Hapuawhenua Viaduct (Ohakune) Traditional Geocache
Hapuawhenua Viaduct (Ohakune)
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
A 45 minute walk over a well formed track (which can be muddy in
places) through to and over the original Hapuawhenua viaduct. The
first half of the track is grassy and wide, and can be very muddy
in places and is over rolling hills. The second half of the track
is covered with stone chips and is a nice bush walk before opening
out to the viaduct. The cache itself is a 1 litre camo painted
sistema container.
The original Hapuawhenua viaduct built between 1907 and 1908 and
the new Hapuawhenua viaduct completed in 1987, with a priceless
backdrop of the Raetihi hill to the east and Rongokaupo hill to the
west.
Image of the original viaduct.
Looking across the gully at the new viaduct.
Both of these viaducts have become icons of the Main Trunk Line in
their time. They often feature in brochures and promotional
material, as the triumph of engineering in adverse conditions. They
are a testament to the vision and persistence of the surveyors, the
engineers and the hundreds of builders involved with the creation
of these amazing structures.
The new viaduct is the longest viaduct on the Main Trunk Line
(420m). Its tallest column is 45m high. The old viaduct is 286m
long and 43m high. Both viaducts are curved, which adds a unique
elegance to these structures and allows travellers to look back on
the train and get a greater sense of the mountainous landscape they
are travelling through.
Looking over the edge of the original viaduct.
Park at the coordinates provided to start your walk. The track is
very easy to follow (albeit muddy for the first half). Please use
stealth when retrieving and replacing the cache if there are
muggles on the viaduct.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ernpu uvtu.