The Pinnacles at last and a tale of 2 dams

The second walk of the weekend was to the spectacular Pinnacles volcanic stumps near Thames at the base of the Coromandal peninsula.  DOC track the pinnacles

We set off early as it was a 2 1/2 hour drive each way with about 25km on dirt roads, arriving at the base car park just before 11am. The first part of the track is very steep with steps cut all the way. We didn't realise until the info boards at the top that these steps had been cut in the late 1800s early 1900s for the horses which were used to bring supplies up to the Kauri logging camps up on the plateau. The start of the trek was through lush jungle and bush with many small rivers to cross on wobbly rope bridges where each plank was hinged to the next for extra bounce!

 

After a long haul up through the trees we came out over the rim into the plateau where we could see the huge volcanic plugs which make up the pinnacles, they are all that remains of the once huge volcano in this area - it is probably all still active way down deep though!!

 

 

 

 

DOC the Department of Conservation have build a 'Bothy' type bunk house hut up here - you do have to bring all your own stuff but it is much more luxurious than the majority of bothies! So many folk stay overnight to climb the last bit early morning. In fact the mountain had been full on the Saturday night with 80 people staying up in the hut and camp sites! - we met a lot of them on their way down as we were struggling up (or Shona was!!)

 

Near the DOC hut there is the second dam of my tale! This is a Kauri dam built in 1929 by the loggers - 4 years after the hydro one which is still working - a bit different in style and longevity!

The idea was for the dam to build a head of water to wash all the huge logs down to the valley, the one Malcolm is standing next to is a tiny example of the size of these trees. You can see the vertical planks were hinged so that they could release the water and not get washed down themselves. This is one of last built and very few surviving Kauri dams left of what was a huge industry in NZ. The landscape across northern NZ must have looked very different with these forest giants dominating the land.
A quick lunch at the dam then onwards and upwards - yet more steps! - can you see the path??

It is official - DOC are amazing - their step building is awesome! See Malcolm on the ladder - there was also metal rungs on vertical boulders to scramble up - high adrenaline stuff!

The views from the top were a just reward for the effort - it was great to see places we have seen along the Coromandal coast from below and from the water and now from up on high.



A superb but very long day - 11 1/2 hours later we got home!