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After having to abandon a summit attempt on Taranaki due to winter conditions (new snow down to 1300m), my daughter Sarah and her boyfriend were keen to do an evening tramp on the Pouakais to see Pouakai tarn at dusk.When we left home just before 6:00pm there was still cloud over the mountain but it looked like there would be a good chance of it clearing up for the evening so off we went.  We set off into the bush at around 6:10 and made good time getting up to the hut at 7:40pm and then st …

I've been wanting to do some night photos of the milky way curving over the mountain (Taranaki) for a long time now but the conditions haven't been right and there is only a few days a year when everything lines up right. Firstly the milky way has to be in the right aspect then it has to be close to a new moon and lastly you need a fine clear night. For the last couple of months the night conditions around the new moon just haven't been clear enough and the weather outlook heading into Taranaki …

I've been wanting to do a night climb on a moonlit night to Pouakai tarn for a while but the weather just hasn't been suitable. Last night was cloudy again and I had given it up as a lost cause until I woke at 1:40am and saw the mountain clear and bold under the full moon.  So after hastily stuffin my camera gear into my pack I was off, leaving the end of Mangorie road around 2:20am.It was a beautiful clear cold night and a wonderful tramp under the moonlight. I arrived on top of the Pouaka …

We had an early fall of snow on the mountain this week, heavy enough that it also covered the top of the Pouakai ranges. Despite the forecast for ongoing stormy weather, I had a hunch that the mountain might just clear up briefly in the morning of 12th April. Keen to get some sunrise photos from Pouakai tarn with the fresh snow I set off from home at 3:30am with a pack full of camera gear and several layers of warm clothing as I also had a hunch that it may be bitterly cold on top of the ranges. …