Walking in circles
Around the Mountain Circuit, Te Papakura o Taranaki (Egmont National Park)
One mountain stands isolated on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Taranaki Mounga ascends from the sea toward the heavens, a volcano with a distinctly conical shape, blemished only by its secondary cone Panitahi. Circling the mountain is a network of trails that together make up the classic ‘Around the Mountain Circuit’ (AMC). It seemed to be the perfect plan B for Regan and I when a storm laid waste to our original Easter plans to head east. We would start at the carpark at North Egmont before heading west to Kahui Hut. The next day would be a short one to Waiaua Gorge Hut, before a big 1,500m climb up to Syme Hut on our third day. The last day would would take us through Dawson Falls and back to our car.
1. Easter trading
North Egmont to Kahui Hut
Regan picked me up after work on Thursday. We had an uneventful drive to North Egmont where we would be staying in the Camphouse.
The Camphouse has an interesting history. It was forged in Melbourne in 1855 before being imported and…
