere relatively flat and big enough to fit my sleep mat.
It wasn’t long before I found a spot that I thought could work. I quickly got to work setting up the tarp first. I had to be smart with getting my pegs in between cracks in the rock and under clumps of tussock wherever possible. The set-up took me around five minutes, which was just in time to catch the sun setting, which I enjoyed for a few minutes.
I was in communication with Chloe through our UHF radios, and I told her to get the kettle on and I would walk back to her at the hut and share a hot drink together. I changed out of my shorts and short-sleeve top and into warmer gear, as the temperature dropped just as fast as the light started to fade. I grabbed my light and headed on down to the hut.
It didn’t take long to get there, and what luxury she was in… a warm fire going and even powered lights were fitted in the rebuild of the hut after a fire forced it to be rebuilt. Chatting to some of the hut visitors and reassuring them I was just visiting and not staying for free, I finished my catch-up with Chloe, leaving her to make her dinner while I made my way back up the top in the dark. Taking my time to stay safe but also admiring the epic view that was appearing all around me. The lights of Wairarapa stretched right across in front of me. A huge blanket of stars filled the sky above me, stretching all around me. It was magnificent.
Making it back to camp, I finished setting up my bed for the night and organising my things for cooking dinner. Heating up a pot of water for my noodles took no time at all while sat under my tarp looking out at the view.
By now, the wind had started to pick up. I had anticipated this and set my tarp up low but also nestled in between a large rock outcrop and a big bush of tussock, leaving me protected from the full force of the cold wind driving across the tops. The temperature had also significantly dropped. Gloves were needed on my hands, which were feeling the cold while I was sitting around. After dinner, I packed everything away and got my sleeping bag out, letting it loft up.
Feeling well organised, I decided to adventure out before bed and get some night photos. This was amazing to do, clambering up and over the rocks, finding amazing spots to look out at the views all around me was just amazing. I was warm and happy sitting up the top, looking out at the world carrying on as it does. This is the kind of adventure that makes me feel really alive. I love the extreme environment and the rareness of nature surrounding me. Where every step needs to be considered and the reliance on my own skills becomes a real thing.
After snapping a few photos and looking at the view for about an hour, it was about time for bed for me… heading back across to my tarp, I crawled inside, stripping off a few layers before getting into bed.
Now, if I hadn’t mentioned where I was sleeping, let me tell you, it was on rocks. Hard, pointy rocks that were a part of the ground and couldn’t be brushed away. Despite thinking I found a flat spot, it was actually on an angle and it was not really big enough for my mat to sit properly.
All of that didn’t matter. Once I climbed into bed and snuggled into my pillow, I was both warm and really comfortable. The mat’s 12 cm of thickness soaked up the uneven ground and rocks beneath me, leaving me to have a good sleep.
I woke around 3 am and spotted the Milky Way just outside the opening to my tarp, so I had to get up and get a photo. It was super cold, so it wasn’t long before I got back into bed, drifting off to sleep to the sound of the wind.
Enjoying a great sleep, I was woken by a loud sound of what I thought was a train in my still half-asleep brain. But no, it was a helicopter landing close by to drop some people off to do some track maintenance work. I guess it was time to get up.
After unzipping my sleeping bag and properly getting out from under my tarp shelter, I was treated to a very amazing sight. The sunrise out across the horizon was absolutely breathtaking. No clouds to block the view, just stunning scenery.
I made a hot drink and enjoyed it while taking in the crisp morning air for a few minutes before getting into my pack-up. I’m not one to muck around or take all morning to get sorted, so after a few minutes of stuffing my sleeping bag away and deflating my sleep mat, it was time to pull down the tarp. One of the great things about tarp camping is just how simple it is to fold up and pack away. Minimalistic and easy, just how I like it.
Just as I was packing up, Chloe appeared around some rocks to come and say good morning and check out the sunrise from my vantage point. We took the time to enjoy it together before heading back down to the hut where she stayed.
I love catching up with outdoor people, so I spent some time saying hello and answering all the questions about the group we run that often follow when people meet me, along with how my night went up the top of the ridge.
Chloe had finished getting herself ready and we enjoyed another hot drink and some breakfast together while catching up with the team from the helicopter.
It was time to start thinking about heading back down, even though we didn’t want to leave the amazing spot, as the views and vibe were outstanding. All the hut clean-up chores got ticked off by those staying, and we said goodbye to the different adventurers as they made their way back down the mountain, or, for some, who adventured on to the next hut along the ridge.
For us, it was back down to the car and home. The walk down was much easier than the walk up. Our packs felt heavier for some reason, which seemed strange, but I couldn’t confirm if it was just tired bodies or somehow, they had taken on extra weight.
Either way, it didn’t slow us down. We made good time as we sped down the stairs and trail, through the mushy section in the trees and over the lumpy tree roots back to the main trail that heads to the Holdsworth carpark. It took a bit over three hours to make it back to the car, and we treated ourselves to some chocolate that we had forgotten to eat the evening before.
There is nothing like the feeling that instantly follows after you drop a tramping pack at the end of a walk… it’s an instant sensation of relief, accomplishment, energy and feeling proud all rolled up into a gratifying moment that often looks like pain.
This was a tramp that will forever hold a place in my memory for gracing me with the kindest weather, a campsite to never forget, and for allowing me to complete my plan almost exactly how I’d planned it from my living room.
This trip has sparked my own flame for adventures and will be a constant reminder that big climbs can pay off.
I will look out for you on my next adventure into the wild.
We are always happy to help with all of your camping questions! Feel free to contact us on our Facebook group HERE and ask for Jono.
If you love what we do, please consider “buying us a coffee” to help us fund our endeavour of helping New Zealander’s get outdoors! All donations go towards the running of NZFA.
Happy adventuring!
Jono & Chloe
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