Day 112: Where the Wild Ferns Grow

January 30, 2020

Kilometers: 2771.4-2806.6

Te Anau Lakefront Backpackers to Lower Wairaki Hut

I woke up on the floor of the small room at 6:45. I starting packing my stuff up and ate an apple. Around 7:30 I said goodbye to the guys and walked into town. Our best chance of getting a hitch was splitting up and we also had some of our own things to do before leaving. If it came to it we would just meet at the hut that evening. I went to the cafe and got a big breakfast. Three pancakes with bananas, bacon, and a ham, egg and cheese sandwich. From there I made my way to the highway. It took my about 45 minutes to get a hitch. I started to close to town where there was local traffic, once I moved down the highway a bit I got a ride from a nice man who was also quite the hiker. He told me about a trip he had planned for next week that was ten days and included both pack rafting and hiking. I’ve never been pack rafting but it looks extremely fun.

He dropped me off at the trail and I started walking at 9. It was a bit of a late start for how big of a day we had planned. The first six kms were down a gravel road. I could see Charlie and Peter a few hundred meters ahead of me not long after starting. I slowly caught up to them, eventually meeting up at the first hut at the end of the gravel road. 

When we got to the hut we looked at the DOC sign stating that it would take two days from where we were to get to the hut we were planning on staying at. After we scoffed at that we got to work.

We climbed nearly 400 meters through a fairly dense forest to a saddle. Not long after starting the day I knew I was gonna have a good day hiking. My legs felt really good. 

When I arrived at the saddle I sat down for a second and ate a bar. I waited as Charlie joined me up top.

It wasn’t more than five minutes before I was off again. I descended through the forest and came to a large tussock field. For the next few kms the trail went from tussock field to forest to tussock to forest, back and forth. The tussock fields were swampy and muddy in places. 

A few kms before the next hut I caught up to and passed Benjamin, a French guy we first met back in Havelock and have been bumping into ever since.

The trail climbed up to the top of a small summit, giving me a nice view of the surrounding landscape. At times it appeared as if it was gonna start pouring on me but it never did. 

I arrived at Aparima Hut just before 2. Benjamin got there right after me and there was another French couple already at the hut. I ate my lunch of cheese and crackers and had a few cookies. As I packed my stuff up two American girls arrived at the hut, they were from Montana. 

The sign to the next hut said 6 hours. I knew that was a drastic over exaggeration and was not worried at all even though it was already 2:30 as I was taking off. I crossed the swing bridge leaving the hut and walked next to the river. It was through some swampy slippery plants.

The last 10kms of the day were through forest. The trail crossed over rolling hills. The sun had come back out and the temperature was perfect with the breeze blowing through the trees. A lot of the forest was covered in ferns. Although they were not silver ferns, the country’s famous symbol, they were still very beautiful.

I really enjoyed the walk through the forest even though the day was getting long. At one point late in the day I misjudged a muddy area and went knee deep in muck. Typically I would curse and be pissed for a second. Today when I did it I just laughed. I’m having such a good time just being here and hiking. Can’t believe this is the last week of this journey.  

I arrived at the hut at 5:15. I had finished the section in less than three hours and was happy to find one available bunk in the hut. The Finnish ladies we met a few days ago were already at the hut. I went down to river to take a bath and as I was finishing Peter arrived. Charlie wasn’t far behind. 

I ate pasta with red sauce for dinner. If you haven’t realized I have made pasta the sole main food for my dinners. It started to drizzle a bit so there were eight of us gathered in the small hut all cooking and eating. 

The wind blowing against the hut was strong. At one point it even swung the door open it gusted so hard. Peter and Charlie decided to sleep on the floor of the hut tonight and hang out with the mice. 

We have another big day tomorrow. Cause we only do big days.