GUNUNG · Selandia Baru

Pūtauaki (Mount Edgecumbe)

Pūtauaki

Information

Elevation: 821 m
Country: Selandia Baru (NZ)
Location / Range: Bay of Plenty, Pulau Utara, Selandia Baru (±50 km timur Rotorua, ±3 km timur Kawerau)
Mountain type: Kubah lava/kerucut vulkanik dasit yang menyendiri di dataran Bay of Plenty, dekat Kawerau — gunung berapi tak-aktif dengan bentuk kerucut mencolok
Volcanic?: Yes — volcano
Coordinates: -38.1070, 176.7400
Difficulty: Menengah–sulit: jalan hutan/forestry yang menanjak dilanjutkan track curam berbatu ke puncak; naik ±800 m dengan bagian akhir yang terjal
Best Season: Sepanjang tahun bergantung cuaca dan ketersediaan izin; hindari hari basah karena track menjadi licin. Akses tergantung operasi kehutanan
Permits & Rules: WAJIB izin. Pūtauaki berdiri di atas tanah Māori milik pribadi yang dikelola Māori Investments Limited (MIL) di Kawerau — pendaki harus mengambil izin dan kunci gerbang forestry langsung di kantor MIL (Senin–Jumat) sebelum mendaki. Mendaki tanpa izin dianggap masuk tanpa hak dan berbahaya karena ada truk kayu/operasi kehutanan aktif
Hazards: Track curam dan licin saat basah, operasi kehutanan aktif (truk kayu, jalan logging), cuaca yang bisa berubah, serta risiko tersesat bila menyimpang dari jalur berizin. Karena tanah pribadi, akses bisa ditutup sewaktu-waktu

Description

Pūtauaki — long known as Mount Edgecumbe — is an 821 m dacite volcanic cone standing alone on the Bay of Plenty plain, just a few kilometres east of the town of Kawerau on New Zealand's North Island. Its clean cone shape is visible far out across Bay of Plenty waters, roughly 30 km to the north. The mountain is a composite lava dome that grew and collapsed repeatedly over thousands of years; its last eruption is dated to around 540 BCE. Pūtauaki holds deep cultural significance for Māori, especially Ngāti Awa: legend tells of a romance between the mountain and Whakaari (White Island). Its official name reverted to Pūtauaki in 1925, having earlier been named Mount Edgecumbe by Captain James Cook in 1769. Because it stands on privately owned Māori land (managed by Māori Investments Limited), climbing to the summit requires a permit — walkers must collect a permit and forestry gate key in Kawerau. The mountain is also famous as the venue of the 'Kawerau King of the Mountain' running race, held from 1955 to 2020.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Mount Putauaki Track (via jalan forestry, wajib izin & kunci gerbang)

Menengah–sulit (jalan hutan menanjak lalu track curam berbatu di bagian akhir)

±3–5 jam pulang-pergi (naik ±800 m)

Jalur pendakian utama ke puncak 821 m: dari gerbang forestry (kunci diambil bersama izin di kantor Māori Investments Limited, Kawerau), pendaki menyusuri jalan hutan yang menanjak bertahap sebelum berubah menjadi track curam berbatu menjelang puncak, dengan panorama ke dataran Bay of Plenty, Kawerau, dan Whakaari di kejauhan. WAJIB izin karena tanah Māori pribadi dan ada operasi kehutanan aktif.

Source

Rute lomba 'Kawerau King of the Mountain' (naik-turun)

Sulit (lomba lari gunung menanjak curam lalu menuruni jalur yang sama)

Event lomba (lari naik lalu turun puncak)

Bukan jalur wisata mandiri, melainkan rute event: lomba lari gunung 'Kawerau King of the Mountain' — salah satu yang tertua di Selandia Baru, digelar 1955–2020 — menanjak ke puncak Pūtauaki lalu menuruninya secepat mungkin. Menggambarkan jalur naik-turun yang sama dengan pendakian biasa namun ditempuh sebagai perlombaan komunitas.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Documentation of Pūtauaki splits into two kinds: ascents to the summit by locals and hikers, and footage of the legendary 'Kawerau King of the Mountain' running race up and down the peak. Climbing vlogs show a gradually rising forestry road before it turns into a steep, rocky track near the top, with wide views over the Bay of Plenty plain, the town of Kawerau, and even Whakaari/White Island in the distance. A prominent theme is its status as private Māori land — many sources stress the need to collect a permit and gate key in Kawerau and to respect active forestry operations. The race footage captures the mountain's cultural and community side: runners storm the up-and-down course in one of New Zealand's oldest mountain-running events.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.