Queen Charlotte Track

[Strider]

i've been up and down so many hills i'm getting fed up with them.... time to take it easy before i hit the trail. otherwise i know i'll get there and think, oh god not another @#$%Z&! walk!
have you sorted out the campsites you're staying at yet?

Not yet. Haven't given it a lot od thought lately to be honest.

[wayno]

make sure you dont miss out, it fills up over summer

[Strider]

Are you telling me I need to book campsites? What is the world coming to. If this is the case I may go elsewhere instead.

[wayno]

I'm not certain but i'd check, its a popular track because of the easy access and the mainstream tourist accommodation...

[Strider]

I've always wanted to climb Mt Patriarch in the Richmond Range. Though it probably seems a lot smaller now than when I was a kid.

[wayno]

erosion has probably lowered it a few centimetres....

[wayno]

looks like a doddle. pretty much a road to the top....

[wayno]

have you been up the branch river... hardly anyone goes up there. the side valleys are very nice. saw a deer in broad daylight up there but the paradise ducks usually give you away, avoid it if it rains though, the track is the riverbed a lot of the way.

[Strider]

I have done very limited bushwalking in NZ - so no I haven't. Where is this magical place?

[wayno]

http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz38 ... arlborough

was supposed to go up lost stream and down the misery but we piked, bad weather, and just went up and down misery... dunno why they call it that, nice valley , easy track
then down to branch bivouac, and over into the lees and road bashed back up the wairau,
i did it in 84, th ht logs books were the originals from teh early 70's and only a handful of people had been through since then, the huts were stocked with large food caches from teh forestry service days, and most of the cans we opened were edible...
i did it in august, freezing is an understatement, never encountered cold like it, the cold air just sits in the valleys. should be great in summer. despite the cold really enjoyed the scnery, we got up the river in light rain, but had the odd difficult crossing , wouldnt dare attempt it in havier rain, but it doesnt tend to get a lot of rain, it was pouring down in nelson lakes when i compared notes with another trip...
i was told the pass from lost to misery was pretty steep . the pass over into the lees was straight forward apart from going for a slide on ice.
its every bit as scenic at nelson lakes , but minus the crowds. just doesnt get a mention anywhere since its not in any park.... but it think doc control the rd and you might need their permission for access to that.

[blacksheep]

I'm off to QC this week..but on wheels and over a day and a half...praying to the weather gods now...

[Strider]

I'm off to QC this week..but on heels

Didn't realise you were the type. Are we likely to see stilettos in the Macpac range anytime soon Cam?

[blacksheep]

Too funny ..I might go back and change that one...

[wayno]

god I love summer in NZ, forecast for the queen charlotte walk this weekend, gale force winds, rain, southerly, situation normal...

[Strider]

god I love summer in NZ, forecast for the queen charlotte walk this weekend, gale force winds, rain, southerly, situation normal...

34 degrees here right now. Glad I'm not in Melbourne (38) or Adelaide (40) though!

[wayno]

is night walking popular there?

[Strider]

is night walking popular there?

Here? I occasionally go for a night stroll, but have never seen anyone else in my travels! Not exactly a hot climate in Tassie though.

[wayno]

hmmm, starting the track tomorrow, winds forecast for 100k,,,, could be interesting

[Strider]

hmmm, starting the track tomorrow, winds forecast for 100k,,,, could be interesting

Better leave the umbrella at home

[wayno]

the camp bay, portage section was a deceptive one... most of it is open but there's trees on either side, cutting the wind out... the sun was out. my thermometer in my pack showed 27 degrees. being in the sun sucked the water out of me... 2 litres over 25k's I drank a lot before and after the walk as well. the forecast was fr rough weather in the area.. so i ended up carting full storm gear for me and my girlfriend..
you can get water at the shelters. doc recommend treating it... not much space at the northern campsite, theres more at the southern one only because theres an extra open space seperate from the official camp site...
only get the occasional view along the ridge. otherwise you're in a long tunnel of trees.
mangaged to get three days in, in between a couple of storms, tonights storm has torential rain

[wayno]

the doc campsites between camp bay and torea bay on the ridge top arent very big.... werent many people there when i went through.. not sure how busy they get over summer, although the southern one has another grassy area nearby. the northern one the ground is all steeply sloping outside of the small levelled campsite.... i wouldnt bet on having a space there if it gets busy unless you're there early... but the southern campsite will be a better bet and has better views all round..