Trip to Aorangi - Awarua

Big thanks to the Aorangi Awarua Trust for supporting this mahi, and especially to Tama, Krystal & Charlie who showed us around their spectacular maunga in te rohepotae o Mokai-Patea. Kia ora Stephen for bringing it together

We took heaps of photos - these are just a few to give you an idea of how choice it was doing bush research. Will upload a selection of more informative photos from the fungi survey in a separate post

Approaching the dropoff zone near the top of Aorangi maunga

The northen cliffs of Aorangi - dropoff zone is to the right of the big rock

On our way up over the summit to begin 1st day of the fungi survey

Stephen & Krystal

View toward Ruapehu from the top of Aorangi

Rock formation on the southern side of the maunga

Krystal, Tama & Charlie our Tangata Whenua guides + Stephen wearing his IRL potae

Ohutu Hut

For the townies

Relaxing after the 2nd day of surveying for fungi

Processing for identification purposes one of more than 50 types of fungi

The Trust is installing a large number of stoat traps as part of its environmental programme

Kia ora Charlie for the fresh venison

Tama the kaitiaki sharing his korero while we wait for the chopper to pick us up

Packing our stuff into the chopper

Back out to Taihape