The boy and I just got home last night from our Hollyford track walk. A great time had by all but very hard work in places. We were dropped at the Hollyford road end by the excellent Tracknet people at 1230 on the 17th, and started walking the 20 ks to our first night stop. Alabaster hut. The weather was cold and very wet, however the track was excellent and mostly flat, so we made good time to the hut, arriving about 1820. We collected some firewood and soon had the fire going to dry out and had ourselves some hot soup and pasta fore tea.
This was the point where we had to reassess our plans. We had originally planned to walk up the Pyke river and on to Big Bay then back down the Hollyford, depending on conditions. A meeting next morning with some hunters who had planned to take their jetboat up the Pyke but turned back because of the weather, and another with a bloke who offered as a ride to the head of Lake Alabaster, but then suggested we may be stuck at Olivine hut for several days by high water levels made us turn to plan B, an up and back walk to Martins Bay along the main track. We had allowed for both these possibilities on our intentions form so there was no problem with the plan change.
The walk to the next planned stop, Demon Trail hut, was an entirely different matter to the previous days easy stroll. The track beyond Alabaster hut is a tangle of tree roots, rocks, mud and fast flowing water. Coupled with steep ups and downs, fallen trees and unbridged creek crossings it made life very interesting and we were glad to reach Demon Trail hut after about 7 hours walking f0r 14.2 ks distance.
Next day dawned slightly warmer, but with no let up of the rain which had continued all night. It was a 6 hour walk to the next hut, Hokuri hut, but we thought it may take a bit longer given the conditions. After 6 hours of slogging along through the same conditions as yesterday, crossing the interesting 3 wire bridges over roaring torrents, or cautiously fording where no bridge existed, we came upon yet another fallen tree. This one however, had not only blocked the track but had also fallen across a 3 wire bridge, pushing it over onto its side and down toward the water below. A check showed that there was no way to cross with the water in the state it was, therefore we reluctantly decided to turn back. Very disappointing, especially as we had calculated that we must be very close to Hokuri hut. Instead, we faced another 6 hour return trip to Demon Trail hut, the last hour and a half in the dark. Made it back to the hut at about 2230, much to the surprise of a group already in residence. As our report about the bridge saved them a fruitless walk they did not mind being woken by our arrival.
According to the weather report before we left, the following day, Saturday 22nd, was supposed to be fine, however no sign of this in the morning, still constant rain. The other group departed for the Hollyford road end, hoping to be able to cancel their booked flight out of Martins Bay, however after yesterdays 12 hour slog through difficult conditions Chris and I decided to have a rest day. Sat by the fire, dried off, went wood collecting ( all wet ) and generally chilled out with the hut to ourselves. By afternoon the rain had stopped and the sun was out.
Next morning dawned fine and somewhat refreshed we headed off. Now we had a couple of spare days before our pickup we decided to head for McKerrow Island hut, which is off the main track across the Hollyford River and apparently seldom visited. When we reached the river crossing one look at the river told us we were not going to be able to cross, so we turned and headed back to lake Alabaster hut, which we reached as the weather began to turn wet again. Had the hut to ourselves. The following day we headed through the rain to Hidden Falls hut (which we had bypassed on our way up) and set up there, the plan being to head for the Hollyford road the next day and hitch our way back to Te Anau a day earlier than planned.
Up to this point we had not seen another person since the group at Demon Trail Hut, even the private Pyke Lodge seemed deserted when we passed. We put this down to the other group having a passed on the message about the bridge to DOC, as they said they would do. No sooner had we settled into Hidden Falls hut then a couple arrived who were planning to go through to Martins Bay. We mentioned the bridge however they seemed determined to find their way anyhow. The following day, just before the end of the track we met a couple of DOC workers and mentioned the bridge to them. They were very surprised and immediately got on the SATPHONE to DOC in Te Anau, who had no knowledge of the situation. They were very keen for all we could tell them. it seems the word had not been passed on, or was lost in the bureaucracy somewhere.
Anyhow, got to the road end, got a lift to Gunns camp with some daywalkers, where the owners emailed Tracknet for us syaing we would not need the bus the following day, then organised a lift to the Milford Road where the daily Tracknet bus from Milford Sound would pass at around 1500. After a wet 2 hour wait we flagged the bus down and got ourselves back to Te Anau by 1630. Hot shower, cold beer and a feed!
A great and challenging trip trip, even though we never made it all the way, and we were impressed by the kindness of the people who gave us lifts and contacted the bus for us on the last day of the walk.
