Tararua Mountain Race

About the race

The Tararua Mountain Race is a trail running event held in the Tararua Range with three route options that differ in distance and total ascent. The routes all finish at Otaki Forks on the grassy flats of the Waiotaruru River, reached after a short grass plateau and a foot-bridge river crossing.

Distances and total ascent:

• Field Dash : 13 km, 770 m ascent; out-and-back to Field Hut from Otaki Forks.
• Kime Climb : 24 km, 1,300 m ascent; out-and-back to Kime Hut from Otaki Forks.
• Southern Crossing : 35.4 km (listed as 36 km in event copy), 2,250 m ascent and 2,475 m descent; traverses the classic Southern Crossing route from Kaitoke to Otaki Forks.

Terrain above the bush line includes rocky track and exposed sections; below the bush line the route commonly has tree roots, deep mud or slippery clay and some runnable sections. The Southern Crossing contains an initial 16.43 km section to Alpha Hut noted as physically and mentally demanding, followed by exposed ridge and peak sections including Mt Hector and Field Peak, then a long steep descent of about 10.8 km to Otaki Forks. The event notes frequently changeable weather and recommends extreme care when above the bush line. Entry pricing varies by route and timing, with earlybird, standard and late entry bands for the Southern Crossing and fixed prices listed for the shorter routes. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

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