Te Araroa: Final Forests

17.03.2020 Day 141 (32km)

If my pace matched the time estimate in the trail notes, I would arrive at the hut at 9pm. There was nothing appealing about arriving that late. Not to mention the temperatures had been dropping over the last week or so and I was not keen to lose the use of my hands to the cold, which was a common occurrence on the TA. 

After leaving Te Anau I planned to push several big days in a row, cause to be honest I’m over tenting. It’s gotten colder and I don’t want to deal with a wet tent in the mornings anymore. However, in order to avoid tenting I needed to stay in specific huts, or else have extremely short days. 

After a lift to the track and almost six hours of trudging through muddy forests and bogs, I arrived at Apipara, the first hut. It was decision time: if I stayed, the next day would either be short, or end with me in a tent. 

Throwing caution to the wind, I decided to risk the 9pm arrival time. Fortune favored me and the forest track was heaps better than what it had been. It was clearly marked and mud was scarce. 

At 6:45pm, I swung open the door of Lower Wairaki Hut; two hours earlier than expected!

My first night alone in a tent was in North Island, outside of Te Kuiti. It was one of the best sleeps I had on trail, much to my surprise. My first night alone in a hut was in the Richmond Ranges of South Island. Mice kept me up most of the night, forcing me to get out of bed and rearrange my belongings. 

Looking back, I’d say I hiked alone for almost half of the TA, though the evenings were often spent with others. Somehow it seems fitting that I spend one of my last nights on the TA alone. 

Day’s Highlights: Making it to the hut before dark

18.03.2020 Day 142 (37km)

My feet feel shattered in a million places. If they weren’t numb with pain, I’m sure they would be throbbing. After a steep forest climb from the hut, I reached the peak of the last “real” mountain. I use quotations because that’s what everyone keeps calling it despite the fact that there are still a few climbs over the next couple days. 

The ridgeline began with a series of “choose your own adventure” in order to reach the next marker. Eventually, I discovered a clear path over the rocks and leading down into a dry grass field. It was a long trek through farmlands, up and down hills, past herds of sheep and cattle, with one river crossing in the middle. 

Early in the morning I met another hiker, Jules, and we spent the remainder of the day keeping pace and chatting. Her company definitely helped the hours go by and keep my mind off of my feet. Thankfully, there was a paid hut with hot showers and a pleasant fire at the end of the day. 

Day’s Highlights: Putting my feet up

19.03.2020 Day 143 (28km)

Well, it wouldn’t be the TA if I didn’t get lost one last time. After hopping through bogs, one of which was quite fragrant due to a decomposing carcass, I came to the big climb of the day. There was supposed to be a 4WD track as an alternate route, which was meant to be easier.

I, however, expertly followed the WRONG track, which disappeared into the steep hillside about a quarter of the way up. Of course, by then I felt fully committed, and didn’t want to divert back. 

Utilizing my GPS to orient myself, I kept moving upward. It was actually quite a pleasant climb once I accepted the fact that I wasn’t going to find the trail until I reached the top.

I crossed over a quiet stream and saw a piglet foraging in the weeds. The sun was out and a strong breeze kept me cool and refreshed, so before I knew it I was at the summit and rejoining the official track. 

From there it was smooth sailing on forestry roads and maintained tracks all the way to Merriview Hut. 

Day’s Highlights: Finishing the day at 4pm instead of 7pm like the two previous days 

20.03.2020 Day 144 (45km)

What would I do if the camping spot wasn’t there anymore? Light was quickly fading; if it wasn’t there, I would have to stop, get my headlamp out, and push on in the dark. 

Part of me liked the idea of knocking out all of Longwood Forest in one long day, but the pub would probably be closed by the time I arrived, so I wouldn’t be able to get a room. Also tenting in the forest was definitely the cheaper option. 

There had been a hut several kilometers back, but you couldn’t have paid me to stay at it. Martin’s Hut had a notorious history of rats and several hikers had fallen ill even after filtering the water. 

Longwood Forest was well known as one of the muddiest forests on the entire TA, rivaling both Raetea and Pirongia. After seeing pictures of hikers in knee to thigh deep mud, I expected really slow going through terrible conditions. Yes, there were definitely a few leg consuming areas, but most were avoidable through shallower mud. Only once did I find myself unexpectedly sunk up above my knees. After that I fully embraced the mud; as long as my shoes didn’t get sucked off I didn’t care. 

This nonchalant attitude kept me at a steady pace, so I arrived at Martin’s Hut at 3:30pm, with plenty of daylight remaining. After a late lunch, I swung my pack on and dove back into the mud of the trail. Filled with a strange energy, I felt like I could go on for ages. 

Ages turned out to be 8:20pm, exactly twelve hours after I had started, making it my longest day on the TA. The camping spot mentioned in a note on Guthook, did indeed exist, a patch of wide trail under the protection of a vine covered tree.

Although, part of me still wanted to push on, it probably wouldn’t have been the wisest idea. The going after Martin’s Hut had been quite demanding. Though the mud was severely reduced; a number of obstacles and technical bits had hindered my pace, including a bus-sized tree I had to scramble over. 

Navigating the risky areas had been challenging enough with daylight on my side; I wasn’t keen to attempt them in the dark. 

Day’s Highlights: Knocking out most of the forest in one day

21.03.2020 Day 145 (14km)

Surprisingly, I slept soundly in my tent in the middle of the woods. I had expected to be jolted awake by the sounds of mice chewing through my belongings or a possum attempting to plunder my limited food stores. Instead I slept till the light patter of morning rain descended through the canopy and onto my tent. 

After the longhaul of the previous day, only 10km of forest remained between me and the road. Despite the increased slickness of the soil, I managed to keep a good pace through the rain. Only slowing for the treacherous gullies and obstacles, or when the ferns were so overgrown that the track was virtually invisible. These bits definitely should not have been attempted in the dark and I was grateful I had decided to stay in my tent the night before. 

Cold didn’t creep into my limbs until I reached the 4km road section into Colac Bay. Fully exposed to the wind, all the warmth of my body was blown away. 

Dripping wet and not able to use my hands, I arrived at the pub, secured a room, and jumped into the shower with my shoes on. I had to ask one of the other hikers to unclip the waist belt of my back, but didn’t feel like asking them to untie my shoes as well. I shivered as the hot water cascaded down my body, burning like fire. It took time, but gradually the sensation returned to my fingers, allowing me to remove my shoes, and have a proper shower. 

Day’s Highlights: Getting out of the forest