Post-1993 Men’s record*
| Oli Vincent |
6:04:05 |
14-02-2015 | blogpost |
Pre-1993 Men’s record*
| Greg Barbour |
5h 17m |
26-01-1992 |
Women’s record
| Anna Frost |
7h 41m |
29-01-2012 | blogpost |
Route(s)
Complete one full circuit (aprox 45km) of the Around the Mountain Track starting from any point on the track traveling either clockwise or anticlockwise.
This track has alternative upper and lower routes in a few places and any are valid for the record. For example you could go via Kahui Hut or the Kapoaiaia track, or take the upper or lower Lake Dive Track, or the lower Curtis Falls/Makatawa track.
A suggested route might be:
North Egmont – Holly Hut – Waiaua Gorge – Brames Falls – Upper Lake Dive – Dawson Falls – Stratford Plateau – North Egmont.
Warning: The upper tracks are suitable for speed records in summer only.
Time keeping
An official timekeeper is suggested at the start/finish.
Previous record holders and attempts
| Grant Guise |
6h 08m |
29-01-2012 | blogpost |
| Alastair McDowell Benjamin Duggan |
10:59:00 | 18-02-2012 | blogpost |
| Bill Teahan | 5:50:00 | 26-01-1992 | Partially accompanied Greg Barbour |
| Ian McAlpine | 5:58:00 | 12-03-1983 |
Around the Mountain Circuit fact sheet and map (PDF, 722K)
*During 1993 a section of the Around the Mountain track above Kahui Hut closed. The route now diverts through lower bush tracks lengthening the circumnavigation by about an hour at record pace.
In one hour I embark with Benjamin Duggan of Auckland fame to run the ROUND THE MOUNTAIN TRACK. We will prepare tonight, Friday 17 February 2012, at Syme Hut, Fanthams peak. Our Round the Mountain attempt will commence at 6am from the Upper Lake Dive tk junction after descending from Syme Hut. We will spend Saturday night at Syme Hut celebrating (hopefully!).
Good luck Alastair and Benjamin. Fingers crossed that the weather holds for you guys.
8 New Plymouth District Council staff also done the RTM on Saturday 18th Feb, start & finish at the Plateau, we seen 2 guys at the start of the upper lake dive track from about 100m below them on the Fanthams peak track
You serious? 8 people? Wow. Where did you see us? How long it take you?
Yes I,m serious, all we wanted to do was complete it (just a casual stroll) total time 18hrs 20mins, my wife & I will attemp a run around next time.
The 2 guys we seen up Fanthams must have been you & your mate, around 6.30am
Thats cool mate, well done! RTM in a day is a mission and a half no matter fast/slow you go. Yeah would have been, we started from the Lake Dive junction sign at 6:42am. Lucky you weren’t any earlier, pre-run bowel action was not pretty
How does one get an “official timekeeper” at 6:30am? Just curious for future reference.
Hi Steve.
Yeah it is hard to drag someone out of bed for a 6.30 start.
It was mutual timekeeping, one man accounting for the other. Unless you think you can crack 6 hours 8 minutes I don’t think it’s worth bothering with the official rules! But then again you may be Tarahumara, in which case please forgive me
Well, I completed the “run” more like a shuffle in 12:04 hrs. In hindsight, I think I would have fared better going anti-clockwise from Dawson Falls. At least that way I could have run to Holly Hut while I was still fresh, saving the jungle/stream crossings for later. It was a bit tricky crossing streams when the rocks were wet and frosty on a clear day, but 4 degrees at the start. Maybe I’ll be back for another go when the summer arrives.
Well done Steve. Yes, at this time of year the RTM track is a lot trickier. It’s definitely worth another go in summer, now you know what to expect.