Up Kaiauai Track to Henry Peak, Egmont National Park, New Zealand
Posted by: 
Phronimos
S 39° 14.604 E 174° 03.772
60H E 246519 N 5652101
From the Kaiauai track carpark on the North Egmont Road to Henry Peak is a 4hr, 6km hike. The last 560 odd metres vertical climb is done over the final 1.5 km mostly up thousands of wooden steps - I lost count at 1700 and something.
Waymark Code: WMA6AP
Location: North Island, New Zealand
Date Posted: 11/22/2010
Views: 6
Henry Peak is near the end of the "Pouakai Northern Circuit" in Egmont National Park, if doing the circuit in the recommended clock-wise direction. That would be about 16km from the start, and about an hour's walk from the nearby Pouakai Hut to the West.
Or you could do what we did, and come in from the Kaiauai track carpark on the North Egmont Road, which is a 6km, 4 hour STRENUOUS hike (6.5 hour return). Most of the 560 odd metres vertical climb over the distance of the entire track is done in the last 1.5 km!
The trip is well worth it as there is a lookout at the Henry Peak summit offering superb views over the Taranaki province and of the mountain - and a hidden geocache ("Stairway to Henry" GC1J7GQ).
The co-ordinates correspond to the 1000th step - from the bottom - and about half way up!
The descent is initially quite difficult as the way the stairs are constructed makes it difficult to judge the depth of field, and the distance to the edge of the next step - so watch your step 'til your mind's eye adjusts!
number of stairs (minimum 60): 2,000.00
stair landing (check if yes): no
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