tramping new zealand

Just on 7 pm last night, after dark, two Japanese fishing guides arrived from Trevor Carter Hut, a ten-hour day, some of which they had spent fishing. Them fly fishers can be maniacs.

Last year, one of them had come in via the Old Ghost Road to Mokihinui Forks Hut, and with a different fishing fanatic had gone up the river to Johnson Hut, which is very gorgeous. It had taken them three vigorous days. Then they walked out to where I was presently.

Maybe they didn’t notice the track, but it all was a Grand Adventure, with plenty of bush bashing and some swimming required.

Plenty of stars were out when I got up for an early start. I noticed a satellite whizzing by.

The river was audible from the hut on a calm day, and birds were out and about.

Despite the guys sleeping in, I mucked around and didn’t leave until 7 30 am.

It was quite a haul up the Wangapeka Track, although I had left my extra food at the hut. I made it to the base of the climb, where I abandoned the DOC track, by 11 am and found that the new track was well-marked. There are just enough markers to see where to go, although it really needs a few dozen people over it to start making the route more discernible on the ground.

Not complaining, I really like the track overall.

It was one of those days where I really had no idea of how it would unfold, but it was reasonably cruisy up to Kiwi Saddle, with a little twist where you climb above the saddle and climb down fairly steeply to get around a bluff, and then have a long, slow descent down the upper Johnson River on the well-marked track.

Strangely, I was sitting on a rock around 5 pm and heard a noise. A DOC contractor guy suddenly appeared, and we had a chat about camping sites.

He sped on, with me mooching behind. Eventually, I popped out onto the start of the flatter river, and the only plausible campsite I saw in the valley came into view.

So, two of us camped together, although 50 m apart. We talked for half an hour before the cold took over me.

It had been a big day, and some energy was needed to focus on the route finding.

It felt really nice to slide into my sleeping bag.

It will be easier to walk from here, apparently.

Maybe.