Non Te Araroa deviation

Non Te Araroa deviation December 31 - January 3

See the summary in an earlier posting. Took the advantage of moving on with Willi and Rob to do a reverse trip from the planned schedule, covering a number of significant mountain passes - 5 in 5 days if you stretch a point and include Ada Pass (It is the Main Divide so sort of counts, although barely noticeable)

Blue Lake Hut

Blue Lake Hut - December 30 - hut day because of rain

Upper Travers to Blue Lake Hut

December 29 15km 9 hours

Early start because of heavy rain forecast later in the day, with a scheduled river crossing of the Sabine River where a recent flood had destroyed the swingbridge. Up 460m through the cloud to Travers Saddle in good time, but not much in the way of views today, and then a long descent, including an exposed shingly ridgeline before reaching the bushline again. A dramatic bridge across a very narrow but deep chasm of the E Sabine river, then on down and down through the bush to the junction of the E&W Sabine rivers.

Lunch at the point where a few large trees that had been washed down the flooded W Sabine had destroyed the swingbridge. The rain had only just started so the river was still fordable in groups, fortunately not having to use the fallen tree that spanned the main river. A great walk up alongside the rushing river with the occasional open patch for broader views .. in and out of avalanche prone areas, although not normally an issue by this time of year. Gentle rain continuing, so no reason to stop for more than a few minutes at a time. A final push up to the Blue Lake Hut where a party already in residence had the fire going and the hut warm - just what was needed for a damp day.

Lakehead to Upper Travers

December 28 18km 7.5 hrs est.

A pleasant start to the day walking up the Travers valley open grassy areas interspersed with patches of beech forest. Steady climb reaching the sunny John Tait Hut for lunch. A short diversion to see the very picturesque Travers Falls, and then a more steep 220m climb to the open grassy area leading towards the Upper Travers Hut. Good views of Mt Travers with patches of snow. The stream water is sooo cold !

St Arnaud to Lakehead Hut

December 27 2011 9km 2.5 hrs

Our ATC group of 7 set off early afternoon with our Heavy 12 day packs - grateful for a short flat walk today along the side of Lake Rotoiti mostly in beech forest. A super hut , but sandflies soon zoomed in for a feed. Walked over to the other side of the valley to where the Travers River now lows.

Pelorus Bridge to St James Summary

December 27 - Jan 15

Combining one of the Auckland Tramping Club's Christmas trips with Te Araroa is what this period is all about - not a standard through trip, and quite a bit more. This consisted of

Dec 27 - 29 St Arnaud to Blue Lake Hut
Dec 30 Hut day because of rain
Dec 31 Moss Pass - d'Urville River - Upper d'Urville Hut - 8hrs, big downhill from Moss Pass
Jan 1 David Saddle - E&W Matakitaki - Bobs Hut - 12 hrs 50 mins ... ahhh
Jan 2 W Matakitaki - 3 Tarns Pass - Ada Pass Hut - 9.5 hrs
Jan 3 St James Walkway joining the TA Waiau route late morning - north to Caroline Biv
Jan 4 Over Waiau Pass on a lovely sunny day to Blue Lake Hut
Jan 5 - 7 Back to St Arnaud via Sabine / Speargrass Hut
Jan 7 Road section from Richmond Ranges track to St Arnaud
Jan 8 - 15 South to North Richmond Ranges and Pelorus River track / road to Pelorus Bridge

The end result is that I covered the section from Pelorus Bridge to the St James Walkway with some great and very experienced tramping companions, and now keen to continue on south for up to 2 weeks more before heading back to Auckland again. Wonderful scenery, mostly good weather, and a much needed reminder of how much harder some parts of TA South Island are than further north.

TA Opening and Plans for summer 2011 - 2012

It was great to be at the official opening of Te Araroa with Hazel on December 3rd and from it get a better appreciation of the major undertaking that has brought TA to this point. The Island Bay setting was superb and the weather was so kind. Afterwards we followed TA back into the city, as ever impressed by how strenuous Wellington city walks can be !

Soon after Christmas I will be on the trail again, first from St Arnaud south to the St James Walkway and then a big loop back to St Arnaud with a party from the Auckland Tramping Club. Then reversing my normal direction, two of us will be going south to north up the Richmond Ranges, so that I can then complete the TA route up to Pelorus Bridge, where I arrived from the north back in April. All going well I will then travel back down to the top of the St James Walkway and follow that until where my first trip left off, and then continue, ever on.