Maratoto Monster

What a monster this one turned out to be. Every time we visit the batch up at Whangamata this peak with its cache sitting proudly on top is always the closest. Now that normally wouldn't be a problem except that to get to the start of the walk its a hour drive from home. This holiday was going to be the time when finally I climbed to the top and claim both the peak and the cache.

I'm always one to make sure that I'm prepared for the walk ahead of me and this time was no different. I read the logs closely and looked at the picture of where to park. Unfortunately that was about as easy as it would get for us.

We arrived at a little car park on the LHS and with a great view and stream access sign I assumed we were in the right spot. Assume wrong. My partner in crime, Ashley (as you never tramp alone) and I proceeded to search around for about 10min trying to find a way across the stream and the start of the track. Eventually I just bit the bullet and crossed the stream to explore the paddock. Success. I managed to find a well established track that was wide and easy to follow. The track crossed a smaller stream about 5-6 times before disappearing. We decided to just keep walking up stream and hope to stumble back upon the track. By this stage we had seen a grand total of 3 orange track ribbons. With wet feet and moods low we got to within 300m of the cache. A plan to carry on for 10mins bush bashing was made and depending on how we went was whether we carried on to the summit or turned back.

The monster got us again. It lured us up the steep slope with a sent of reward. 150m away the beast bit and we have the cuts to prove it. We struggled and clawed our way metre by metre to the top. Several times we slipped and came to sheer cliff faces. After about 2 1/2 hrs of battling with the monster we finally got to the summit.

That wasn't the end however. After quickly finding the dry cache we started our descent. We thought that once we got to the top the way down would reveal itself but the monster wasn't ready to give up its secrets. We searched all over the summit but there was no easy way down. We decided to head back the way we came but even that wasn't easy going, steep drops and not seeing where your steeping was treacherous. Eventually we found our way back to the stream and later the car.

Total time 4hr