Day 59 - Rocks Hut to Pelorous Bridge, 29km, 7 hours 20 minutes

I didn't start the day too well. Within a hundred meters I'd down an involuntary (of course!) somersault down a small bluff, landing on one of my walking sticks and bending it slightly. No other damage done, and the stick was re-straightened fairly easily. Some years ago I fell over a 3 meter bluff finding my way down into the Nina off the Lewis Tops via the Technical-Lucretia Saddle (not a route I'd recommend; it was very bluffy and dangerous). On that occasion I was extremely fortunate not to break my arm - my walking stick resembled a boomerang afterwards.

The first 90 minutes or so today were spent dropping down to the Pelorous River and Middy Hut. On the way down I disturbed a hind, fawn, and many goats (in total about 20 on track today). My first view of the river did not disappoint - a swingbridge over a fabulous swimming hole.

It wasn't long before the trail recrossed to the true left on another spectacularly located footbridge.

Setting off downstream every couple of hundred meters another world class swimming hole would reveal itself on the river.  Wanting to make progress I resisted most of them, but the particularly attractive and easy to access holes always had me in for a swim.  I think I finished the day with 4 swims in the river.  There was a particularly good spot 400 meters upstream from Captain Creek Hut.  Alas I didn't stop at that particular one, but it was a match for any other hole on this world class swimming river - hundreds of meters long and 6+ meters deep with visibility straight to the bottom.

The track was mostly very easy going, with a few quite difficult bits thrown in. At one point I found myself pushing my pack ahead of me through a fallen tree that blocked the path. Generally though I made progress without requiring any concious thought over route or foot placement. Walking, as it were subconsciously, for much of the day I really noticed when I came to a more difficult section to negotiate. I could feel my subconscious cut out and throw control over to my conscious mind to make a decision on route or footing. It was most curious. Usually it would result in no noticeable change to my gait, but for the more difficult sections there would sometimes be a slight check in the step to arrange footing, and for the hardest sections a dead stop while options were contemplated. I have noticed a couple of times when two equally uncertain routes presented themselves of having a state of mental lock, unable to choose between either. When this happens I'll stand there like a statue for 5 or 6 seconds until taking a mental flip of the coin to decide which way to go.

 
Towards the end of the Pelorous Track the route went up away from the river. I was disappointed to lose my beautiful river views, but pleased to reach the road end. From here I just had 14km of road walking ahead of me. From having walked the road as one of my last Te Araroa warm-ups late last year I knew it would take a little under 3 hours.  Given it was already after lunch time it was touch and go if I was to get to the cafe in time!  After a week on trail I can't emphasize enough how important it was to me to get to the cafe before closing - important enough that I eschewed at least a couple of easily accessible swimming holes!  I Pulled into Pelorous Cafe at 3:30pm, half an hour before closing.  Plenty of time to liberally order and chow down on just about one of everything!

This evening I've been put up on the floor of an old, disused TV room. I'm pleased to avoid having to use the tent tonight because the rain has started pouring harder than at any other point on track so far. Never mind - I'm having a zero day here tomorrow to rest, recuperate, shower, swim (hopefully, the Pelorous is known for prodigiously flooding rather easily) and eat!

Day 58 - Starveall Hut to Rocks Hut, 17.8km, 6 hours

After a rainy night I awoke in my tent to a bitterly cold morning with a biting wind. So it was on with all my cold weather gear and on with the walking early.



Bizarre then that 90 minutes later, having dropped over a thousand meters to Hacket Hut, that I should be having a swim. Quite apart from this being my 5th day without a wash and needing it, there was no wind and it was much warmer lower down.
I was interested to see Hacket Hut. Last year, when I was in Nelson for work with my family, I brought them up this valley to within only 2 kilometers of the hut to see a very pretty waterfall and a very strange hill - a full river runs down its side yet runs over grass and does not cut out channels like you would expect a river to do. It's very strange. Hacket Stream, which runs past the hut, also has some fantastic swimming holes down closer to Nelson.

Having spent four days traversing north on the tops, the bush looked pretty exotic as I dropped down, the forest filled with silver ferns, much different to the Beech forest I had left behind in the Nelson Lakes.

Not having looked at the map closely enough I was expecting an easy day of it, having finished with the Richmond mountains yesterday. The difficult 800 climb to and past Totara Saddle came as I little bit of a shock therefore. After so many climbing days I really didn't feel like any more. Fortunately my legs responded well enough one last time. Once over Totara Saddle I was in the Pelorous River catchment. I'll now be following my favourite river all the way to the sea! 

The afternoon consisted of some fairly easy ridge walking, although the forest looked something like a tree graveyard in places. At some point a wind storm has decimated the bush along here. Parts of it were cleared, but there was a fair bit of trunk negotiation to be performed.

The track was also well and truly rooted, which made the going more difficult than the flattish topography might suggest.




So the sight of Rocks Hut mid afternoon was a sight for sore eyes. I was intending to get closer to the road by going an hour downhill to Middy Hut, but couldn't turn down what I've termed the Hamilton Hut of the north. I can give a hut no higher praise. It even trumps the Hilton in one respect; it has the almost unbelievable luxury of flush toilets! With this likely to be my last hut on trail I stopped to take advantage.

It was also a chance to dry out all my damp gear from the night before.


Tomorrow I have a choice of two routes. The first is a very historical gold route from Nelson over Maungatapu Saddle and past Murderers Rock, infamous in New Zealand as the spot where a band of brigands accosted and murdered a couple of prospectors and a shop keeper in the late 19th century (if memory serves they weren't too clever, started spending their ill gotten gains, were caught and hanged). I've already been this way though - Eli and I ran up to Murderers Rock a few years ago, so I think I'll stick to the normal TA trail so I can see more of the upper Pelorous River. In either case tomorrow ends with me at Pelorous Bridge. I hope I can make it while they still have the cafe open!

Day 57 - Mt Rintoul Hut to Starveall Hut, 17km, 7 hours 15 minutes

Well that was a rather epic day. 5 mountains climbed and the most phenomenal views along the way. 

The day started with a jaunt up Mt Rintoul. I was rather nervous about this - it's supposed to be very difficult and in parts extremely exposed.

In practice I found it difficult and don't recall any undue exposure at all. Within an hour of leaving the hut I was at the summit. The views were probably the best on trail, with 360 degree views of mountains ranges - too many peaks to count.  Queue lots of photos, although it was cold and windy, so I didn't hang around too long.

Then down to the bush line, but in little more than an hour I was back up on top of its not so smaller sister, Little Mount Rintoul.  More photos of prodigious views in all directions.

Then up and down along a ridge until reaching my third peak for the day, Old Man, followed by more ridge climbing, over an unnamed peak, then skirting just under the top of Slaty Peak for lunch and a longish rest at Slaty Hut.


One more mountain to climb for the day, Mt Starveall, very close to Nelson.

Then down to Starveall Hut. Being the weekend and close to Nelson, the hut is full to overflowing, so I'm out the front in my tent.

Week 8 summary

A full 7 days walking, with 1 day off trail in St Arnaud not counted. 124km walked.
The start of this week saw me about to go over Waiau Pass. Since then I've also done Travers - Sabine and half the Richmond Ranges, so I'm pretty confident this is my biggest climbing week.
I'm coming to the end, there isn't much more than another week's walking left to the finish.

Day 56 - Upper Wairoa Hut to Mt Rintoul Hut, 22 km, 8 hours 30 minutes

A big day! Another 2000 meter climb day all up, and I was pretty done in at the end of it.

Within a couple of kilometres of starting, I passed the 1100km milestone - only 2 milestones left!


The first couple of hours were spent following the Wairoa River down to Mid Wairoa Hut. Generally speaking it was easy going, interspersed with sections of very dodgy terrain - the kind of track you want to maintain concentration on.
Then started a hard climb up a long ridgeline to Tarn Hut. The hut itself was 100 vertical meters down off the track. I'd heard the tarn was good for swimming in so I dumped pack on the track and headed down to the hut.  However the tarn, being in the bush, was very tanniny and I wasn't tempted - I prefer to see what I'm swimming in!  Still after a fair few hours on a water-less ridge I needed my water bottles replenished, so that was something.

 Anyone who has had a long day's tramping with a heavy pack will know that feeling when you take it off - you feel so light you might fly. After I regained the ridge and my pack climbing up from the tarn I experienced the opposite affect. Donning my pack it felt about 10kg heavier, to the point I suspected some passerby had loaded me up with rocks. Not a pleasant sensation!

Carrying on some fantastic views opened out of Tasman Bay.

By this time I was pretty done in, and looking forward to the hut. The hut is immediately underneath the very steep and exposed massif of Mt Rintoul, which I'll be climbing tomorrow, something I'm a bit nervous about.

After a beautiful sunset over Nelson and Tasman Bay, I'm now enjoying Nelson's lights as I write this. It's bizarre that I'm so close to the city, but on a difficult, alpine track, about to climb the highest peak in the Richmond's.

Day 55 Porters Creek Hut to Upper Wairoa Hut, 16.4km, 6 hours 10 minutes

A second day in the Richmond Ranges. My target was to try to do a big day and get to Middle Wairoa Hut.  According to my trail notes this was a 12 hour haul although I typically knock a fair bit off those times. As it turned out, a sore knee and marginal timing now that daylight hours are shortening saw me pull the pin after 7 hours.

It was another day on very Australian terrain.

It required some care on footing, the rocks were sharp and could really mess you up if you tripped on them.

The morning saw me heading up valley towards Mt Ellis. The first few hours was easy going to Hunters Hut, with just a few sharpish ups and downs to remind me I was in the Richmond's. Near the hut I surprised a goat on track, or rather we surprised each other. Even if I hadn't seen him, I'd have definitely smelt him on the way past!

It was a bit of a long climb, although not very steep - a haul rather than a grunt. Near the top, excitement! Tasman Bay, seemingly just down a couple of ridge lines - my first view of the sea for over a thousand kilometers, and a tangible pointer that the end is nearing.


Then down to the hut. It's nicely nestled in the bush. I like the old Forest Service orange that DOC have painted the huts through here - a nice nod to the past.

It looks like I'll have the hut to myself again tonight - I'm loving liberally spreading my stuff  around the hut.

I may try a bigger day tomorrow instead - if not I will need to have a very short day the day after. There is a difficult and exposed climb coming up over Mt Rintoul that I want to tackle fresh in the morning, which is dictating somewhat which huts I want to use; Mt Rintoul Hut is immediately before this climb.

Day 54 - St Arnaud to Porters Creek Hut, 27.7km, 7 hours

Today I started my journey through the Richmond Ranges. After stopping for breakfast in St Arnaud I headed up the road towards the Red Hills, the entry point to the Richmond's.

After 11km of road bashing I was into the Red Hills. 
The first section, up to Red Hills Hut, was nice and easy, 5 or so 6 easy kilometres.
The real Richmond's started after the hut, with another 11km of walking to Porters Creek Hut. The track, like the geography it followed, was up and down and all over the place.  Something I suspect I might have to become used to over the next few days. There were labyrinthine valleys and ridges heading off in all directions. It'd be very easy to get lost in here. It made for hard going, negotiating deeply incised side streams, and occasionally traversing or crossing ridge lines.

I've been really looking forward to coming through the Red Hills - I've intended to go tramping in here for many years but never got around to it.  It's a fascinating place. Almost uniquely in New Zealand, the soil is extremely high in iron and other more exotic minerals, such that the bush is stunted like what you get just above the bushline. Certainly I haven't travelled anywhere remotely similar to this in New Zealand. Actually it's rather Australia-esque, especially with the reddish soil and rock.  I found it weird to traverse from one hill to the next, in the process moving from thick beech to stunted bush, like my altitude had changed by a thousand meters within a few steps.

I say it's almost unique to New Zealand, because there is a red mountain down in Fiordland, identical to this Marlborough area. This is no coincidence of course. While they started in the same range, the two areas are on opposite sides of the Alpine fault. Through fault shearing, aka earthquakes, this area has been shunted 1000km north of where it started.
So to the hut. I was hoping for a sunset to illuminate the iron coloured hillsides in red. I got a sunset alright, but it didn't light up the hills for me. Oh well, I still got some decent photos.

Random fact, I'm now in the Motueka River catchment. Man, big catchment, no wonder that river floods so badly. Anyway, the Motueka River runs to the north coast! Another portent of the end (in a good rather than apocalyptic way!).