Day 73 - Top Wairoa Hut

Last to leave the hut today at 7:30am. I felt the need to catch up. Today I plan to go to Top Wairoa, over some mountains and across some streams deep in the valleys. Promising to be another good day. 

A slightly cloudy morning today, as I climbed the first peak. 

Break at Tarn lake. Now that I have hit the South Island I’m walking with some South Island only TA walkers. Some Welsh lads today. It’s quite amusing watching the novice, fresh walkers just getting started on their thru hike. 

11am photo, making my descent into the river valley below. This was a serious drop in elevation, some 800m in 4 kilometres. New Zealand trails, if you haven’t already guessed, are built different. Switchbacks? Don’t be ridiculous you’re going straight up that mountain. Routes are rarely maintained, and are often sketchy. Nothing of likes would be seen in Canadas official trails. I kinda like it, makes it more challenging. 

Some writing on wasp traps kept the descent interesting. Including some quotes from a previous years walker who had an ongoing podcast; Bruce Hopkins. He carried his dads and brothers ashes the length of New Zealand (unrelated note, he acted in the lotr movies as well). I actually listened to the podcast last year. A nice surprise seeing his quotes here. 

At the river bottom I continued from Mid Wairo Hut up the stream system. A very enjoyable walk on steep sketchy banks along the river. Some gorgeous waterfalls to boot. 

A recent downed tree landed exactly where I needed to cross, how convenient. 

I reached Top Wairo Hut before 5 and had a relaxing  evening talking to the trampers and walkers in the Hut. Some 22km day with lots of elevation and some technical river walking. Excellent.