Escarpment Track
{{Short description|Hiking track in New Zealand}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox hiking trail
| name = Escarpment Track
| photo = View from Escarpment track towards Kapiti.jpg
| caption = View towards Kapiti Island
| location = Wellington region, New Zealand
| designation =
| length_km = 10
| trailheads = Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki
| use = Hiking
| elev_gain_and_loss =
| elev_change_m =
| highest_m = 215
| lowest_m =
| difficulty = Medium
| season = Year round
| months =
| sights = Coastal scenery, native bush
| hazards = Narrow track, steep drop-offs, steep stairs, high winds
}}
The Escarpment Track is a {{convert|10|km|mi|adj=mid|-long}} hiking track between Pukerua Bay and Paekākāriki in the Wellington region of New Zealand. It forms part of the {{convert|3000|km|mi|adj=on}} Te Araroa trail from Cape Reinga to Bluff. The track climbs to approximately {{convert|215|m|ft}} above sea level, along a narrow route formed along a steep coastal escarpment. It overlooks a section of State Highway 59 known as Centennial Highway, and the North–South Junction section of the Kapiti Line and the North Island Main Trunk railway line.{{cite web|url= https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/escarpment-track| title=Escarpment Track|publisher=New Zealand Walking Access Commission| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712080947/https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/escarpment-track| archive-date=12 July 2021}}
Track description
The track can be walked in either direction. It is mostly single track, narrow and steep in many places, with significant drop-offs. The surrounding terrain is mostly covered in low growing vegetation, but there are some sections of taller vegetation and remnants of kohekohe forest.{{cite web| url=https://paekakariki.nz/listings/paekakariki-escarpment-track/| title=Paekākāriki Escarpment Track| first=Vanessa| last=Crowe| publisher=Paekākāriki Informed Community Incorporated| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712081131/https://paekakariki.nz/listings/paekakariki-escarpment-track/| archive-date=12 July 2021}}
The track includes approximately {{convert|500|m||adj=pre|lineal}} of formed staircases, with around 1,200 steps and two {{convert|40|m|ft|adj=mid|-long}} suspension bridges.{{cite web| url=https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/news-and-media/te-araroa-trust-saddened-to-learn-of-death-on-paekakariki-escarpment-track/| title=Te Araroa Trust saddened to learn of death on Paekakariki Escarpment Track| publisher=Te Araroa Trust| date=25 April 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712081446/https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/news-and-media/te-araroa-trust-saddened-to-learn-of-death-on-paekakariki-escarpment-track/| archive-date=12 July 2021}}{{cite web| url=https://www.wellingtonregionaltrails.com/trails/escarpment-track/| title=Escarpment Track| publisher=Wellington Regional Trails| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712081627/https://www.wellingtonregionaltrails.com/trails/escarpment-track/|archive-date=12 July 2021}}
At the northern end of the trail near Paekākāriki, there is an old quarry that is now the site of a lizard habitat restoration project.{{cite web| url=https://dailyencourager.co.nz/lizard-study-pollination-kapiti-coast/| title=Lizard study cracks new ground |publisher=Daily Encourager Trust| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712081819/https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans%3A400%7CRoboto+Slab%3A400&subset=latin%2Clatin-ext&ver=2.9.8| archive-date=12 July 2021}}
Planning and construction
Early work on a track along the escarpment was started by a local environmental group Ngā Uruora - Kāpiti Project, as part of an ecological restoration initiative. They built an initial track from Paekākāriki to the site of Paripari, the old Maori village. At about this time, they became aware that the Te Araroa national trail project was seeking a route through the Tararuas to Wellington, and were considering valleys in the eastern Tararuas. The Ngā Uruora group proposed a route for the Te Araroa trail along the escarpment, and led several exploratory trips to demonstrate the potential.{{cite web|url=https://paekakariki.nz/how-it-started-paekakariki-escarpment-track/ |title=How it started – Paekākāriki Escarpment track | date=27 January 2019| first=Ken| last= Fraser| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712081953/https://paekakariki.nz/how-it-started-paekakariki-escarpment-track/| archive-date=12 July 2021}}
Planning for the track included obtaining permission from KiwiRail and consents from landowners for the track to cross private land.{{cite web| url=https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/news-and-media/the-land-steeplejacks/| title=The land steeplejacks| publisher=Te Araroa Trust| date=15 November 2009| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712082108/https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/news-and-media/the-land-steeplejacks/| archive-date=12 July 2021}}
Work commenced in 2011 and by 2013, the first section of track was opened. Shortage of funds delayed the project until May 2015 when work got underway again. An official opening ceremony for the new track was held at Parliament on 7 April 2016, and the track was opened to the public two days later.{{cite news| url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/destinations/nz/78170486/new-leg-of-te-araroa-trail-one-of-wellingtons-finest-walks | title=New leg of Te Araroa trail will be one of Wellington's finest walks | work=Stuff| first=Randall| last=Walker| date=25 March 2016| access-date=30 May 2012}}
The Government contributed $800,000 to the track, but the final cost was $1.4{{nbsp}}million.{{cite web| url=https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/news-and-media/paekakariki-escarpment-track-now-open/| title=Paekakariki Escarpment Track now open| date=25 April 2016| publisher=Te Araroa Trust| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210712082228/https://www.teararoa.org.nz/about-us/news-and-media/paekakariki-escarpment-track-now-open/| archive-date=12 July 2021}}
File:Paekakariki Escarpment Track Swing Bridge (31034011486).jpg
Medical Events
There was a fatality on the track within three weeks of the track's opening in 2016. A man in his 60s collapsed at the top of a flight of steps. CPR was performed for 30 minutes, but the man died at the scene.{{cite news| url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/79286057/man-dies-on-walking-track-in-pukerua-bay-kapiti | title=Man who died on walking track in Pukerua Bay, Kapiti, may have fallen| work=Stuff| first=Rachel| last=Thomas| date=25 April 2016| access-date=30 May 2021}} In another incident in 2020, a man aged 41 collapsed, and required CPR from a bystander until emergency services could get to the site. He was resuscitated successfully.{{cite news| url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/122884692/the-man-who-died-and-came-back-to-life-on-the-paekkriki-escarpment-track| title=The man who died and came back to life on the Paekākāriki Escarpment Track| work=Stuff| date=26 September 2020| access-date=30 May 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Escarpment Track}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2eDOOP1eHQ&t=23s Video of trail]
- [https://www.walkingaccess.govt.nz/track/escarpment-track Walking Access Commission - Escarpment track]
- [https://paekakariki.nz/listings/paekakariki-escarpment-track/ Paekākāriki community website - Escarpment track]
Category:Hiking and tramping tracks in the Wellington Region