Our guide to the popular Pinnacles Walk in the Coromandel Peninsula

The track starts by following the route used by packhorses carrying in 供应 for the gold miners, 口香糖挖掘机, and kauri loggers who were busy here from the 1870s to the 1920s.  今天, the path has been partly civilized with flights of wooden steps and swing bridges, but it's still steep and challenging enough that everyone will consider walking it an achievement.

The real reward though is the spectacular 360 views from the summit at 759m: the whole of the peninsula, 分散的岛屿, 大海和远处的豪拉基湾, 在你身后是丰盛湾和豪拉基平原.

离开泰晤士河, you turn off the tar seal to bump along the gravel to the end of the road 13km away, where you will find the Kauaerangi Valley Information Centre.  每天开放, 在这里你可以观看一个关于贝壳杉伐木的视频, 阅读有关该地区的所有信息, 获得建议, 供应, 和点心, 使用这些设施.  还有一个露营地.  Kauri dieback precautions should be taken at the boot-washing station provided.

主干线, 哪一个路标好, 通往考埃兰吉河谷, and you will come across several further campsites and side-tracks of various lengths along the way which are worth exploring on another day.  一旦跨过第一座吊桥, you will soon see the sign to a view of nearby Billygoat Falls, 哪些是180米高的.  回到主轨道上, 你将开始稳步攀升, much of the time up steps cut into the rock for the packhorses.  当你到达山顶的水电站时, 你会看到用来移动贝壳杉原木的滑道的证据, 同样高兴的是，你也不必这样做.  牛拖着小圆木, and the loggers also dammed the river to then breach it and send the bigger logs crashing down the valley.

现在你开始沿着山脊往上爬, giving you long views down valleys and across to the Pinnacles themselves, 尖尖的和火山的, 这是你今天的目标.  Take the sidetrack first to the modern and comfortable Pinnacles Hut to claim your bunk and leave your heavier gear.  Or, 如果你喜欢露营的话, 附近有个跳舞营地, where you will see the partially restored remains of the second biggest dam in the valley.

现在你的目光投向了尖塔峰, which you will reach after a short but very steep climb up well-built wooden steps. 然后你得爬几层梯子, and finally scramble up the last section of rock using metal hand-holds.  It's well worth the effort because once you reach the fenced lookout area at the top, 科罗曼德尔森林公园的景色令人难以置信.  It's an exhilarating experience to be what feels like on top of the world, 陡峭的山谷在你的脚下消失, 植物紧贴在岩石峭壁上.

因为你可以从各个方向看得很远, 这是一个很流行的举动，目的是在这里看日落或, 甚至更好的, 日出. To see those pointy peaks silhouetted against a glowing sky is Instagram gold and an unforgettable experience.

回到小屋, it's time to enjoy the facilities and the company of like-minded people as you reward yourself with a well-earned meal and an early night.  在早晨, 你可以原路返回, or branch off to complete a loop by taking the alternative route back along the Billygoat Track. 这次你将从顶部看到瀑布, and understand why that route was abandoned by the loggers since dropping the logs over the high waterfall made them splinter uneconomically.  最后, 回到游客中心, you can take off your boots and start to relish your memories of this brilliant walk.

需要知道:
 

• Reasonably fit walkers should allow 8 hours to return for the day trip, while the less energetic are advised to walk 3 hours to the hut and stay overnight.  距离峰会还有40分钟的路程. 
• The walk is very popular and the 80-bed DoC hut is in great demand, 所以一定要提前预定好位置.
• Drop off and pick up transport options are available in the Thames.
• Don't try to access the Pinnacles from the east, as that track is longer and in very poor condition.
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