The Department of Conservation says the Around the Mountain Circuit on Mt Taranaki could be closed for several months following recent damaging storms.
A tree windfall on Waingongoro Track, Taranaki Maunga.
Photo: Tamsen Walker / DOC
The upper Ihaia Track to the Waiaua Gorge Hut is shut due to a large washout and the hut is inaccessible from the western side of the mountain.
Taranaki district ranger supervisor Andy Johnston said that caused the Around the Mountain Circuit to be closed until the Ihaia Track could be re-routed. In this case in particular, it s just cut quite deep down into the stream channel creating steep banks on either side, so where the track line was it s now quite a steep drop down to the bottom of the stream bed.
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Storm damage on Taranaki Maunga closes tracks
Reports of damage, particularly on the southwest of Taranaki Maunga, have been significant says DOC’s Taranaki District Ranger Supervisor Andy Johnston.
“We had an awful lot of rain and high winds so there are track washouts and tree windfalls which we are clearing and rerouting as fast as we can.”
Tracks on Taranaki Maunga known to be affected include the upper Ihaia Track to Waiaua Gorge Hut, which has been closed due to a large washout, making the hut inaccessible from the western side of the mountain. The Around the Mountain Circuit (AMC) is closed until this track can be rerouted.