Te Araroa: Pelorus River and Richmond Ranges (Part I)

23.01.2020 Day 87 (0km)

How on Earth do I have so much food!? I stayed in Nelson today to resupply and hang out with a few hiker friends, although I had initially intended to head back to trail. The next section is supposed to be a doozy, requiring extra food in case of weather delays. 

I decided to try those Backcountry freeze dried meals because they are light and have a decent amount of calories. Silly me, I didn’t realize just how much space they occupy. It’s ridiculous, I’m going to look like I’m being eaten by my pack because it is so enormous.

I honestly think I let what others said about the section psych me out and just went way overboard. Now I’m worried my pack is going to be way too heavy. Oh well, guess I’ll find out tomorrow. 

Day’s Highlights: Breakfast pancakes with friends!

24.01.2020 Day 88 (32km)

I pushed myself harder today than I ever have on this hike. Not surprising considering the weight of my pack at the moment…I was absolutely right, way too much food. 

It was drizzling when I left the hostel in Nelson. Nothing more than a light mist, but I still doaned my raincoat as I had no idea how long I would be waiting to get a hitch. The guarantee of being dry was more appealing than the chance of getting soaked. 

I had picked out an ideal hitching location the previous day, but to my dismay there was already someone there with their finger out. Not wanting to compete, I continued further down the road in the hopes that if someone considered stopping for her but decided too late, they would have a second chance with me. 

It took a bit, so I occupied myself with waving at the semi-trucks and traffic passing the opposite direction. Eventually, an army recruiter pulled over and offered to drop me at Pelorus Bridge on his way to a candidate interview. We chatted about all sorts of things including the school system in the States vs New Zealand. In the end he gave me a free Navy hat; I didn’t have the heart to tell him I couldn’t take it, as there was no room for extra weight in my pack. Instead I thanked him, waved goodbye, and gave it to a server at the campground cafe. I asked her to donate it to someone who might have lost their hat or was in desperate need of sun protection. 

After a 14km stretch of gravel road, the trail turned tramping track and moved to hug the Pelorus River. By noon, the clouds were gone and the sun had set the earth to boiling. The river was a pale emerald and as alluring as a sirens song. Like Odysseus I was helpless to the call (but I didn’t have any men to tie me to the mast of a ship). Before I knew it I was swimming in the icy waters of Emerald Pools and having my face and neck assaulted by sandflies. Though laying on the rocks to dry would have been nice, those pesky biting insects made it impossible. 

Little did I know the refreshing dip wouldn’t count for anything by the end of the day. Despite the clear skies, I would arrive at the hut looking like a drowned rat. Only this little rat would be drenched in sweat not rain. The combination of the heat and the extra heavy pack took its toll. 

I should have stopped at Middy Hut; it was already five and I was pretty knackered. Unfortunately, it was a bit overcrowded and I’d heard excellent reviews about the next hut, only five kilometers further…straight uphill that is. 

Within a kilometer and a half, my legs were trembling and I had to drop my pack to catch my breath. Exhaustion had set in and the last thing I needed was an 800m ascent to finish off the day. 

Willpower alone was what got me to Rocks Hut, and in the end, it was worth the effort: lovely views and practically empty. 

Day’s Highlights: The swim in the gorgeous water…minus the sandflies. 

25.01.2020 Day 89 (20km)

What an interesting day. It began with a climb through woods that could easily have been occupied by elves in the LOTR (Lord of the Rings) realm. As I gained elevation, however, the forest thinned, supplanted by a graveyard of trees.

Huge uprooted beasts in disarrayed heaps. I wondered if perhaps wind and climate change had begun to redefine the treeline. After some limboing and clambering through the mess, I reached barren hillside. I savoured the views on the exposed terrain momentarily before descending back into the Elvenland. 

The moisture of the forest increased as I neared the river, as did the sounds of the cicadas. It must have been mating season, because they were so loud, I was certain I was going to experience hearing loss. Just as I began to get the sensation that I was at a cicada rock concert, standing right next to the speaker, a migraine hit with full force. 

I was able to sit out most of the vision issues (I get auras and tunnel vision with my migraines) during my lunch break. Unfortunately, the faulty vision returned halfway to the next hut.

I one hundred percent blame the cicadas. To make matters worse, they kept crashing into me as they flew by, startling me, and threatening my precarious balance, as I couldn’t clearly see the trail with the migraine. 

My day ended with a steep climb out of cicada country and up above the treeline. It took a good fifteen to twenty minutes for the muffled sound to dissipate from my ears. I had been debating on pushing on to Slaty Hut, but after looking at the DOC intentions books along the way, I concluded it might be a bit overcrowded. Starveall Hut, however, only had one guest, me. 

Day’s Highlights: Not finishing the hike at 8pm and getting away from those bloody cicadas. 

26.01.2020 Day 90 (14km)

Yesterday, all I could think was, “I hope tomorrow there is bad weather.” That way I would be forced to stay put and eat more food to lighten my pack. It took me a bit to realize this was my mind’s way of telling me I was pushing too hard under the current circumstances. Those being: a pack that was WAY heavier than necessary, and hot, summer weather. 

Climbing 800 meters is a lot for my normal 16 to 17 kilo pack, but I was pretty sure with the ten day food supply, my pack weight was well over twenty kilos. This error in judgement was absolutely my own fault; I let myself get sucked in and freaked out by other hikers experiences and opinions. I knew myself; I knew how fast I hiked; and I knew the weather forecast. There was no need for me to bring what I did. Still, life is a learning curve. All things considered I decided to slow down.

There were still some bouldering, steep ascents, narrow ledges, scree fields, and treacherous declines, but instead of ending the day with two huge climbs, and strolled down to the secluded Old Man Hut. It was about a kilometer detour, but so worth it!

The hut was nestled in a grassy clearing, filled with the peaceful music of birds and the wind, and it had an exceptional view of the mountains. Not to mention it had new mattresses, which I was so excited to try out as I hadn’t slept well the night before.

The mice were making a ruckus all night long. I had hung my food, but apparently that wasn’t enough for them. They felt the need to investigate my pack as well. So in the middle of the night I had to get up and hang that as well, so they wouldn’t be tempted to chew holes in the fabric or poop all over it. 

Overall a beautiful day, with breathtaking views from the ridges. 

Day’s Highlights: Ending early, taking it easy, and the view from the hut