Day 71: Waikanae to Parawai hut

The day started well since there was breakfast at the Airbnb and I had to eat some yogurt and fruit that I had bought the previous evening as well. After stuffing myself, I finally set off along the road for about 10 km and then it was onto the Pukeatua track and into the Tararuas.

The trail was hard to follow at first due to some forestry work that had made multiple tracks. Then it was up and up through some forest. The track was in decent shape and enjoyable. Mount Pukeatua is a baby Tararua at 812m.

There were some nice views from the top although it was chilly and windy so I was cold after my lunch break.

I soon warmed up when I got going and it was a few more hours of mostly downhill to the Parawai hut. It’s near a river and I tried to take a dip, but didn’t manage to get all the way in.

There’s a couple of non-TA hikers at the hut as well as 4 other TAers. Two other TAers, including Maureen, are supposed to be here, so it’s a bit worrisome that they haven’t arrived yet and it’s after 8pm. Apparently they got a lift but the the wrong trailhead, however they thought that they could connect to the TA through a different trail. I’m certain they’re safe, but we don’t have cell service…

Day 72: Parawai hut to Maungahuka hut

There were a few snorers in the hut last night so I was glad to have my ear plug but I didn’t sleep great as the mat wasn’t all that comfortable. I had sort of decided last night to deviate from the official TA and take a different track today as the locals at the hut didn’t have much good to say about the Waitewaewae track, the TA official route, and there is apparently a pretty narly slip on it as well. The alternative track will add some kms and go over more exposed ridges, which should be very scenic and ok given the winds have dropped. I set off and enjoyed a well maintained track up through the forest to Field hut, which is almost 100 years old and seemed somewhat gloomy. I didn’t stop long and soon the track climbed out of the forest and onto the ridge. It was still a well maintained track and the going was relatively good. It was quite cloudy but not really raining but my leggings and feet got soaked from all the well grasses alongside the track.

I knew I would freeze if I stopped since the forecast high up here was about 5 degrees. So I did a small detour to Kime hut, where I met the Kiwi Stella and Shaun also taking a break. The hut was none too warm and doesn’t have a stove so I got out my sleeping bag to bundle up in while I had lunch. I took a good long break and donned by rain pants to keep my legs dry when I did finally set off again. The next track follows the main ridge of the Tararuas and was up and down, quite steeply at times.

However, the main difficulty was that the grasses have grown over the trail and hide it so you have no idea what you’re going to step on, if anything (I stepped into an empty space where the trail was eroded at one point). They’re also are easy to trip over and can be slippy. One section of trail was also overgrown with some shrubs that I had to fight through while going up a slippery steep climb. Then there was the section with the a lot of scrambling next to steep drop offs.

Some places had a steel cable to help but not all of the scrambles had these and then there was a massive ladder the descend, which was actually relatively straight forward.

I would say that this is the hardest track that I’ve ever done anywhere. It was also super enjoyable and when the clouds did part, the views and scenery were amazing, I would just be caught up in the beauty around me, or at least until I slipped on some mud or tripped on some grasses.

I finally arrived at the Maungahuka hut, which is a bit chilly too since there’s also no stove (none of the huts above tree line have one since there’s no wood). Stella and Shaun arrived just before me and Ehud, who was also at Parawai last night, is also here.

I can see why people didn’t recommend doing this trail alone, but I was comfortable doing it and had the comfort of knowing there were others doing it as well, even if we weren’t hiking together. Tomorrow shouldn’t be quite as difficult, according to Shaun who knows these mountains well, and I’ll likely make it back to the official TA route.

Day 73: Maungahuka hut to Anderson Memorial hut

My hot water bottle worked like a charm and I was toasty in no time in my sleeping bag and actually had to turf it out of my bag after a while. I still didn’t sleep great and couldn’t find my ear plugs so that didn’t help since it was windy. I woke up to sunshine coming in the window and despite it being windier than the previous day, it looked to be nice enough. I set off to some intimidating views of the mountains ahead bit they didn’t last long as it clouded over pretty quickly.

The track was much like yesterday’s as I continued to follow the main ridge of the Tararuas northward. There were a few sketchy places to scramble over and it was still very slow going from all the grasses overgrowing the trail. I crossed a number of TAers going south doing similar detours to me but in the opposite direction. The last section of trail before Anderson Memorial hut was through a forest and I arrived at the hut at about 1:45.

I could have pushed on, but the next hut also only has 6 bunks and is on the TA and would be very crowded from all the TAers getting this weather window. It’s also rumored to be very low on water if not out. So I decided to stay put and was eventually joined by 8 others, so we’re 9 in a 6 bunk hut, with one couple sharing a bunk and two on the floor. I can only imagine how many are at Nichols hut, probably about 15 or so my hut mates’ reckoning. The other nice thing about Anderson’s is that there’s a wood burning stove so we got a fire going and were nice and warm inside.

Day 74: Anderson Memorial hut to Te Matawai hut

People started moving just before 6 so I joined the general getting up and got going just after 7. While all the others were heading towards Maungahuka, I was headed back to the TA at Junction Knob. It was overcast but seemed to be clearing so I was hopeful some views. The climb up to Junction Knob took about an hour and then it was in towards Mt Crawford, which is one of the highest peaks in the Tararuas at over 1500m. It was clearing when I got to the summit, but there was still some cloud hanging around.

I hung out there for a bit and then continued on, crossing quite a few TAers all day going SOBO. One was Barbara, who I had spent the stormy night with in Mangawhai. I also met Caroline and Cecile, which wasn’t completely unexpected but still a nice surprise. The trail descended into for goblin forest after Mt Crawford and mostly stayed there for a while although it did emerge for some steep climbs and descents once in a while. The clouds had completely lifted my now and the views were breathtaking in every direction.

I finished the day with a big climb up Mt Pukematawai and then a very grassy descent to the Te Matawai hut. I could see the hut from above for a long while and it didn’t seem to be getting any closer. But I eventually arrived and found a few familiar faces, including Maureen and her gang. It turned out that the trail on the map that connected back to the TA didn’t exist so they stayed in a different hut that night and then went back and to the correct trail the next day.

Day 75: Te Matawai hut to Wellington

I was excited and sad to be leaving the Tararuas today. I was looking forward to being in town and all the amenities that it offers (showers and food), but it was sad to be leaving these beautiful mountains. Although the trail had a lot of descent today, there were still a few really intense climbs as well. At least they paid off with some last view of the mountains.

I met a few people going up, starting their crossings, who all seemed so clean and fresh. One of the them, was Tyson, who I last saw in Whakapapa. I found one forested section of trail quite hard to follow since I kept on losing it briefly and even screamed out loud in frustration as I bashed through vines and brambles to get back to it once again. But just after that, I was at a junction and the trail from there was much more evident and way going. before I knew it, I was out of the forest and it was just a 1km walk through some fields to get to the road.

I had arranged for Donna to pick me up and she drove me to Levin, where the timing was great to catch a bus to Wellington, arriving shortly before 4. I checked in to my hotel; I splurged on a room with a sitting area and kitchenette. After shower and relaxing for a bit, I met up with Maureen, Joe, Stacey and Ren for a burger and a beer. I realized when I got back that I might be coming down with a cold since I have a bit of a sore throat. It’s funny how our bodies somehow manage to hold out until the stress is removed, or maybe I was just lucky that I didn’t catch it earlier.