Man, oh man, that was a day.
Big day.
I guess I’ve done longer, more strenuous days in recent times but with all that lack of track, following up Mary Creek, or down the Taipoiti, boulder hopping, that’s what’s taken the stuffing out of me.
A few river crossings so there’s been wet feet, again, most of the day but at least I have some solid boots which are designed for climbing on rock, ie, most of the day.
There was still some permanent snow around Whitehorn Pass, adjacent to Harman Pass.
The two sides of the pass are different, on the West Coast side the Taipo is one of those typical West Coast rivers, steep, filled with boulders as big as cars, as buses, as houses, so crossing even the small stream takes some care.
On the Canterbury side, wow, it’s just a narrow broken, moving, rock shute, more river crossings required, waterfalls coming in at the sides.
No part of the day was easy, at least when moving, except for a lovely 800 m at the end in the beech forest.
A couple is sharing this 36 bunk hut but they have taken the west wing, I have the full east to myself.
I’ll certainly sleep well tonight.
Tomorrow there’s a race down the Waimak and I believe I will finally have a night back in my tent.
And back on Te Araroa finally.