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.
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