Day 88
Nov 27 day 88 Glenrock Stream to Comyns Hut 7:15-11:15 16 km Today I saw the truth of the old adage “red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” I woke at 5:00 and saw out the window a magnificent and ominous red sky accompanied by strong winds. Had coffee with another of the Blue Pub […]
Day 87
Nov 26 day 87 Hamilton Hut to Methven 6:45-1:30 30 km (then hitched into town) Today was one of those dilemma days the Te Aroroa sometimes throws at you. From Hamilton Hut, there is a campground at about 15 km distance. The next accommodation is the Lake Coleridge Lodge, an upscale place that really wants […]
Day 86
Nov 25 day 86 Cora Lynn Car Park to Hamilton Hut 9:30-3:15 15.5 km Last night’s Bangers and Mash did not agree with me, so my night was not particularly restful. Started the morning slowly as I wanted to get Eggs Benedict at the cafe before leaving (they are really really good– with us hikers, […]
Day 85
Nov 24 day 85 Arthur’s Pass 0 km Still pouring rain which makes the next part of the Te Araroa impassable (and I’m glad I got through yesterday as it would have been impossible today). So I’m spending the day here — a nice village to rest a bit waiting for slightly better weather. Will […]
Day 84
Nov 23 day 84 Locke Stream Hut to Arthur’s Pass 6:50- 12:20 23 km Woke several times in the night to rain on the hut roof, prompting anxiety that I would not be able to make it out of the river valley to the next section of the TA or to Arthur’s Pass village. As […]
Day 83
Nov 22 day 83 Hurunui Hut # 3 to Locke Stream Hut 7:00-12:00 13 km It rained off and on most of the night and was raining when I left Hurunui Hut. I hoped to at least get to Kiwi Hut if not out to the road to Arthur’s Pass, but high water is high […]
Day 82
Nov 21 day 82 Kiwi Hope Hut to Hurunui Hut # 3 8:15-4:30 27 km A cloudy drizzly day past a lake and up some river valleys. A couple of wet stream crossings, but rivers all had swinging bridges. Often the trail would go up into the woods for some serious mud and root hiking […]
Day 81
Nov 20 day 81 Boyle Village (Reefton) to Kiwi Hope Hut 10:45-5:30 25 km In the middle of the night the rain started–I could hear it on the motel’s metal roof. I woke at six, but the bus to Boyle Village did not leave until 9:00. I watched the news and drank all the complementary […]
Day 80
Nov 19 day 80 Anne Hut to Boyle Village (Reefton) 6:45-2:30 29 km Once again I was a walker of rivers. Set off fairly early from the hut. All the other hikers were still in their sleeping bags, but the DoC ranger, who I had met the other day while he was gathering seedlings of […]
Day 79
Nov 18 day 79 Waiau Forks to Anne Hut 7:45-4:30 34 km After yesterday’s exertions and the cold temperatures, it was hard to crawl out of the old bag this morning. Still, it was bright and beautiful in the woods, and I could see my jet boil on top of a stump so I could […]