Day 112-113 Lower Waikira

I spent a neero Te Anau, eating as much ice scream and chicken as I possibly could. Fruits for the weak. Te Anau is the “Gateway to the Fjordlands” a very dramatic landscape full of lakes fjords and mountains. A beautiful area I’ll come visit after my thru hike is completed. For now I’ll keep moving down south to Bluff with my last decent food resupply, 5 days. I estimate only a week until the end of the trail altogether. For today I only went as far as Top Princhester Hut a mere 5km. I hitched out of town with some DOC trail crew workers, one of which walked the TA last season. He knew exactly what I was doing and where I was going.  Great hitch. I made it to the hut easily and some other walkers had a fire going already. Excellent. 

The next day I started my way into the Takitimu Mountains. Much of the day was spent in and out of forests, and tussock grasses. As usual with tussocks it was easy to get lost in the grasses that were taller than me, and the marker poles far and inbetween. Other than that it was a fairly easy day for terrain. 

11am picture.

At Aparima Hut for lunch I found a group of 6 people all taking zeros. They thought a thunderstorm was going to roll in today and decided to play it safe waiting it out. It’s hot and sunny today so far, so not sure why they didnt push on anyway. Going to be a busy hut. I pushed on to the next hut. 

Trails getting muddy in parts. 

I reached the small but nice 4-bunk Lower Waikira Hut. Good place to spend the night. As a light rain came in the evening I stoked the fire. Cozy hut vibes tonight. Chill 30km day. Joren and Florian caught up to me as well, coming in at 10pm with the head lamps on.