Maymorn Junction is a little confusing. There is an obvious junction close by .822, yet the map label is noticeably to the east of this point. Old maps clarify the situation. On paper at least, the Junction was the crossing of a road starting close to Pakuratahi Forks and ending at Hautere, and a road from Renata Peak that ended close by Akatarawa Saddle.
The present day Waiotauru Road was built by the C & A Odlin Timber and Hardware Company Ltd in 1965. Despite this, a very similar Waiotauru Road existed on maps dating back to at least 1909. The roads, on maps at least, look very similar to each other, except for a missing stretch of the older road and a divergence close to Maymorn Ridge.
It is always hard when looking at older maps of the Tararuas to tell whether some marked roads were just surveyed or were actually built. The fact that parts of these roads still exist, and usually match real contours suggest they were real. Against this, they often sidle across awkwardly steep faces and cross deeply incised streams when easier terrain is nearby. My theory is that there have been translation errors in the mapping, especially when they are only slightly off currently existing roads.
17 сен 2024
