Maungatautari Mission (Waikato) Pukeatua, North Island, New Zealand
By quinella on 09-Feb-08. Waypoint GC197B8

Hot day out, nice and cool in the trees tho. Cache found a little damp inside it.

Still there, one year after last find

Tough hike up to the summit. Hot day but chilly wind passing through. Cache found nice and easily

On a training tramp. A nice little find for our boy. Gorgeous day! Thanks for the placement

Lovely spot for a bit of ultra marathon training! Cache was a bonus. Thanks for placement.

A good find after a long hike. I didn’t know what the clue on the lid meant

Lovely walk up with motleyblue. Better head down before the rain comes!

First time up the hill with simmizz, so so many flying creatures. Also the last of the main peaks in the Waikato ticked off

A nice day our with the radical faeries

Bit damp as there is a hole in the bag. I nice mornings climb/walk

Nice early morning start after staying at Out in the Styx getting dropped off and hitting the hill at 9am. We took the new track to the top then across to Maungatautari. It has obviously changed since the cache was first put here with a nice shinny new tower here and a bunch of solar panels. Now the cache was a bit elusive for a while but then finally laid our hands on it. Fav point from us

Cache number 3641. After clearing Karioi of caches early in the week I thought I had better start on this mountain. I came up the old track from Hicks Road. I started at 7.15 and was at the top in good time. Things have changed since I was last up here. The old trig has gone and replaced with a new metal tower. One thing that has not changed is the view. There is still no view. But this time I got a cache. Cache all good. Signed while eating my sandwich. Thank you for the placement.

Doing a walk from Hicks Rd to Pukeatua with MS Waikato so thought I should grab a cache or two. Have been here before but forgot to look but quickly spotted. Thanks for the clue. Grabbed the TB. TFTC

Yay my third one for the peak challenge. What a beautiful day it was. Started my climb taking the wairere traverse track up. Going by my knowledge when I tramp up the other side of mountain I had a fair idea the Te Raki track was going to be a harder climb. As I was almost at the top I stop for a breather and looked out over the view through an opening an I could see Mt Taranaki as clear as. Oh wow! That's where I'm originally from. And I happen to be wearing my Taranaki Hardcore Beanie on today. Finally got to the top. Little bummed there's very little view up here. A small one where they have cleared some trees. Took a while to locate cache but eventually put my hand on it. Cache a bit damp but log book not to bad. After lunch made my way back down the Te Raki track. And yep it would of been rough coming up. Lol But you've got to have the full experience of this mission..mud and all. Lol!! Bump into a young guy that thought he was at the top and had stopped because he thought he was there. Um no. Another 5 mins to go. He was struggling. Lol It was a great adventure. Left a tb and dinosaur. Tftc

It was nice and safe up there All in good condition but a little damp TFTC

Decided today to see how fit I was or wasn't. Hubby said he would come with me as he has been over the mountain several times for multi sport events. What a hike. It wasn't too hot as there was a breeze. We went up the Wairere Traverse track and came down the old track. I would recommend sticking to the Traverse track both ways. Much easier and drier underfoot. Got to the boardwalk which is really nice. Found cache. The log sheet is dry but the rest is wet. The outer plastic bag is too small for the container to seal it. We sat at the picnic table eating a muesli bar and drinking water trying to work out what is going to happen where the trig was. The trig hasn't been burnt. It is black from aging in the high altitude. Listened to the birdsong as well. Came home feeling very tired but pleased that I could hack the climb. TFTC.

So... was sitting at work chatting away with my cousin and she was telling me about all the hills she'd climbed over the holidays, but hadn't yet done this one. I said to her I'd come with her to do this summit, and she said how bout tomorrow. I gulped and said sure! We left from the northern entrance and I blamed my puffing as we came up through the paddock on having sat all day. We then took the left hand path, and OMG was that hard! 90min later we finally made it to the top after scrambling around fallen down trees, through the mud and up lots of roots. Was amazed when we got to the top to find a broadwalk! Wanted to get a photo from the summit, only to find the the tower had been burnt down, so all there was to see was a hole, some burnt rocks, and trees. After a breather, I grabbed the cache, then we found the nice stony path and were back down the hill and at the car in less than 45min.

Easy find when U pick right Boardwalk needs maintainance
very dirty, emptied it of water, log was ok.
Had a quick look for this one when our group walked
to the trig on Monday and a side track where I lost my GPS.
Gave up on the cache as again muggles this time
workmen working around the trig came back on saturday
to look for my GPS didn't find it so got the cache instead.

We decided to do a bit of a walk today & check out an area we haven't been to before. It was a bit of a chug up hill with area's being quite wet and muddy today but we got there eventually.
After a little bit of working out which part of the clue item to check, we found the cache. It's pretty wet inside. We tried to dry it out a little while we had lunch, but on such a cold day we didn't get too far with it.
With cache returned & lunch finished we headed back down - glad to be warming up again.
It was very chilly at the trig,
Left a pet rock - a koala
Thanks for Giving us something to aim for on our walk today

I have been eyeing up Mungatautari and the Geocaches here ever since I started this strange hobby. It’s a place I have often thought I should visit and explore but have never managed to get to. I had mentioned the Mountain Challenge which requires the two summits on Mungatautari to my friends Steed&Peel when we walked along the Hakirimata ridge a few weeks back and they have gone to some effort to take up that challenge ever since. They kindly invited me to join them today to walk from one side of Mungatautari to the other to grab the caches on both summits and a couple of others for good measure.

This was our final find of the day. We stopped at the trig for some lunch and met four others at the summit while we were there, although they had all come from the Hicks end road end. A woman we met was preparing for a week long trip in the south island and after having a chat we educated her on the joys of Geocaching.

The return trip to my car was marred by Steed taking a nasty bump to the head. Thankfully I had a first aid kit and was able to patch him up. Thanks for placing a cache here and been part of the reason we got to enjoy such a nice day out.

After finding the Pukeatua peak cache and a couple of others, we made our way to Maungatautiri summit.
I've been here probably 5 or 6 times before, but I've never approached it from Pukeatua and only once since the fence has changed the Hicks Rd end. We used to enter and return through a lovely tree lined avenue near the farm, but now you get that steep gravel road instead. Not nearly as pleasant.
Anyway, we reached the trig and were soon joined by several others who had come up from Hicks Rd. We decided to have an early lunch, it felt later, and I enjoyed my little thermos of tea.
After explaining geocaching to a woman who was in 'pack carrying' training for a SI trip (she went up and down several times), we left and soon had the cache in hand. We did the paperwork, showed her what it was about, then started down.
We had been joking 'mind your head!' to vertically challenged Steed, but he was the one who took a flap of skin off his pate on a broken branch. Ouch! Luckily Mr Walker, the teacher, had a first aid kit and was able to wash it out and cover it.
We made our way down to Mr Walker's car, then drove back around to Pukeatua.
A Fav for a good day out. Thanks.

Set off from Mangakino to climb the summit with the family. There was lots of water on the track from bad weather yesterday so very muddy in parts. Good day for a bush walk. Pleased to find quickly using hint. TFTC

I was on right place, how hint says...but nothing. ..I gave up after 20min searching around...

Have been up here once before prior to ever hearing of the word "geocaching"! Back today with my daughter for a brisk climb and to claim this cache as part of the Waikato Mountain Challenge. Number 6 of 8 for me, just Pirongia and Pukeatua to go. Couldn't persuade my daughter to continue on to Pukeatua so will try and coax a muggle friend to climb it sometime!! TFTC and a lovely day out in this beautiful weather - a favourite from me

Was up at the summit with a group of trampers from Tauranga on a hot humid day. Luckily it had been dry for a while so there was no mud to be seen. Cache was easily found and is in good condition. The same can't be said for me after getting there!!!!! TFTC

First find of the day thanks to our muggle friend awesome to get these to peaks in one hike I think maybe I only have one peak of 7 to go yeppie. Thanks for your company Ozzawazza and my muggle friend.

We walked the quad bike track and saw a few signs to the "old over the mountain track" but kinda ignored them enjoying our conversations, only to be well on the way to Hicks Rd when we realised we had to back track to get to the Summit. Back up the hills and it was found. Getting cold we headed to Pukeatua, great to be on a real tramping track.

Tftc

Beautiful clear day. Glad the is lots of shade. TFTC

Must have just missed the Jacksonz!

Came along here from Te Akaterere, (leaving Mrs Q to complete my normal pest tracking circuit on her own...thanks). Checked cache out and was surprized it was quite tidy given recent logs...not realising Jacksonz had just been there. Replaced logbook and bagged log and overall cache as extra protection.
Also placed on some packing to ensure it sits above any potential puddles.
Please replace lid up. These containers are not watertight on other angles...thanks.

Came up from the south, using the old track via the Pukeatua Summit, to add two more peaks to the Waikato Mountain Challenge. A lovely tramp, steep in places, and requiring attention as there are lots of roots and vines, with ferns obscuring the track in places. Disappointed to find no view from the top. Cache very wet. Used a towelette to dry it as best we could, and removed the mouldy covers from the log notebook. Tried to replace it so as to avoid more water getting into it. TFTC.

Cache is very wet, dryer it as best I could but maintenance needed

It has been about 8 years since I have done this walk and that time I walked right through. I felt like a good walk today and my two tramping mates couldnt come with me so I thought that I would tackle this one on my own. Track is well marked but a lot rougher than I remember and very very muddy and slippery today with a few passing showers and low cloud. Hard but enjoyable walk pity there are no views at the trig. Bit of work being done on new track at the top - glad to see boardwalk still there! I was going to do the other cache The Hooked Nose and think I worked out where to leave the main track but I didnt really think it was a good idea on my own and as I was pondering the heavens opened up. I think they were telling me something so I will have to bring Richard another day TFTC

Found it, it is very damp.... TFTC.

Decided to attack the "Waikato Mountain Challenge" this weekend....Grabed this one at 2.05am Saturday morning....

Man what a day, started out early to see if I could clean up the mountain. As I'd only found two of the caches on this mountain this was going to be a pretty big effort. 21kms and 7.5 hours later got all but one. Great day but glad to be home dry and sipping on a beer!

Walked here from Pukeatua peak via the new OTM track. Much easier going than following the pest lines like I had been the last 5 hours! Took me just under a hour to get here from the Pukeatua peak turn off. Had some difficulty locating the cache, was even contemplating giving up but on a last ditch effort found where it was hiding. Again now views as the mountain was covered in cloud. Thought about heading down to the hook nose, but decided not to as time was getting on and I was pretty tired at this stage and I still had to walk back to the car at the southern enclosure which was a good 6-7kms away.

Great clue didn't need GPS at all . Not much of a view today very foggy and low cloud what a fantastic hike

Needed a cache today and also am working through the "NZ Peak Performance Challenge".
Needless to say that after the recent rain the track was rather greasy so I will admit to taking my time getting up the hill as the last thing I needed was an injury after a couple of days hard tramping.

Cache was in great condition and the weather had stayed dry
Completed as Part of the "NZ Peak Performance Challenge".

TFTC

Quick find this time, second attempt for this one. Left 2 TB's

Well the force was not with me today. I was thinking it might be an easy find but I could not see anything. I have not been doing much recently but was not expecting a hunt.

We left 2 Trackables here. A rabbit that should not be on the mountain and a car to drive it away with!
Happy adventures.

Great walk to the peak, was a bit more challenging than we expected! Bfs first cache. Took a Cache Buddy 'Penelope the Pig' will move her to the Gold Coast next week!

Collected today after reaching the other 2 peaks earlier in the day. The return trip (including all 3 summits) took 5hr.40min. Not bad i thought.

Only saw a couple of extra people on the track today. A shame there isn't much of a view up here.

Cache in good condition. left 2 tb... only one was logged because i forgot to input the code and claim the other.

TFTC

Steep but quick walk to the summit here. Disappointed that there was no view from the top. Quick and easy find. TFTC

Hadn't been up a hill since BC (before children), have now bagged our 3rd peak of the Waikato Mountain challenge for 2012 New Year's resolution & lovin' it, lovin' it! We're still on a learning curve as to kids' stamina vs DOC trail estimates; 1.5hrs from Hicks Rd car-park to summit trig by 12 year old today with enough in the tank that we could have done the OTM for the other peaks - except we hadn't planned for that! So we'll be back soon! TFTC

Took just under an hour to get here from Pukeatua along the old track, about what I'd guessed. Cache was easily found with the help of the hint, and gave me the last bit of info I needed for the Maunga Multi. I noticed that there was an unneeded clue "O" in Otautora Falls - I guess the plan had originally included that cache too? Took stingray TB.

It was early enough in the day (or perhaps rather, not so horribly late in the day) that I decided to push on to The Hook Nose. Thanks for the cache.

An early start (so as to avoid news or radio) and a Maunga Mission to boot along with a couple for the Waikato Mountain Challenge. Its very wet underfoot.
2 done for the Maunga Mission
1 more for Waikato Mountain Challenge
Started at Tari road (via Hard Aka), funny no one else about. Made it to the cache at 0915hrs, TFTC

Yay we found it, torch helpful. Inside of cache very damp though.

Haha 2 finds on one day after a long spell of none. Had no problem locating the cache making use of the hints provided. Will add a separate log to suggest maintenance on the GC as it is far from pristine! TFTC Quinella.

Container still intact but not waterproof enough as logbook is very damp and I was unable to write on. Contents of GC were fairly crusty really. Overall it could do with some TLC. But well located and great to have a GC in this spot.

Long hike for me and the kids, couldn't find cache though, searched for awhile. Noticed noone has found since May, is it still there?

Good hard slog to this one. Found with Project K Group. TFTC

After a successful FTF nearby we headed to the car park to commence our walk for the day. Group of eager cachers headed for the mountain on a very muggy summer day. Entered the Jurassic Park looking entrance and headed for the start of the track. Did not take long for me to realize that I was really unfit and had eaten too much Christmas lunch. Decided there and then that getting fit again would be my new years resolution (a few days late but still counts). Enjoyable walk up and up and up. The legs started burning a little but still feeling good when we got to the lookout. Thanks for bringing us up here. TFTC

Great day out with Greenblat, Gadget-tron, Funkymunkyzone, Rosmar and Little Red Hood.

Must have picked one of the Waikato's hottest day's of the year for the climb, but worth it to visit such a great spot.

TFTC.

Headed up the mountain with Greenblat, Gadget-tron, Creedynz, FMZ and Little Red Hood on one of the hottest and humid days of the year. The enthusiastic bunch started the trek and made good progress. However once the track markers pointed us towards the summit the pace very quickly slowed. The climb was certainly consistently steep and had everyone puffing. Once at GZ the cache was soon located & logbook signed by all. Unfortunately to over-grown bush prevented any great views. After a photo shoot & breather we headed on our way to the Hooked Nose cache. TFTC.

Out for the day with co-conspirators Greenblat, Gadget-tron, Creedynz, Rosmar and Little Red Hood for some Maungatautari torture, and this was our first spot. 'Twas a hard slog up the hill for someone as unfit as me - took a few breaks on the way up (mind you, seemed a lot longer on the way back down, when the knees and ankles were rapidly tiring). Very nice to mark the achievement of summitting the hill with a cache find . Unfortunately there isn't much of a view anymore, even if one climbs the trig (and I think Greenblat has a photo of that). Anyway, thanks so much for this cache - I'm sure I'll stop regretting it tomorrow, or maybe the next day . After the find here and a quick break, we headed off to the Hook Nose. TFTC!!!

We chose a hot day alright but the top of a mountain is way cooler than the concrete jungle so really enjoyed being out with the gang today. Log and contents dampish but pretty normal for a bush cache. Thanks for bringing us here.

Needed to work off some xmas pudding, so decided to knock off mountain no 4 for me in Zorgon's mountain challenge. The other option was a lunchtime visit with one of the mother in law's old friends. Very pleasant hike on a warmish day. Opened the cache to discover a clue for the Maunga multi, and as I am a mountain short of getting the multi, I will have to make another trip back to this great sanctuary to cross "Hard Aka" off the list. Can I pleasssse have the clue for Pukeatua Peak, I did that one back on the 16th December 2009. Log was a bit damp but still works fine. TFTC.

Came up from Hicks Rd, doing a traverse and was picked up on the other side. Thought there would be a better view!! Those boards are almost useful! =) TFTC

Up here doing a trapline, lovely bush, misty drizzle makes it a bit damp underfoot! TFTC

Great walk - very wet underfoot but got back down before the rain set in. 10 years since I had been up here and just as challenging. Went from Hicks road. No time to do the Hook Nose before dark.Thanks.

easily found after hike to top

Nice day for a walk. Lots of people had the same idea. Great to see.... T4TC

tftc nice and easy fiiind once at the top found with cosclan

Nice walk up today, easier than Pukeatua on the other side. Cache found without too much fuss but never saw the geocoin.
Attempted hook nose on way back but not a good idea, lots of wndfall and the 30min I think is definately not for your average person. After about an hour and not far past the Rahiri loop no1 we must have ended up on wrong track after negotiating a large windfall. We started to head away from GZ which we had got within 300m so not wanting to have to retrace our steps we somehow found our way to the perimeter fence and had to follow that back to Hicks road...whew what a mission very steep up and downs and took about 2 1/2 hours for a total of 8.5 hours...oh well we'll remember that one!!! And will come back for another attempt one day.

1730 After bagging the Hook Nose this one was a breeze. Glad to finally knock this one off, although beaten by Mellee but note she didn't carry on to the next peak! TFTC

Was an easy find after I followed the hint. Found it without GPS, the hint worked well. TFTC

Tiring climb up the mountain, Signed log, Swapped a butterfly wing for the ninja.
TFTC. was a nice one.

What a hard slog up in the mud. We took our time slogging our way up and enjoying a new years eve walk. A picnic lunch at the top, and an easy cache. TFTC, and for all the mud! Will come again to conquer other peaks

what a wet steep climb man! I remember conquering this bad boy back when i was a wee chap at Roto-o-rangi primary about 10-15 years ago. It seems I have lost my childhood spark which led to a few unplanned stops/ breathers lol. Track to hook noose was closed (wood across the track) and as it was raining i decided to leave that one for another day. This find completes my mountain challenge too! +GC

On 2nd day of cache hunting in this area with Muzyman, nice view from the top, last 10mins of walking is a real pleasure,
good clues easy find. cheers jumboz

A very steady walk up on a well "rooted" track! The tree roots forming most of the track up here, Just on a hour from Hicks road, looks like some major new track work is underway from the saddle down, back on to the hook nose, TFTC! -TB Cheers Muzy Man!

The Freezer Mice strike again!!!
Crappy weather today, but just right (TFM thought) for a nice cool trip up Maungatautari.
Not so much of a view today, but on the bright side the cache was found with ease.
Stopped in at the Hook Nose on the way down.
Yet another supurb placement in the Waikato.
+ Lifeguard Duck TB, - Nil.
TFTC.

Vey wet, rained allday.Started at Hicks rd and did Hook nose then rcarried on right across to Tari rd. 8 hours all up. TFTC.

No. 5 of the Waikato Summits. We had sun, very heavy rain, high winds, but we made it. Came via Rahiri Road (when asking for permission don't forget to ask where the key is!). The track along the ridge is fine, and the last bit has now got boardwalk - what a shock!

Got back to the car after about 4 1/2 hrs (including Hook Nose) thoroughly wet and with a few sore muscles! TFTC

With the gale force winds, falling snow, high avalanche risk and minus 15 degree temperatures forecast for Ruapehu this weekend, I reluctantly stayed home just for once this weekend. Decided to create my own Maungatautari Mission instead, and thought I'd try to collect all 4 caches on the mountain in an afternoon (just to make sure I didn't dawdle too much). After bagging Star's Tribute, I left the Tari Rd carpark just after midday. After all the heavy rain lately, the much anticipated mud-fest didn't disappoint. Was pleasantly surprised to find a tiny bit of snow at the trig. Carried on over to bag Hook Nose and then made my way back up amongst the falling slush. Turned to snow right near the summit, and this time it was very white by the time I got there - all Christmasy! I still managed to get my white fix in the end after all
Back at Tari Rd by 5pm - just under 5 hours all up and a nice bit of secret training accomplished.

Was doing my monitoring line today so decided I needed to pop up to the top to grab this one finally! Great day for a walk, mostly dry underfoot, fairly busy with people training for the up coming race across the mountain.

Tough climb to the top, but most satisfying to make it! Once the mountain is pest proof, we'll enlist kiwi birds to help with the hike. Took nothing, left a rare coin Thanks for the cache!

Left at 10.45 and made it to the cache and was feeling good so carried on to the next one. Nil in or out

Well I have to confess that my heart sank when this cache was published as large hills are not my forte. Decided that this cache had to be done sometime and was not going to procrastinate for 2 years like I did for M@'s nearby "Hook Nose" cache. Set off from the Hicks Rd carpark just a little after 7:00 am with my 11 yo son. We took it very slowly but benefited by arriving at the Trig 2.5 hours later still feeling quite fresh. Pleased that we had brought plenty of warm clothes as it was cold up there and every breath produced condensation in the air.
After a quick snack we continued on our journey across the mountain to the Pukeatua peak then down to Tari Rd.

Thanks Quinella for the adventure and taking us outside our normal comfort zone.

Friendship Bug left in this cache.

Published