tramping new zealand

By lunchtime yesterday, well, considering I didn’t have an actual lunch stop, let’s say when I reached the pass I was already considering having another day stationary.

I wasn’t in any hurry, why not?

This morning it was clear that was a great, if not sensible decision. No need to scurry on, in fact little chance that much scurrying with my leaden limbs.

Hunters Hut is a favourite, along with Mid Goulter on this itinerary, and maybe Red Hills Hut to come. The common factor: plenty of windows.

Hunters has a fine possie to sit at the table and contemplate the exterior world, without having to go out in it.

It turned out to be nowhere near a nice a day today, no rain, but the clouds were thick, even a few low around the area I traipsed over yesterday. Somehow I’ve been generally lucky with the weather.

There was a big book to chomp through, firewood to gather, food to eat. The water tank was not quite frozen, it’s in the sun all day, so that was that issue, err, a non-issue.

Sadly, people are removing living manuka trees from around the hut. Man, get 400 people passing through here each year, and in 10 years’ time it will be bereft of close vegetation. There’s plenty of standing dead timber around but I made my way down the hill 100 m where DOC had chopped up a tree some time ago into convenient lengths. It’s wet but seems to burn well enough once there are decent embers.

Cosy.

S’pose I should go on the scrounge for some more. Use the fire’s heat to dry out the wet wood.

It’s that kind of lazy day.