A Dangerous Business

Date: 22nd February 2024

Start: Greenstone Hut (km 2724.1)

End: Careys Hut (km 2751.6)

Distance Travelled: 27.5 km

Total Distance Completed: 2598.1 km

Song Currently Stuck in Head: You’ve Got A Friend In Me by Randy Newman

Topics Discussed by Kaka: no clue but it sounded important

One thing that I’ve found surprising as I’ve travelled south is how late the sun rises down here this time of year. It’s still the middle of summer yet sunrise isn’t until 7am. Granted sunset is still around 9pm, but coming from a place where in winter the latest sunrise is 6:30 it just doesn’t feel right having the sun come up this late this early in the year. The knock-on effect of that is I won’t be starting super early anymore. 7:15 is now the absolute earliest I will get going from now on. Today was one of those days where I left just after that time, entering the Mavora Walkway with the valley still in darkness. The flock of kaka that had entertained us yesterday evening was already up and in the middle of some serious debate, the topic of which eluded me.

For reasons that I wasn’t told, Team Camera and Oli had left early, leaving me to walk at least this first stint solo. That’s something that I think we could all use some work on, communicating our plans with each other. At this point I assumed all four of us were planning on stopping at the same hut tonight so I didn’t quite get why they wanted to get going earlier than me. I tried to put that aside as I climbed up into a forest, the track missing much of the quality that I loved about the Greenstone.

Comments on Far Out suggested this track would be covered in fallen trees to test out our limbo skills. These comments must’ve been outdated as all such trees had met a chainsaw sometime recently. Sadly, chainsaws can’t get rid of mud, of which there was plenty to go around. Well it had to happen eventually, goodbye dry South Island!

The end of the forest marked the start of a stretch of boggy tussock that lasted all the way to Taipo Hut. It did look a bit weird seeing the ground flex as you walk over it.

Speaking of Taipo Hut, it soon appeared as I rounded a hill. A small white structure with only 4 beds, although the mattresses were oddly wide. The entrance is also quite unique, with a turnstile having been erected instead of a gate.

Only having a short break at the hut, I left with the rest of the group crossing a swingbridge and making our way towards North Mavora Lake. I say I left with them, but I spent most of the next stint a decent distance behind them. They definitely seemed to be in a bigger rush than I was. Were they trying to go further than me? For what reason? These questions did distract me somewhat, helped along by the fairly straight track we were on.

I settled in for another stint of what was basically a solo walk. Earphones in, audiobook on (almost finished The Two Towers), feet moving forward. I caught up with the gang at lunch where they finally told me they wanted to go a bit further than the hut because of some bad weather forecast in two days time. That would allow them to go further the day after and set them up for a short day during the rain. I guess there’s some logic to that, I’ll probably hitch most of that day so it’s not as big of an issue for me.

From there to Boundary Hut the track didn’t change much, continuing to follow the low undulating hills.

Every now and then we’d run into a boggy spot and a new opportunity to see who could keep their feet the driest. Of course Oli won.

The last little bit to the hut was through tall tussock where no formal trail could be recognised. It was just a case of following your nose and knowing that as long as the swing ridge was in front of you, you were going the right way. Boundary Hut was identical to Taipo Hut in design, apart from the turnstile at the entrance; small white building, abnormally wide mattresses.

This was where I formally said goodbye to the other three. I’d probably catch up with them briefly at Careys Hut, but in case I didn’t I wished them all the best (and to avoid dying). From here onwards I was on a 4WD track and now listening to Return of the King. Can’t wait until I get to the Ride of the Rohirrim.

Now that I knew what their plans were, I was far more content walking solo for this last section. The 4WD track was deceivingly easy, in that I frequently came across muddy pools that I had to skirt around. This was also the time where the Mavora lakes came into view.

Careys Hut (no pictures of Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey, sadly) came around shortly after. It’s a nice and roomy hut with 6 bunks and plenty of space to move around. I caught the camera-wielding trio just on their way out. It’ll be a couple days until I see them again.

In the meantime, I’ve got an afternoon to relax in the hut, just what I like. With the lake right there’s everyone else in the hut went for a dip whilst I sheltered from the sandflies. The rest of the evening was uneventful, and I settled into my bunk and tried unsuccessfully not to overthink the rest of the trail. Only 10 days to go.