A Stunning Walk in the Mountains- Part 2

Catch-up

Continuing on from Part 1

I waved goodbye to David as he left the hut and headed back down the track we'd arrived on, I headed off in the opposite direction, passing the family with the tiny baby arriving back in camp after they'd walked to the summit of Mt Arthur- well not quite to the summit, they said there was too much snow but they'd gone a fair way. Another three trampers arrived just after them, fully laden down with heavy packs; they'd just completed the 28km two day Tableland Circuit and had stayed at the Salisbury Hut the night before. The look of surprise on their faces when they saw all the people at Mt Arthur was priceless. I bet they decided to carry on to the carpark.

Once through the bush that surrounded the hut the track opened up; the mountain rising up on one side and on the other, this stunning view over the bush and the mountain range across to Tasman Bay in the distance.

As I was admiring the view another couple of walkers passed me heading for the hut. Going by the size of their packs they'd be daywalkers, which is just as well as there's no room at the inn tonight. They told me they'd walked about halfway to the summit and had then run out of time so turned back- very sensible tourists.

Shortly afterwards the track split- my track heading off to the right and the summit and another track to the left. As I was taking photos, one of the couples we'd been chatting to at the hut, along with their 4yo daughter, caught me up. The guy had been up here often and talked me into walking up the Summit track a little way because he said, 'the views were spectacular'.

The little girl sat down at the sign and refused to budge, she said was going to wait there until they returned. Eventually she was cajoled and bribed with chocolate into walking further but she 'was only going to the first pole and then she was going back to play with her new friend'. 

The views were indeed spectacular, I'm now clear of the lower mountains and can see all the way to Nelson and Rabbit Island. Mt Arthur Hut is below the point, in the trees.

A little further on and there's a rocky platform overlooking the valley behind.

The track climbed steadily up the exposed rock behind and then dropped a little before it becomes a long steady walk across fairly easy terrain before a short climb to the summit (so the husband tells me). I'm tempted to walk to the top of this rock to see Mt Arthur but decide against it as I'm unsure how my track will be and with no communications, David will start to wonder where I am if I add another 40 minutes or so to my return walk. Another couple appear over the top....now the track is getting like Piccadilly Station!

I'm told by the very helpful husband that my track crosses through those brown patches up to the peak and then drops sharply to the valley floor on the other side.

One hour, 2.6km, mostly downhill. Not far at all, this should be easy.

Immediately after leaving the sign-post the track disappears into a stand of bush. After the lovely manicured track up to the hut, this one is the exact opposite; narrow, root ridden with lots of holes. I'll have to watch my step.

Once out of this first lot of bush, the track gets lost under the snow tussock and when I find sections of it, it's deeply furrowed, uneven and full of water. I have to jump back and forth over the deep track and the water, squelching through spongy bog plants when the tussock disappears. I start to worry that it'll be like this all the way and it'll be slow going. I can see the orange marker poles marching up the ridge ahead of me, I keep one eye on them and the other one on where to next put my feet, and hope for the best.

This cutest little fluff-ball of a Tomtit/Miromiro(male) flitted into say hello to me as I was passing a clump of bush. Either he was cold (the temperature was dropping) or he wanted me out of his territory.

I stop often to look back along the track, the rocky platform I stood on at the beginning is at the base of the exposed rock to the right. I've now crossed a couple of those 'brown patches', the track is still a bog and there's water everywhere. I think it is actually a bog, the water seeping through from the ridge heading downhill.

Then it's back into the next lot of gnarly moss covered bush...

And a little further along, into the open again where I can't stop looking back at the view and the beautiful colours of the vegetation which is especially colourful for New Zealand native bush. Not only are there the purple leaved Mountain Neinei (Dracophyllum traversii) we saw earlier but there's also their smaller cousin the Dracophyllum Longifolium aka Grass tree or Inaka; the copper coloured upright shrubs in the foreground.

Just before I stopped to take photos I spotted a walker heading towards me from out of the bush. She stopped to ask how far it was to the hut, she told me she was going to stop overnight before heading to the summit. I hadn't the heart to tell her that the hut was full.

I pointed out that it wasn't too far, and while explaining where it lay in the bush ahead of her I spotted the hut's roof peeking out of the forest (see blue arrow above, click to enlarge the photo). I zoomed in for a better look below.

Once last panoramic photo of the amazing view before I turned around...

And headed over my 'summit', through one last clearing...

...and down into the bush proper. The track was wet and muddy, full of tree roots and holes with a number of rocks to navigate over and slide down. And even though it doesn't look like it in the photos below, it was a very steep downhill track (actually called a route because it just has tree markers pointing the way), it took a lot of effort to not let my forward momentum get ahead of me and topple me over.

My toes and knees started complaining very early on and after taking these few photos near the top I put my camera away so I could keep my balance better and hold onto trees to swing down banks or slide down muddy patches. It would have been very easy to trip on a root, or twist an ankle on a slippery section, I really needed to concentrate.  It seemed like the track went on and on forever, it got darker and colder and I begun to wonder whether I'd ever get to the end. I kept thinking about the woman I'd seen up on the top, she'd come up this way with her pack, that would have been hard going.

Eventually I could hear voices and children calling to each other but it still took a long while before I finally broke out of the bush above Flora Hut. Two more families with children (and a pushchair) had just arrived at the hut. Sitting on a bank in front of me were another young couple sharing a beer and chatting. 

I wondered how on earth I was going to get down this steep slippery slope because I not only knew my toes would scream blue murder, but I'd likely slip over and slide down on my butt past the now smooching couple who hadn't yet seen me. So I coughed loudly (that startled them) and then stopped to chat for a minute before spying another track through the bush to the side that looked to be heading towards the 4WD track and the way back to carpark. It did end up on the track and it was with great relief when I finally stepped out onto the gravel track. 

I still had 2kms to walk to get back to the carpark but it felt like I was walking on a cushion of air, the 4WD track was such a relief after the continuous pain of my toes being pushed into the front of my boots (even with thick socks) and my knees complaining at every jarring step. In the end it took me 1hr 40min from the start of the track to Flora Hut, I think 20 of those minutes would have been spent taking photos across the ridge but it was a tougher walk than I expected.

David met me half way along the track, he'd been back to the carpark, had a coffee and a snack and then come to meet me. He'd past another three groups of walkers heading to Mt Arthur Hut on his way down. It sure was going to be a busy night up there.

A Stunning Walk in the Mountains- Part 1

Catch-up

We had another walk we wanted to do while we were staying at Kaiteriteri, it's one we missed on our last visit even though we had visited the area twice.

As the sign says, it's 7kms of steep, winding and narrow road straight up the side of the Arthur Mountain Range to the Flora Carpark and into the Kahurangi National Park. Mt Arthur is the prominent peak in the range that forms a backdrop to the Motueka/Tasman area.

Back in 2014 when we visited the Park we walked to Flora Hut and then we came back a few days later to do the walk to the Mt Arthur Hut as we'd heard it was a stunning half day walk and we'd already seen how much bird life there was. Unfortunately it had snowed and we only just made it to the carpark before turning around and heading back down.

This time the weather was good and we allowed enough time to get to Mt Arthur Hut, a 8.4km return walk from the carpark where the old stone and cedar shelter above marks the entrance. After our marathon 17kms walk to Lake Daniells the other week, we weren't keen to take on a tramp to the summit of Mt Arthur; a 18.2km return walk from the carpark and a steep climb, once past Mt Arthur Hut. 

There are numerous single and multi-day tramping tracks throughout Kahurangi National Park and several start (or end) at the carpark.

We follow the 4WD track to a junction 600metres from the carpark, the Flora Hut walk heads off to the right, our track to the left. The bush we pass through at the beginning of our track is nothing short of spectacular, and while I'm waiting for David to finish a bit of bird spotting, I take a little bit of artistic license with my camera and shoot some creative blur photos.

These two photos (above and below) are of the same piece of bush. To achieve creative blur in your photos slow the shutter speed down (these are 1/50sec) and then as you push your shutter button, quickly move your camera up and down. Play with settings until you get the desired effect, it's fun to see what you can produce. I enjoy doing this with colourful flower beds too.

Here's a couple more taken in bush similar to the top photo, I like the effect a little bit of sunlight has had on the green moss on the forest floor. Cool aren't they? 

Anyway, back to the task at hand, the track is well formed and it's a steady, easy climb upwards.

There's a major change to the vegetation and bush as we break out onto a ridge. I've only ever seen these unusual trees in suburban gardens (including my sister and parents) I've never seen these plants in the bush before but they are the native Dracophyllum traversii, aka Mountain Neinei.  

A gorgeous little Grey Warbler/Riroriro was checking us out as we detoured off the path into his moss laden 'enchanted forest'.

Back on the path and we reach a clearing where Mt Arthur can be seen ahead of us. There's also a picnic table to the left and we decide to stop for a snack. As David's heading to the table he suddenly calls back to me 'Listen, listen.....there's something in the bush and it's heading our way.....it's wild pigs!!" he says, as really loud snorting, grunting and rustling noises reach me. I'm about ready to run and jump on the table when...

...out of the bush bursts one small Weka in full flight (they are flightless) followed by another weka twice the size! He has evil intent on his mind and he chases her around and around a tree trunk, then  across the clearing, round the table, back around another tree and then back across again, all the time emitting this really loud grunting noise. Both of them take no notice of the two shocked spectators as they disappear back into the bush. (Excuse the blurred photos, I wasn't expecting quite so much action to happen in the quiet bush)

We sat down for a snack and it wasn't long before they both emerged to see if we had anything they might steal. And looking at the state of her, I think he must have finally caught up with her.

We move off the ridge and back into the Mountain Beech forest where the tallest canopy trees are hundreds of years old and have obviously escaped the early settlers logging operations. Through a gap in the trees we can see some of Tasman Bay, Rabbit Island and the Richmond Range behind Nelson.

We must be getting close to the hut; the track has many switchbacks and we're now climbing steadily. back, forward, back, forward. We start to wonder if we'll ever get there.

Around a corner ahead of me I find a mother and her young son (about 3yo) sitting in the middle of the track checking out something in the dust. I have the feeling he had refused to go any further. His father suddenly appears from ahead of us, he's carried on to the hut with some of their gear and has come back to hoist the boy onto his shoulders. They carry on up the track while I wait for David to catch up.

Finally we reach the hut and what a surprise awaits us! It's like Piccadilly Station, there are four different groups of people including three groups with children, all under five, one of them just a baby of about 3 months old. There's even a small child's balance bike and a pushchair with a flat tyre- 'Have we got a bike pump?", they ask. As if! 

This is an 8 bunk hut and I have the feeling it's well and truly oversubscribed tonight! All I can say is thank God we're not stopping. It is lovely to see families enjoying the great outdoors and introducing their children to tramping and huts at such an early age though. 

We have our lunch and a few laughs at the picnic table before deciding it's time head back to the carpark. David's decided he's going to return the way we came, I've decided to do the loop and head down another track to the Flora Hut and then back up to the carpark, it shouldn't be too hard it's only 1/2km longer. Famous last words...

To be continued...Part 2

Snow at Flora

We should have known better. We’ve had some very heavy frosts down at sea level this past week & we’ve also listened to some dire weather forecasts for the mountain areas of the South Island. But it was a stunning day once the initial chill disappeared & we really did want to head back to the Kahurangi National Park again and walk the track to Mt Arthur Hut which we missed on our last visit.

The secondary slip that we’d squeezed through the last time had been cleared but another small one had come down in it’s place and the road was strewn with rocks and rubble which we crossed easily. A bit further on and we could see a smattering of snow on the peaks and it started appearing on the side of the road in the shade of the bush, nothing that would cause any trouble.

And then suddenly around a bend we came across a car stuck in the middle of the snow. Well I say snow but at this stage it was mainly solid ice on the tracks and slurry on the edges. Two young guys were kicking and scraping the tracks behind their tyres & were very soon able to back down, without sliding, onto the gravel and turn around further back down the road.

We pulled on past once they got free and David continued on up the road, me walking & slipping & sliding after him. I figured because I was a bit anxious, David didn’t need me beside him oohing & arrrgghhing. By now it was near impossible to turn around; the road very narrow, the sides thick with snow with a near vertical drop off on the right. The only comfort was that there were plenty of trees down there to break any fall.

As David disappeared around the next corner I thought he’d stop at the next gravel patch to wait for me but he pressed on. It was a steep & slippery walk to catch him up.

As I approached another bend I could hear voices ahead of me and around the corner was another car that had come to grief. It had slid off and hit the bank, thankfully on the right side of the road. A father and his two very young girls, who thought it was a great adventure. They’d walked to the top to build a snowman and were now gathering their gear together. One of the girls told me “Mum was going to be very mad when she found out. We stay with Dad at the weekends & now we are stuck!” Out of the mouths of babes.

We couldn’t help free the car but said we’d pick them up on the way down. The father had decided they’d walk back down the road until they found someone that could bring a tractor up and tow them free. It was about 7km and very steep to the bottom of the mountain but they must have found someone as we failed to see them when we returned.

The snow was getting deeper but the Ford Ranger was managing very well, David kept it just off the tyre tracks that were ahead of us. The compacted tracks had refrozen into ice while the snow on the edge provided a bit of grip. Very near the top we came across an abandoned scooter. Who in their right mind would have come this far on a scooter I ask you!

Finally the road levelled out a little and we knew we were approaching the carpark. And what a difference it looked from the other week, thick snow covering the whole car park. And just one other vehicle parked up.

Going by the tyre tracks there had obviously been a few vehicles up here or one going around and around the snow covered shrub in the centre, trying to flatten it a bit.

Even though it looks quite lovely in these photos, it was bitterly cold and the wind was blowing a gale across the mountain tops so we made the decision not to do the walk and head back down. We also knew that had we gone on the walk we’d have been all the time worried about the drive back down. The afternoon sun would have melted some of the snow and it may have refrozen making it a lot more slippery later in the afternoon.

Snow capped mountains replaced the rainbows we saw on our last visit.

So after a quick photo shoot & toilet stop (not to change undies either we headed back down the road. It was quite scary but David put the Ranger into low-low range & engaged the Downhill Control feature. He inched his way through keeping away from the iced up tracks in the centre and hugging the right as much as possible. He found the hardest part was keeping his foot off the brake and having total faith in allowing the vehicle to do it’s job. We slipped just the once and the anti skid brakes kicked in, giving the wheels a few quick release bursts to keep them rotating. There was a big sigh of relief when we finally eased our way out of the last of the snow.

And while we probably should have turned around (not that that was an option once we got into the snow proper) we now have a lot more faith in the Rangers capabilities. And perhaps we’ll invest in a set of snow chains before next winter.

We’ll also have to add the Mt Arthur track to the “when we return” list as we’ll be heading off to Golden Bay soon.