Leaving hiking backpacks behind for a day trip

[rpalmer]

Hi all,

This is a general question but raised because of a specific situation we are encountering next year.

Context: My partner and I are looking to complete the Rees Dart Track in NZ. For those unfamiliar, it is a moderate 5 day track with several huts along the way. There is a beautiful day trip off to Cascade Saddle off one of the huts.

Issue: Since we are carrying a relatively large hiking backpack for all our tent,cooking gear etc, it would be unnecessary for us to bring them along for a day return trip off from one of the huts. It would be ideal if we could leave the backpack somewhere and take a small daypack for the day round trip.

I understand that this may be a case of "sure leave it, but it's your own fault if things disappear". However I was curious as to how others had dealt with this dilemma on taking a day round trip on a multiday hike. Any bad experiences? How likely is it really for someone to nick off with your hiking backpack and leave you stranded?

Thanks in advance!

Cheers,

James

[Turfa]

Whenever I have done this, I leave my main pack well hidden, well off track, a significant distance up the side trail. I wouldn't be game to leave it in a hut. Not likely that the entire pack will disappear (they would have to carry it out), but someone could pinch individual items.
Most people out walking are honest, but it only takes one sketchy character to ruin your day.

[peregrinator]

I use my large pack for day walks. It saves having to carry an extra pack. Why bother with that? With a day's worth of contents, the large pack weighs very litle. As for the security of the other stuff left at the camp site, I take it on trust that nothing will disappear. But I do tend to camp in out of the way places by choice.

[stry]

I've left my main pack in huts on that walk, and also in huts in Tassie.

I always pack up or consolidate my stuff before leaving it, so the individual items aren't obvious.

The only problem that I have had was when a couple of ill equipped dim wits thought that my carefully rationed gas supply was there for anybody and cooked their evening meal with it. It was on a bench and they just took it. If it had been less obvious, I doubt that they would have touched it. Fortunately I didn't run out.

I am a sample size of only one, and I probably come from times when getting your stuff pilfered was less likely than it is now.

[LachlanB]

Hi rpalmer,
Sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but the Rees-Dart Track has been closed as a loop near Sandy Bluff due to the track being undermined. AFAIK, the closure is still active?
Be happy to be corrected though, the Rees Dart Circuit is on my to do list...

As for my pack, I usually dump it in the bush somewhere and come back to it... But that might be a bit more problematic in NZ, where you are more likely to come back to a sodden backpack?

[farefam]

I can recall someone's expensive Macpac tent being stolen from the Pine Valley Hut in the distant past by some scumbag. As I rarely use a hut I don't have a feel for what goes missing.

I've personally never had any gear touched when it was left in my tent while I'm away from it on daywalks.

I've always found our Kiwi cousins to be very friendly, helpful and honest, however my strategy in any part of the world (and this applies only if using a hut) would be to leave my pack well hidden in the bush instead.

Make sure you keep your passport and wallet on your person though! And remember that there are possums in New Zealand too (and watch out for the keas).

[Lindsay]

As the others have said, most people you will encounter are honest, however for peace of mind I leave my main pack somewhere hidden rather than in a hut or any obvious place when heading off on a side track.

[icefest]

10 March 2015: Dart Valley Track closed between Bedford Bridge and Sandy Bluff
The Dart Valley Track between Bedford Bridge and Sandy Bluff is closed as it is impassable. The Rees-Dart circuit option is unavailable. People wanting to walk to/from the Dart Hut can still do so via the Rees Valley Track.

This is a long term alert.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... art-track/

[DaveNoble]

Hmm....New Zealand..... there are thieves about. I remember once listening to the news on a radio in NZ and one of the lead items was a house being broken into at Dunedin and 5 CD's being stolen. So you never know! But I think it is most unlikely in a hut in NZ. I would have no hesitation about leaving my gear (but taking out wallet, Passport, chocolate etc and putting them in my daypack).

[Walk_fat boy_walk]

Depending on when you're going, there might be a hut warden at Dart Hut (where you make the side trip from) that could look after your gear. If it's in summer I'd say it's likely there'll be one... you could contact DoC and ask them.

[Kainas]

Hmm....New Zealand..... there are thieves about. I remember once listening to the news on a radio in NZ and one of the lead items was a house being broken into at Dunedin and 5 CD's being stolen. So you never know! But I think it is most unlikely in a hut in NZ. I would have no hesitation about leaving my gear (but taking out wallet, Passport, chocolate etc and putting them in my daypack).

This one made me chuckle. I don't know what I find more surprising. Finding out that a country has thieves, or that the theft of 5CDs makes one of the lead stories.

(Not to make light of the intention by the author of the post of course).

[Solohike74]

Have never had any problem with a wide range of huts and campsites in Australia and Tasmania.

[wayno]

theres a NZ sub forum on the site you can pick up info on tracks in NZ. which would have alerted you to the dart river being closed.
as per previous comments, be sensible about your gear, just don't leave it lying around when others might think its going spare, theft is almost unknown in the nz parks, one case I know of was a simple mix up of people using the same boots.

[eggs]

Just scanning back over time, I have often left a pack at a hut - and that can mean leaving out the air mattress and sleeping bag.
But most items I would pack securely away.
When we were moving on, but starting with a side trip, we have stowed the packs away from the hut in some scrub to hide them.

I have heard of packs being attacked by animals [particularly birds] when left on the side of the track, but the only time I suffered loss was when someone "borrowed" our metho to cook on the overland track.
But this was just after we had cooked and were at a table eating our tea at the time....!

[wayno]

if keas find your packs they can shred them just for the entertainment value... and as for the Haasts eagles.....

[walk2wineries]

The only problem that I have had was when a couple of ill equipped dim wits thought that my carefully rationed gas supply was there for anybody and cooked their evening meal with it. It was on a bench and they just took it. If it had been less obvious, I doubt that they would have touched it. Fortunately I didn't run out.

I've only done OT with the commercial group. However I do recall a notice (?by rangers) about not leaving excess food/fuel behind as it adds up and has to be carted out; I think the idea was that walkers thought it was helpful to leave fuel cans with useful amounts behind, in case someone with a "carefully rationed gas supply (!)" got stuck in a storm. By inference was it possible that your dimwits thought your gas had been deliberately left out for them?