A Dangerous Business

Date: 14th February 2024

Start: Stodys Hut (km 2569.3)

End: Lake Hawea (km 2590.8)

Distance Travelled: 21.5 km

Total Distance Completed: 2437.3 km

Song Currently Stuck in Head: With Everything by Hillsong United

Distance My Family Managed: not even halfway (to be fair it was a gnarly track)

I never thought I could sleep this well in a tin shack with a dirt floor. It did help that it was a warmer night than the previous one. Even more strangely, I was awake and alert before the sun was up. I don’t think I’ve ever been like this when I’ve been with the trio. Granted I was still the last one to leave the hut, exiting the front door (the only door to be fair), and climbing up to a ridge looking over Stodys Hut.

The track today was another lovely 4WD trail, flowing over the hills behind Breast Hill. Being alone, I just listened to some music as I walked and got lost in my thoughts. It was so much more fun than the toil of yesterday’s hike. I could look around at the mountain ranges surrounding me, peer off into the alps in the distance, or do a bit of track staring too. Whatever I did, one thought kept occupying my mind: “this is cool.”

I could see Team Kiwi approaching the final climb a few hundred metres ahead of me. Last night I night overheard them discussing whether to take the climb or go on an alternate track to Pakituhi Hut that avoids it. I can understand them considering it, chances are you’ll still get decent views even if you don’t go all the way up and it exerts a lot less energy. However, after a short break, I saw 5 people start to head up to the summit. Very nice. Although perhaps they were discussing this sign instead.

It seems pretty straightforward to me, despite my desire to pick up small fluffy creatures.

The 4WD track continued up to the top of the mountain, albeit steeply. Even so, it came as a surprise when I checked my progress on Far Out and found that I was already halfway up after not much time at all, having fully expected something similar to my pace up to Stodys Hut yesterday (without the whole getting lost bit). Much sooner than I anticipated, the trig marker came into view, as did 5 elated hikers taking photos. Then I crested the hill.

Every hard climb on this trail has been rewarding. No matter the choice words I may have for the track on the way up, they dissolve the second I stop climbing and my eyes take in the beautiful Otago lakes. What. A. Trail. How amazing it is to walk this country that I have loved for so long.

Meanwhile…

Having camped at the peak last night, Matt and Melly had started just after sunrise, aiming to reach Wanaka by this evening. A long day, but a flat day once they got down to Lake Hawea. Oli spent the night in Pakituhi Hut, so they met up and walked down together. A little later, my family began the climb up to Breast Hill from said lake, although only going as far as the top of the switchbacks. They hadn’t gone far before meeting the trio, stopping to say hi and offering them soft drinks and chocolates.

I reached the peak around the same time they would’ve reached the bottom, spending a good bit of time up there before starting the descent. First things first, let’s get to Pakituhi Hut. I got a taste of what’s to come with some small steep bits that I got down patiently, concentrating on every step. For the most part the ground was pretty grippy, at least when I went slowly; I didn’t check to see what it was like if I went fast. Soon enough the small but modern looking hut appeared and made for an excellent early but short lunch break.

I wished I could’ve stayed longer but I didn’t want to keep my family waiting on the side of a mountain for too long. It’s time for a 950 m descent over the course of 3.5 km.

The craggy rocks and steep drops were reminiscent of Waiau Pass but a lot less severe. Taking things slowly was by far the best strategy. Ok, maybe my family will have to wait a while for me for get down. I’d think they’d prefer me to reach them later and in one piece rather than quicker and, well, in multiple broken pieces.

A bit more than an hour after I started dropping down, I looked along the ridge and saw a man wearing a faded blue hat. I recognised that faded blue hat as I often see it on the head of my dad. Lo and behold, it was him. He’d come up a bit further to meet me, or just enjoyed the climb, I can’t be sure. Either way, we now descended together and I got plenty of notes about the tougher sections between here and the start of the switchbacks. The track had eased off somewhat by this point, although the wind had done the opposite, whipping itself into a frenzy. So, I kept going with the slow and steady approach. More often than not I still end up going faster than I anticipate and soon I saw two more familiar figures: mum and Eli. Doing my best to avoid finish line fever, I made the final technical drop and embraced them warmly, themselves greeting me with a ginger beer, chocolate, and much side eye from Eli.

There was still 1 km to go down to the lakeside and 350 m to drop down along a series of switchbacks. Eli and I took up the rear, mum and dad going ahead because, in their words, they were slow. Clearly they hadn’t accounted for how cruisey us two would take things, chatting away about life back in Brissie and how the Routeburn went for them.

Down the bottom, I sacrificed my pack to the rental car and slack packed the rest of the journey into Lake Hawea Village, Eli doing the same. The route was along a gravelly beach and we copped the full brunt of the wind coming off the alps at the other end of the lake.

In town I was greeted by a comfortable couch and an even more comfortable queen bed to spend the next couple of nights in. It made me feel like I was on a typical family holiday, staying in comfortable accommodation, a homemade meal on the table (mum’s spaghetti bolognese), and a game after dinner. Sure it may not be as adventurous as what I’ve been doing for the past 3.5 months, but I had missed this. A nice morale boost, both from the creature comforts and seeing these three for the first time since I walked through the big yellow gateway at Brisbane Airport all those weeks ago.