Day 86: Browning hut to Hackett hut

Just after writing my last post, two hikers showed up, so I had some company for the end of the evening. I had a pretty awful night. There were mosquitoes inside the hut so any exposed skin was theirs to devour. I was hot in my sleeping bag but didn’t dare stick any limbs out for fear of the mozzies. At some point I was starting to drift off when my forehead got all itchy again from another bite. Not being able to take it, I grabbed my tent and set up in the dark, startling a bunch of deer. I was much more comfortable in the tent, but it still took me a while to fall asleep. I was up shortly after 6:30 and my tent was drenched from condensation with no breeze or sun in sight, I had to pack it up quite wet. The trail leaving Browning hut was fun, in and out of a stream and once I reached the junction to either Hackett Hut and the TA or the 5km trail to the parking area. I took the latter to exit the trail and get my new shoes. It was very easy going apart from one detour above a slip.

Once at the car park, I started out along the road and was hoping to hitch, but the few cars were going the wrong way. I did finally hear a car after about half an hour and a nice lady stopped and took me to the highway. I got another ride very quickly but only for a few kms down the highway. She dropped me in a small town at the bakery and after a treat, I got another ride to the junction of the road into St-Arnaud. My last ride was also the first car to come by and they took me all the way to St-Arnaud. I got my box and retrieved my shoes and met Daphne, a German hiker who had been on the Whanganui river at the same time as me. She was trying to figure out how to get all her food from her box into her bag and I hung out with her for a bit and had a healthy bowl for lunch with broccoli, hummus, seed crackers and a sort of chickpea-mushroom-tomato stew. It was really tasty although not the most filling. Daphne told me that Laura was also in town so I texted her and we had a brief chat, she had her lunch waiting in the hostel kitchen. Then it was back to Hackett Road parking with three hitches, the last being a dad, with his 7 and 9 year old daughters, who took me all the way to the trailhead even though their house wasn’t that far up the road at all. It was a quick and easy hike back to the junction and I got to Hackett hut at around 5:30 pm. It amazes me how far one can travel in such short time and I was really glad to have my new shoes with me after just one day without doing any trail kms. There are a few others at Hackett hut, one NOBO hiker, and 4 other SOBOs, as well as three guys out for the weekend. Apparently, it’s a long weekend here for Nelson Anniversary, which is celebrated in Nelson (of course), but apparently in Auckland as well (?). Next weekend is another long weekend, Waitangi weekend, to commemorate the signing of the Waitangi treaty. It seems like so long ago that I visited the Waitangi treaty grounds!

Day 87: Hackett Hut to Old Man hut

I slept well in my tent, but it was drenched again and there was no wind or sun to dry it out before I left. The track started out following a stream, which it crossed a few times. Then it was a big uphill climb to the next hut, Starveall. I got there around 10:30 and it was windy and partly sunny so I got out my tent to dry while I had a snack.

From Starveall, it was again mostly up to the next hut, Slaty. Leaving Starveall, the track was above the tree line and there were lovely views of the Richmonds and even out to the sea.

The views just got better and better as I climbed until the trail descended through a forest. It wasn’t downhill for too long before climbing up again and emerging above the trees again shortly before arriving at Slaty hut. I had lunch here and there were a few TAers who were taking a day off because of the wind. It had been quite windy, but not as bad as the day into Wellington. So I decided to continue even though the next part of the trail was along a ridgeline with summits. I’m so glad that I went on because despite the wind, the visibility was great and the views were amazing. It was a moment that made me feel so grateful to have the opportunity and health to be on the TA. I just soaked it all up despite the tired legs and wind.

I decided that it would be pushing it to go over the highest summit in the section though, so I exited down to Old Man hut, which is slightly off trail and unfortunately was a 200m descent. Emmet (US) and Hanna (Japan) are my hut mates for tonight.