Hackett Creek - Slaty Hut
We were not off to the best of starts when our flight from Wellington was cancelled. Eventually we flew across the strait to Nelson and after a short cab ride we were at Hackett Creek. The track begins on a well maintained, benched walking track and after an hour Hackett Hut is reached. From Hackett Hut the track is a good, well signposted tramping grade track with a few small stream crossings required before ascending toward Starveall Hut (great views). From Starveall Hut there was a short ascent toward Mt Starveall before joining a forested ridge toward Slaty Peak. We were starting to feel a bit tired after a hot day with heavy packs, but still had a brief rise towards Slaty Peak and a sidle around to the hut to contend with. Once we arrived at the cute six-bunker we were rewarded with a fabulous meal of teriyaki steak for dinner.
Slaty Hut - Old Man Hut
The day began with a climb back up to the main ridge, which we followed in an arc to Old Man Peak. This was a day of almost entirely tops travels, offering fantastic views over the Wairau Valley, and across to the mountains of Nelson Lakes, the Kahurangi's and Kaikoura's. After a reasonably steep 200m descent from the Alpine Route we reached Old Man Hut in the early afternoon. Because it was Christmas Day we decided that this was enough for the day and settled into the refurbished five-bunker. We soon set about preparing Christmas dinner and enjoyed Mongolian Lamb, spinach and rice, followed up with a traditional Christmas pudding and custard and a post-Christmas lunch nap. At 6pm we tuned in to the Queens Christmas message on the radio.
Old Man Hut - Tarn Hut
In perfect weather we picked our way up the hill to Little Rintoul (1643m). From here, there was a short but very steep gut to negotiate before ascending up to Mt Rintoul (1731m) and a scree slide down to Rintoul Hut where we stopped for a snack. From Rintoul Hut we followed a flattish, forested ridge before climbing up the large blocky scree of Purple Tops. Once descending back beneath the tree-line we were on another flat ridge which we followed to Bishops Cap. From Bishops Cap it was a gentle descent down towards the magic spot of Tarn Hut. The large tarn outside the hut is a great spot for a swim after a hot days tramping.
Tarn Hut - Top Wairoa Hut
The day began on a easy track offering fast travel before the long, steep descent toward Mid-Wairoa Hut. We sure felt our knees after this one! It was now becoming obvious that we were on a track less travelled now with plenty of uncleared, untrodden tree fall to negotiate. Mid-Wairoa Hut is located on an overgrown meadow and has narrowly avoided been taken out by the nearby slips. The track up towards Top Wairoa Hut alternates between the true left and right, sidling high above the Left Branch, Wairoa River. A beautiful, crystal clear river in a spectacular gorge offering numerous pools and waterfalls - not to forget at least seven crossings. The day finished with a scramble up some scree to Top Wairoa Hut.
Top Wairoa Hut - Porters Hut
We woke early to another perfect cloudless day. We briefly contemplated taking a more direct route over the Red Hills Ridge but chose not to after noting the lack of water sources and the fact that the guidebook we had described it as an "arduous route". The tramping began with an ascent over a combination of loose rocky scree and swampy, pitted tussock. Once the ascent to the ridge was complete, travel was fast and easy all the way to Mt Ellis. From Mt Ellis it was a long descent down into the headwaters of the Motueka River (Left Branch). After following the river downstream, the former Bushline Hut site is reached and another steep jaunt begins up to Hunters Hut. From Hunters Hut the route towards Porters Hut was quite, "undulating" with a series of streams to drop down to and climb up from. It was another stinking hot afternoon and at 5:50pm Craig's watch was still ready 29degC as he dunked his head in the water in an effort to stay cool. The descent into and out of Ellis Creek was particularly hard work with plenty of evidence of flood damage - at one point creating some nervous moments. Thankfully the track had not been undermined by the water and the scree bank held together. Porters Hut is visible from some way off and the track soon becomes a grassy 4WD grade track leading to the hut. We joined two other trampers there for the night in the cosy four-bunker.
Porters Hut - St Arnaud
The final day of this section, and we woke to yet another perfect day. No clouds. Virtually no wind. Six days of the weather that this region is famous for. We continued on, and with flood damage still evident we scrambled 2-3m into and out of each side stream we went past. We followed the track climbing over to the next catchment (Right Branch, Motueka). Fr0m here the track repeatedly sidled high above some bluffs and then back down to the river. Eventually it was getting a bit tedious, and after days of good weather we followed the river for some faster and more interesting travel. After some searching we found a little bit of shade in the swamps around the former Maitland Hut site where we stopped for lunch before ascending up to Red Hills Hut. The red earth, red rocks with no tree cover ensured another hot day with Craig's watch reading 34.1degC prior to reaching the tusssock swamps that lead to Red Hills Hut. Although there is an alternative route from Red Hills Hut down to SH63, we followed the 4WD route because it offered easy and fast travel and eventually managed to get a cellphone signal out to organise a lift to the accomodation that we had booked at Nelson Lakes Homestay.