From the Waimak to the Hokitika

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From the Waimak to the Hokitika Tom Halliburton One of the many Christmas pilgrimages Our food drop had been safely stowed made in 1977 to the South Island, by in the new N.Z.F.S. Mudflats hut, Tongue and Meats and others, was to built on a terrace above the Arahura the area between the Waimakariri and (and clear of most of the sandflies Hokitika Rivers. Ian Bunckenburg too). A rest day was spent sorting attempted some of the necessary organout food and gear, while the Forest isation, and was to be accompanied by Service's excellent "Camp Cookery" seven others, two of whom were unable booklet was put to good use in assistto come but were replaced at the last ing with the baking of a loaf of bread minute by one other (who causes enough and a steamed pudding. This eased the trouble for two anyway!) One of the discomfort of stomach pains admirably. missing two was Karen Bunckenburg, which was to seriously affect our The Browning Pass track, on to Harman leader's judgement in the later stages hut, is an old miners' trail and proof the trip. vided a veritable highway, once it had been reached from Mudflats. Beyond The morning railcar to Greymouth Harman hut boulder hopping in the dropped our party of seven at Bealey headwaters of the Arahura was required, Bridge in most untypical Canterbury until we climbed up onto a track leadweather - intermittent showers of ing over Browning Pass, giving some drizzle - a sample of what we were to good views on the way. A large tarn receive throughout most of our two near the pass would have made an ideal week trip. The remainder of that first campsite, but for the bitterly cold day was spent travelling up the wide wind that became apparent only after Waimakariri river bed, to a campsite completing the slog up to the top. past Greenlaw hut. Despite this hut On reaching the pass itself, the providing us with salt we had forgotten Wilberforce suddenly appears, 1500 to bring, we were not permitted to feet below, with a huge shingle slide enjoy its comforts. leading down into it. A knee shattering experience brought us down into Next day, in the usual fine, clear the river, and once the Bunckenburg weather experienced in the area, we set had caught up, we made a short journey off for Harman Pass, reached via the down to Park Morpeth hut. As we had Waimakariri, White and Taipoiti come to expect the Bunckenburg = Bell Rivers. The first two being larger alliance protested about staying in a rivers, presented easy travel while scungy hut, but were overruled and the avalanche debris in the lower banished to sleep outside, with rain portion of the Taipoiti and a track coming on for good measure. up out of it to the Pass continued to provide good going. Due to a few aching knees, a start was not made until the civilised hour of Following a stop just over the pass to about 1 p.m. the next day, with a camp admire the view, we carried on down site being cleared of boulders in Mary Creek, which has a recently recut Gifford Stream, above the bushline, sidle track in its lower part, taking about three hours later. We woke in us to Julia hut and a very welcome the morning to heavy rain, this day hot spring, beside the Taipo River. producing the worst weather of the Camp was made on a river flat some trip, and the only winds of any conseqdistance down the Taipo, an excellent uence during the whole two weeks. track continuing along the river ter- Gifford Stream continued to give good races right down to Mid-Taipo hut. travel with large boulders and Farquharson Saddle was reached by climbing With more good weather on the following up a snowy slope. Over this saddle we day, good time was made to Mid-Taipo, were greeted by strong cold winds, another grubby hovel, but a new hut is but a rapid descent was made on snow located half an hour downstream, on to Farquharson Creek, which also the opposite bank. We set off up the permitted a rapid boulder hopping Hura Creek, behind this new hut, for descent until progress was halted by Hura Saddle. Most of the creek the swollen creek, with the threat of was easily negotiable but two waterother obstacles ahead, such as waterfalls in particular caused some falls. A rather exhausting climb of difficulty. Again an excellent view almost 2000 feet onto the tops was was had from the top, at the saddle, unavoidable, but once along the tops looking down to the Arahura and Muda track (not shown on our maps) saved flats hut. This was reached via a us from complete exhaustion, and led shingle slide and McQuilkin Creek, us down to Crawford Junction hut. which necessitated only a few easy sidles to reach its confluence with Enthusiasm for early starts was again the Arahura, at the end of a long day. at a low ebb, and even the Bunckenburg

I Bell gang had succumbed to the comfort the decrepit Serpentine hut despite of a hut here. The following day, in anxious suggestions from Buncks to threatening weather, we attempted, not cross the next creek. The weather very successfully, to follow the very was not at all promising, and a flooded overgrown track up the Kokatahi River creek could result in the prolonging to the foul smelling establishment of that horrible separation. known as Top Kokatahi hut. Here we found our second air drop quietly The battle was taken up again the next going rotten. That bacon had to be morning, with a false start, but after smelt to be believed. twenty minutes or so the correct track was found and the process of losing Another rest day was spent here, but and finding our elusive track continued. without bread, before we continued up A considerable amount of time was the Kokatahi and then made an assault occupied in finding the track after on Zit Saddle in the still, misty crossing each slip (of which there conditions that were to persist until were several large ones) or major side we reached the Hokitika road end. creek. For most of the way river Just past the saddle, Paul Hughes travel would have been impossible, due proceeded to lead us off down a "pack to the gorges, one of which was seen track", supposedly down Adventure to be a rather spectacular gap in Ridge. After much cursing, and finally solid rock. Under the guidance of our a large vertical drop, it was generally expert pair of track followers, the agreed that we had been led astray. junction with the Whitcombe River was After much sidling in the direction of reached early enough for us to push on the required ridge, a halt was called. to the road end. This must have made Hardly had tent sites been found, our increasingly edgy Buncks quite before a track marker was spotted, delighted, especially as we were a day resulting in instant pandemonium, and early. later a shift down to a bivy and good campsites. Here again the trusty cook As could be expected now that the trip book was used to assist in whipping up was over, the grey sky cleared the next a few batches of pikelets for supper. morning, and the long road walk to the first telephone began. Fortunately it A good track led down Adventure Ridge, was cut short by a Forest Service then another along a terrace above the vehicle capable of carrying all seven Toaroha allowed us to make good time of us, including our packs and its three but the track deteriorated slowly. other occupants. From then on even Undergrowth in that part of the world Buncks must have been happy about the is rather more lush than in most parts speed that he was heading back to of the Tararuas, probably due to Wellington with: - Andrew Bell, Paul effective deer control by helicopter Hughes, Guy Halliburton (with seven meat hunters. After rejecting the hours notice), Tom Halliburton, Top Toaroha hut as untenable (probably Bruce Murdoch and Richard Thum. a Buncks - Bell jack up) we carried 23 December 1977 - 7 January 1978 onto a large tussock covered flat = but unfortunately a hut had been built on its edge about four years ago. It had recently been stocked with food, probably for track cutters who had just completed an excessively wide track down from Toaroha Saddle to Poet hut, and on to the Bluff Walkway. As a result we made a rapid descent once Toaroha Saddle had been reached, which proved to be not too difficult a task N even with the poor visibility. The old track up from the Bluff Walkway to Frisco hut had also received attention recently, the top section having been re-routed to avoid climbing quite so high. On arrival at Frisco we began to detect the effects on Buncks of the long period of separation from Karen. He definitely did not want this period prolonged by flooded side creeks, and urged us on down the track towards the Serpentine hut, on the Hokitika River. Progress was rapid until the low sidle of the river was reached, where the track had been remarked but not recut. After a slow struggle we eventually camped by K