I vote to dump mt tararewa

[vinodrinker]

Replace it with Otanewainuku or that other one over the lake Okaitina? whats it called???

$150 for the privlege to climb tararewa under supervision is a joke. cost, having to hold hands with a guide and 'accessibility' are my gripes. Would cost me $600 to summit with the family???

what is it with this country? 10 years ago i coulda climbed mohau, table mountain and tararewa? now suddenly it costs mega dosh or is suddenly too dangerous??? phffft!!

$10 or $20 here or there to maintain tracks/ huts etc is fine by me but someone is having a giraffe with this one

Vote now. Dont vote Obama, vote Dump Tararewa

[Jon (aka site admin)]

mmmm, this is an interesting question...   I think I'll fence sit this one out for the moment...      and add a little more on this later....   But it will be interesting to see the results.

[vinodrinker]

you could argue it costs just as much to get the privledge to climb on kapati island or gt barrier island aby the time you pay for a ferry etc.....

i dunno id love to climb mt tararewa but something stinks of tourist exploitation with this one??? also you need at least a group of 4 to let this one rip according to the website so it is a $600 group fee minimum.

stinky poos i say

[nz_aj]

I've been upabout 10 years ago. 
Was shortly after somebody destroyed the hut at the checkpoint being used to collect fees.
If I remember right, there is also a seldom used track from the north side, access via the lake or the road from the back of Kawerau through the pine forest that also goes to Tarawera falls & the lake

[Marcus]

DUMP IT , DUMP IT , DUMP IT . Bastards... landmarks and heritage sites like this should be accessable to all New Zealanders. I do not accept that payment of any sort should be required of Kiwi's, after all, what do our taxes pay for? I wonder if the company that has been given SOLE rights to the management of this icon also has to pay for maintenance of roads and tracks... I doubt it. I think the outdoors communities of NZ need to take a stand and we should DUMP IT or... find ways to circumvent the rules  . Not that I would condone anything illegal... no... not at all 

[GuanoGerbil]

Yeah, I give it the big thumbs down too. I don't like the idea that this website is effectively endorsing what these buggers are doing. By ranking this as an official peak, you are encouraging peakbaggers to go there - you are effectively advertising their business (which is what it is) for them.

There's been a similar situation in the rock climbing circles around here. Castle Rock is a major rock climbing crag which is on private land in the Waikato. The owners have been charging climbers to go there over the last few years. However, there are plenty of other climbing crags nearby (also on private land) which the owners let us climb on for free. Since Castle Rock have been charging, climbers have taken huge offence to this, and no one goes there - more out of principle than anything else. By climbing there, it would be encouraging other land owners to do the same, once they can see that there is a profit to be made. Castle Rock have just recently stopped charging now, as it's not paying enough to have the staff out there collecting the money.

Perhaps if we all boycotted Tarawera...

[vinodrinker]

im pretty sure there is no longer even a guided walk option to go up tararewa.  the website no longer has the package advertised.  another reason to dump it

why was mt edgecumbe dumped when its a simple $2 permit but a $150+ fee for the privledge on tararewa is accepted?

[SpaceMonkey]

If I remember right, there is also a seldom used track from the north side, access via the lake or the road from the back of Kawerau through the pine forest that also goes to Tarawera falls & the lake

Yes there is, I've climbed it twice via that route, a fantastic climb. I grew up in Kawerau and this is the normal route we always used. It's still there if you know where to find it, I drove up there today to check it out, might actually head back and climb up soon to check whether the track's still passable. Here's how to find it:
First go to the Info centre in Kawerau (at the bus station) and get an access permit for Tarawera Falls/Lake Tarawera. It's only $5 and they'll give you a little map of the forest roads.
Head up through the forest toward the lake. 9km past the junction between the routes to the falls and the route to the lake (about 1.5km before the lake), turn left into Edwards Road (the turnoff is unmarked, although it's shown on the map they give you at the information centre).
Head down Edwards road for 1.2km, then turn right down an unmarked road. As you head down this road you'll see Mt Tarawera directly ahead of you.
About 1km down this road you'll reach the edge of the pine forest at the base of the mountains foothills. Park your vehicle here and walk up the slightly overgrown road that branched to the right. About 100m up here, you'll spot a trail leading into the bush, this is the trailhead leading up the mountain. A few metres into the track you'll see a DOC sign saying that the track has now been closed to public access- but realistically I doubt anyone's going to find you up there!!!

As for whether the mountain should be removed from the list, I think there's a a good case for it- and yes the price tag does stink of commercial exploitation.