Tramping in Arthurs Pass National Park

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Tramping in Arthurs Pass National Park Philip Haigh Editor's Note: The author of this We walked across farmland for a short article is an English Agricultural while and then straight into the Scientist on Exchange to New Zealand. silver and black beech forests from Bruce Taylor who led this trip also which we emerged from time to time kindly contributed an article, but into open grassland for good views of I've chosen this account as it is not the Hope River flats. At 1740 we often we can read about how others dropped down to a creek below Doubtful from overseas view our sport. Bruce Ridge to make camp for the night. supplied the following note. The party comprised myself, Don McPhail We were awoken at 6.45 the next morn- (a club member now overseas), Ben ing by a vociferous attack of sandflies Lee and Micheal Brown (both new which ensured an early rise and we junior members of our club), Philip walked along grass flats to the fork Haigh (an Englishman who is here of the Kiwi River when the countryside temporarily on exchange, but who is changed to mainly prickly scrub really wrapt in our mountains), John (matagouri). In the early afternoon Fox (Hutt Valleys) and David Heyman we branched off the river initially (an Onslow College student, who is for a relaxing swim in Lake Marion going to a World College in Canada and secondly for a magnificent view for two years in September). of Lake Sumner and eventually camped about 2 km along from Lake Sumner. New Zealand is a very picturesque country and in order to see some of On Thursday we walked along the Hurunui the more spectacular scenery, I River, the most notable feature being joined a party of seven for seven the hot springs which ran into the days tramping in the Arthurs Pass river which were instantly recognisable National Park area of the Southern from afar by their pungent sulphurous Alps starting on 27 December 1977. odour and which were so hot that one could hardly put one's feet in them. We got up at 6.30 in order to complete last minute packing and catch the bus In the evening we made camp in the to Lewis Pass. Provisions and equipforest because there was no other conment had to be carried for eight days venient place. The next day we trudged because the route was remote from up through native forest to Harper habitation of any kind. At 1500 we Pass. Unfortunately the expected views started the tramp in earnest. What did not materialisé because of constant a spectacular start we had crossing rain and low cloud and it was therefore the Boyle River on a single person somewhat weary trampers who set off steel suspension bridge. It was very down to the Taramakau River. The windy and several of us were almost weather was so bad that instead of seasick before we set off walking. camping we stayed the night at the

LOCALITY DIAGRAM R PASS Picton LEMS START * Boyle River TS Greymouth, Leyiss Pass Arthurs Pass b Hope River Camp Tues Dunedin Kiwi River - Kiwi Pack TARAMAKAU, HURUNUI & HOPE RIVERS. - Track s OTEHAKE WILDERNESS. Camp, X Tramping. Route Wed. Hurunui River Hot Spring Camp, acHarper Pass Hawdon Thurs s.1 963m River Taramakau River i Waimakariri River Mt Koeti i Campx 1786m Edwards River * Fri. Kiwi Hut Camp Wall ker Sun Otehake Pass XC Wilderness Area Taruahunai E Tarny/ Pass Col. Lake X Falling Mt Kaurapataka Mt Pfeiter Fleakey Hut 1830 1703 Camp site Kilometres.

Kiwi Hut which is one of the huts the Hawdon Valley which comprised a provided by the park wardens. We were completely treed valley except for a just peacefully dropping off to sleep small narrow grassed plain with a when a rumble and violent shaking of beautifully blue river flowing through pots and pans and the distant sound ito We carefully descended by one of of falling rock indicated an earth the tributary streams of the river and tremor. Quite a novel experience for camped at the first grassy plain. me but only a minor one of the 700 or Here the most notable feature was a so each year experienced in New Zeatroublesome native bird (kea) which land. It is not the actual tremor kept on attacking our sleeping bags which is so unnerving, more the unnatand ripping holes in them and the ural eerie stillness which follows it. following morning woke us all up with During the evening it was very cold a shock because it had carefully crept and on Saturday morning we got up to to the middle of the flysheet and was see snow on Mt Koeti and other hills. trying to make off with somebody's Now the fun really started because we silver wristwatch (apparently they are had to cross and literally walk up the like magpies and collect bright, shiny fast flowing Otehake River. An experobjects). The other highlight of the ience definitely not for the weak morning was the spontaneous aptly hearted because there are no such things named " 'slow rucksack packing race" as bridges. when one of our most pedantic members took the record time of 22 hours to Initially one strips down to the bare pack his rucksack and repair his boots essentials i.e. boots and shorts and which comprised more nylon string than the remaining equipment including leather. watches and cameras is packed into plastic bags and into the rucksack to Eventually we strolled down the river give it added buoyancy in case of and then started the highlight of the emergency. Then depending on the trip, the ascent of the Pyramid 1600m anticipated difficulty of crossing, at the foot of the Hawdon Valley which the party either links arms by holding gave magnificent views of the surroundonto each others rucksacks or if a ing hills of the Southern Alps and the stout pole is handy all cling onto that Hawdon and Waimakariri Rivers. After and walk across in a uniform line hop- an arduous climb up, it was delightful ing that the river is not too deep or to see the surprised faces of the other too fast flowing to cross. Otherwise members of the party as we "dry-skied" one has to wade gently or swiftly almost all the way down scree slopes depending on the speed of the current to the campsite in the Hawdon Valley. to the original bank and either wait Although one of us was so excited that for the water level to drop or abandon his rucksack arrived before he did. any attempt to cross. Tuesday the last day of the trip, we Fortunately we were able to cross and sauntered down the Hawdon Valley to the continued paddling upstream for about Mt White bridge where we flagged down two hours with the aid of a stout pole. the train to return to Christchurch for We branched off to look at Lake Kaura most welcome hot bath, shave and soft apataka which after the river was bed after seven of the most enjoyable beautifully serene and tranquil, being days walking I have ever spent. surrounded by native bush right to the water's edge. We then trudged wearily 27 December 1977 - 3 January 1978 through the aptly named Otehake wilderness area, which implies quite rightly that is deserted and practically devoid of any route marking signs. It was a long steady pull up of over 800 metres to the Fleakey Hut and after 10% hours tramp we arrived to find that it was full of Auckland University students. Nevertheless we pitched our flysheet in the minute space available cut out of the native bush and in spite of horrendous renderings of Ilkley Moor and other less polite songs we forwent seeing the New Year in except for a tot of whisky and were all in our sleepsleeping bags by 21.30. On Sunday we climbed up past the river and up to Tarn Col. The scenery changed quite dramatically from native bush and scrub to moorland grass interspersed with beautifully delicate subalpine plants. We then climbed over into Walker Pass for a magnificent view of