Lake Chalice

In the spirit of - better late than never ... This is a trip from a couple of years back - in the times before I got sucked into working in the great COVID machine.  There are a few others on the drawing board from around that time that I haven't quite got around to tidying up - but precious few since. 

 Weekender to Lake Chalice

It's been altogether too long since I visited my sister and partner in Blenheim.  I figure that while I'm there she would probably be quite pleased if I borrowed her car and left it at a remote road end for a couple of days.

With flights booked I look for a suitable three day trip in the Richmond Range, eventually settling on the area around Lake Chalice.   

As the weekend approaches, the forecast deteriorates with gale and snow warnings across the country. I adjust the plan accordingly - the final iteration is to head from Lake Chalice to Old Man then west along the ridge to drop to Old Man Hut, follow the stream down to Mid Goulter Hut, cross the river to climb to Edelweiss then back up the river to Lake Chalice.

In the end I have to drop the Edelweiss leg due to river levels, so it ends up being a two day orange triangle trip.

What:     On track tramp 
Where:   Lake Chalice - Richmond Forest Park
When:    26-27 September 2020
Who:      Solo  

The Lake Chalice road end is towards the end of North Bank road and most of the way up a mountain.  However, I figure it is quite popular and there are no warnings about road conditions on the DOC website so it should be fine in the station wagon.

I get away early happily munching a cheese sandwich provided by my ever supportive sister. 

The seal runs out shortly before the marked turn into Top Valley Road.  There are lots of forestry roads hiving off in various directions but the route is well marked.  It's a long winding way up through forestry on a pretty good surface with the only notable event being a weasel undulating across the road. 

I stop as the road rounds the bend above Staircase Saddle - I had thought I might follow my nose up to the range via the saddle but decide against it.  The weather is forecast to pack it in in the afternoon and although the shortcut looks good on the map, I don't want to risk losing time if it turns out to be not so straight forward.

Past the saddle, the landscape opens giving views down to Lake Chalice and across to the hills I'm planning to scramble around. There are scattered clouds but it isn't looking anywhere near as scary as promised.

There are three other cars in the park as I head off down the hill about 7.45.  The sun is on the slopes opposite but it's cold in the shade on this side.  

The track is wide and benched, passing through wilding pines before reaching more established beech forest.  About 25 minutes later I pop out behind the Lake Chalice Hut in a grassy clearing.

The log indicates a chap left the hut this morning heading the same way as me - apparently in an hour's time(?!) so I assume he is not too far ahead. Three Americans passed through the day before heading down valley and otherwise the hut seems to get reasonably steady traffic.

I'm away again by 8.20.  The signs reckon 7 hour to Old Man Hut but I'm hoping to trim a bit off that and see if I have time to get down valley to Mid Goulter Hut for the night.

 

Lake Chalice Hut

From the hut the track crosses a wide shingle stream bed before sidling beside the lake through beech forest. It's pleasant to fill the lungs with that southern beech forest smell.  

There's a bare rocky margin around the lake suggesting that the level varies, there's no outlet so I assume the water seeps through an old landslide to enter the Goulter River. 

The track crosses another shingle stream mouth and edges around into a third. A marker catches my eye on the opposite side and a makeshift sign - this must be where the track continues around the lake.

A short way up the dry stream bed I come to a good size wee creek that just disappears into the shingle - there's some DOC signs on the true left, and a little further up the trail crosses and starts climbing.  It's about 15 minutes from the hut.

I plod on and up through rocky outcrops and the odd treefall.  Scuff marks indicate the chap is not too far ahead.  I eventually hear the click of his walking poles before seeing him.  We chat briefly when I finally catch up.  He's a local (Blenheim) and is heading to Old Man Hut.

A bit after 10 I arrive at the ridge.  It's nice going with rocky outcrops and open spots which give good views to Patriach, up the range and to the plains around Blenheim, and across to Rintoul which is starting to gather a mantle of grey cloud. 

Just before the ridge dives to the saddle, the track skirts below the top across frost shattered rocks which shift and clatter under foot like broken plates.  

Ridge towards Rintoul

Back towards Partiach

The steep drop to the saddle is in forest. About 10.45 I reach a sign marking the track down to "The Forks" on Top Valley Stream - possibly a more convenient road end for accessing the range, depending on your trip plan (on a subsequent visit I found the track pretty run down). The weather is cooling rapidly and a few puffs of wind make their way through the canopy.

A little under half an hour later I've climbed out of the bush. Three goats eye me suspiciously and casually wander out of sight around the spur.  Another 10 minutes and I'm on Old Man (11.25).

The views open further beneath an increasingly solid cloud ceiling. There's an interesting looking ridgeline running east towards Mt Richmond I have heard it is a bit tough going through tight vegetation but navigable - another day.  You can also see where Te Araroa approaches via Ada Flat (for SOBOs) and I'll be following it briefly along the ridge. The odd patch of snow is all that remains from winter. 

Towards Mt Richmond

Towards Mt Starveall

It is very clear that I have joined Te Araroa - there's a strong foot trail, a group of signs, orange triangle and a water barrel. 

I potter along the ridge over a few outcrops and manage to get a text out.  The beech up here is low and the few birds that are about are at eye level.  

About 12.10 I reach the junction and drop for about 15 minutes to Old Man Hut.  There's a bit of windfall on the track which levels off before popping out next to the hut on the edge of a large clearing.

It's a tidy wee number in good nick with five bunks.  The log shows heavy Te Araroa use in the season and subsequently only locals - not surprising with COVID.  

It's a peaceful spot for lunch with the last of the sun breaking through. I've shaved the desired two hours off the time on the sign so am relaxed about the prospect of getting to Mid Goulter Hut in daylight.  Whether I beat the weather is another question but it is still holding off for now.  

Old Man Hut

I get underway again about 12.45.  The track dives down hill through wide spaced beech forest then sidles down valley well above the stream.  The bleat of goats drift over the sound of the water.

The track is not strongly benched but is easy to follow.  It crosses a sizeable side stream (about 1.20) Then sidles further down valley, eventually dropping to cross the main stream (2pm). 

The stream is a good size with that beautiful aqua green visible in the deeper pools. I faff about eventually finding away to get across with dry feet. It could be interesting in high flow.

The track continues sidling on the true left.  Nowhere near as painful as the Tararua sidles that I'm used to which consist of diving in and out of an interminable series of slimy gullies.

The track eventually drops to intersect the Goulter River (2.40) and cross the unnamed stream from below Lake Chalice.  A bit of drift wood high up the banks suggests the river can get pretty big.

Stream from Lake Chalice

I cross the stream in bare feet and a few minutes later join the track from Chalice.   There's a few spots of rain as I head down valley on a good track.  

About an hour later an old wooden sign at the bottom of the Mid Goulter Route heralds Mid Goulter Hut.  The hut itself is past the sign in a clearing on the other side of a wide stream bed.

Mid Goulter Hut

View from the hut

At 4pm I've got plenty of time to collect firewood and settle in.  The hut is a tidy 8 bunker and empty.   With the forecast the way it is I'm not expecting anyone else although a lone bumble bee haunts the doorway all afternoon intent on getting inside.     

The hut warms quickly and it's a comfortable night with bouts of solid rain but little wind.

In the morning there are patches of showers coming through and the clouds are barreling over the valley although its calm down here.  I head across the large clearing to check out the river and quickly give away any intentions of crossing to climb Edelweiss - the river is bank to bank and although I reckon I could cross ok my plan to come down further up river where it is more gorgy and later in the day after more rain doesn't seem so sensible.

A bit reluctantly I head back up valley around 8am.  The streams are all up but it's easy going and I'm back at the junction around 9am to head up to Lake Chalice.

Side stream between Mid Goulter and the track to Old Man 

The track remains good - mostly benched but with a bit of slippage and treefall.  There are a few wee waterfalls on the side streams and the track occasionally drops to follow beside the large main stream.  Patches of sun start to break through.

Side stream

A bit after 10.30 the track reaches the intersection of three streams  and starts climbing - looking at the map it looks like a massive slip blocked the valley forming a dam about 100m high.  At the top it is flat and boggy - there's no outlet stream so I assume the lake water seeps through the dam into the valley below.  

15 minutes from the bottom the track joins the track that circumnavigates the lake.  Today Chalice is grey and dull and rain is threatening again. 

The rain is just starting to lean in solidly when I get a whiff of wood smoke and round a corner to see Lake Chalice Hut. It's 1020 and two women from Nelson,, having biked up Mt Patriach, are holed up waiting to see what the weather is going to do - they've had showers and hail all morning.   I stay and chat for a bit to see if the rain will blow through.

It's a bit of a trudge up the hill to the car park arriving around 12.20 - and that should pretty much be that for the weekend except that 10km down the road a tree has fallen blocking the way.  I've got no saw and it's just a little too big to try dragging with someone else's car.  Fortunately I get cell reception about 3km back up the road and am eventually talking to the right person at the local Council.  

A bit over an hour later a truck pulls up on the other side of the tree and a chap jumps out with a chainsaw.  He rips straight into it and a few minutes later we're chucking sections of trunk out of the way and the road is clear.

It's clearly been a bit of a wild weekend - he's been clearing roads around Havelock and has popped down to help me out.  I see plenty more evidence of  wind and flood damage as I head back along North Bank Road.  

A bit sad not to have got up Edelweiss, but probably not a bad call in retrospect.

Holdsworth monitoring

An email from Nigel heralds another rat monitoring weekend at Holdsworth.  Mike's skiing but Angela is keen so we head up Saturday morning pausing to pick up breakfast at the French Bakery in Greytown.  

We're only expected for the Saturday so I line up an option for a bit of a semi off-track explore on Sunday.  In the end we do monitoring both days so the exploration is curtailed, although we both get to see some new territory ...

 

What:    Rat monitoring
Where:  Holdsworth, Tararua Forest Park
Who:     Angela
When:   19-20 September 2020

There are fewer bodies lined up at the shelter this time as Nigel hands out cards, peanut butter, RTs, GPSs, maps and instructions.

A pest control operation is planned for the area so this will form some of the pre-monitoring. It's the same deal as last time: find the monitoring line, lay ink cards with a peanut butter lure in each of the 10 tunnels along the line and return to base. 

I'm doing the same lines as last time (3 and 6) on the spurs and gullies of Pinnacle with Eric (DOC contracted Ranger) and Steve.  Angela is heading about an hour up the main valley with Janet to do line 2 but will just be doing the half of the line on the true right as the Atiwhakatu is substantially up.

We head off in our various directions. The true left track is well familiar now - the day is promising to be good and it's a pleasant wander.  

Eric nobly volunteers to do the further away line in the gullies below Pinnacle on his own.  He picks a point on the track on the way up to send Steve and me on a sidle to line 6 - we find a bit of a game trail which helps and hit the marked stream about 50m up stream from where the monitoring line crosses.

It's a bit odd using a GPS - normally I would follow features, streams, gullies or spurs, to zero in on the desired spot. Following the arrow in a straightish line feels like cheating but works out quicker - provided you look at the terrain as well as the screen of course.

We proceed up the line laying the cards and peanut butter lure as instructed. At the top we dutifully radio in our status and bash around the slope to the Pinnacle track again - failing to see a game trail which Eric later asks us about.

We chat on the way back to the car park.  Steve has recently retired from JNL and now has more time to do things like this.  Eric, with the lion's share of the work to do, is someway behind so we take over his lounge and drink his tea while the other teams slope in.  

There are more people coming in tomorrow to clear the tunnels so in theory Angela and I are no longer required.  However, we work out that if instead of wandering around the informal tracks on Pinnacle Ridge tomorrow, if we stay at Atiwhakatu Hut we can lay out a couple of lines in the morning that would otherwise not be covered.  Nigel has another volunteer lined up that can clear them on Monday.  

Eric gives us the key to the hut's warden's quarters and we head up valley as it starts to try and drizzle a little. 

The warden's quarters turns out to be a small room with two bunks and space for one seated. However it means we can chat quietly away from the madding crowds in the main dining area.  We turn in early after dehy meals cooked on the penny stove (it copes fine with double the usual loading).

Angela wakes when another punter jumps out of bed to grumble at the young people in the dining room: "Don't you know there's a nine pm curfew?!'  The noise, just through the wall from us had been fine and it was the grumbling that disturbed the peace. 

We leave in the morning before anyone else is up.  The instructions are to head up the track a short way, cross the stream and follow markings up a spur.  'Short' being a relative term we are not entirely sure we are in the right spot when we line up to cross the stream which has dropped over night.  

We dutifully try to radio in to say we are about to cross but can't raise a response so cross anyway - it's barely shin deep but we link up just for practice.  On the other side there's reception from the Holdsworth repeater and I raise another team that is out and about early.  I report that we are about to cross, wait a couple of minutes and report that we are safely across - duty done and everyone happy.  

I drag the GPS out to confirm the correct spur and discover that our 'short way up stream' was slightly too short. We scramble up through reasonably open bush onto the spur which has a well marked trail leading up.  

It's a steepish grind up but the morning sun has not reached us yet so it's cool.  I've been past the top of this track a few times and have always meant to follow it down to the hut, but it has never quite managed to fit into an itinerary.  It's nice to finally knock it off and confirm that it is good option for getting to the hut.

At the ridge (8.30ish) we join the beautiful Pinnacle Ridge track at the handcrafted sign to the hut.  The monitoring line runs diagonally across the ridge so we use the GPS again to find the starting point then follow along setting the tunnels up.

Towards the southern end the line drops into a gully.  I'm a little ahead of Angela who calls something out - I don't hear fully but suggest staying put while I polish off the last tunnel and come back. It turns out that she has managed to gouge a respectable hole in her forearm on a sharp spike - probably old totara. Closer inspection shows a scrape and hole with a bit of welling blood. My seldom called on first aid kit has a suitable large plaster that serves to cover the damage, slow the blood and protect from further dirt ingress. 

We follow a wee spur back to the ridge and along to the intersection to Pinnacle, stopping briefly to admire the morning sun on the Holdsworth-Jumbo Ridge across the valley.  

At the intersection we follow the sign indicating an alternative route to Donnelly flat (SSW).  The ridge drops and we watch the map and clcok to identify the point where we will be departing for the next monitoring line.  

This track has a line of gas traps laid along it which I'm sure are new since I came through a few years back - but the cute wee hand-painted steel markers are the same.

We do pretty well but I drag out the GPS to make sure we are scrambling off the track onto the correct side spur. Things again go pretty smoothly, finding the first blue triangle in the wilderness then following back to the start of the line.  

This line is much rougher - it drops steeply into a gully then follows a wee stream before climbing the other slope. It's slippery and mucky. Angela has had to change from her foot-mangling boots to running shoes, which are no match for the terrain.  She runs into the wall on the scramble out - carrying weekend packs in this stuff isn't the smartest, however, we have plenty of time so we take lots of breaks on the way up the hill.

When we radio-in our status Eric replies and says he'll meet us at the bottom of the hill with a couple who have come in for a walk. I'm pretty sure he's just wanting to make sure that no-one has any troubles with crossing.

The track remains well marked to the bottom of the spur where it runs along a terrace a short distance before dropping steeply again to a stream junction. Below we can see Eric's flouro top glowing through the trees on the other side of the water.

We cross and join them.  There's a short scramble to the old track which runs beside the river a short way before rejoining the main track. It's a pleasant walk and good to chat with Eric who, as you would expect, knows the area inside out. He asks about the condition of the main track up to Atiwhakatu which he recently cleared over the space of 8 days.  We assure him that all is tidy and looking good. 

 

Postscript

Despite the volume of human traffic on the highway-like tracks, this little corner of the park is pretty, and every time I go I discover another hidden gem that is well familiar to the locals.  

Angela recovered quickly from her ordeal and the honourable battle scar is fading - she even seems to have forgiven (or forgotten) being dragged through the type of detritus you can only find in the bottom of a bushy gully.         

A few days later we get an email from Nigel with the results.  Compared to February, there's significantly less activity overall across the tunnels monitored, although one of the lines that angela and I did was 8/10 positive. The results suggest that rat numbers have declined over winter with less activity near trapping lines - both results unsurprising I guess. 

It's interesting to see just how much human hours are required to maintain trapping and monitoring across what feels like a large area, but is a vanishingly small proportion of the range. And even then, in a mast year the rats basically overwhelm the trapping efforts.  It does feel like it is having some impact though and with the assistance of an aerial operation every few years it may be possible for some bird species to maintain a toe hold - at least in this valley.

 

Crow Hut

This is a Ruahine trip from a couple of years back - in the times before I got sucked into working in the great COVID machine.  There are a few others on the drawing board from around that time that I haven't quite got around to tidying up ... 

A three day weekend - a chance to get across the Ruahine range into a couple of huts that are a bit tricky to knock off in a weekend with access restrictions.

The forecast isn't great. It's been a bit cold so there could be snow around and the weather is supposed to deteriorate from Saturday afternoon.

The plan is to head up the Sunrise track to Top Maropea Hut, drop west to cross a stream valley and climb onto the long ridge north from Te Atuaoparapara, join the track to drop to Wakelings Hut, pop over Rongotea to Crow Hut, clamber onto the Hikurangi Range to visit McKinnon Hut, and bash down a spur to the Kauwhatau River.  I had intended to then climb onto and follow the ridge north to Rangioteatua but elected instead to follow the river up to Waterfall Hut then up to Rangioteatua via Rangi Saddle.  A final change to the plan was an exit via Waipawa saddle instead of over Three Johns.

What:    Navigation and hut bagging
Where:  Ruahine Range - in at Sunrise road end
When:   12-14 September 2020
Who:     Solo

As soon as it's light I can see that the Tararua Range has a solid dusting of snow and before long the Ruahine Range has, if anything, more.  Coming up Wakarara Road it soon becomes apparent that it's right down to the foothill paddocks. It's overcast but there's clear skies over the range.

At the first gate I see a quad coming and hold the gate, then take turns through the next two. There's a few lambs about so I take it easy to the road end past the first carpark.  The snow isn't visible from here and the warm sun and calm air promise a pleasant day as I get away about 8.40.

This time I turn right at the first junction to follow around the other leg of the swamp loop - it's pretty bush and this time I get to see some different info boards.

About 25 minutes from the car the track joins the main Sunrise Hut track near Triple X Hut - a few minutes further is the other end of the Swamp Loop. 

Within half an hour (near junction of track to Waipawa Forks Hut) there's snow on the foliage and steady dripping from above.  

Within another half hour there's snow on the ground under the canopy and two sets of footprints preceding me up the hill.  I notice red/orange liquid sprinkling the snow and figure someone was spilling their energy drink, but later in the trip see the same thing with just animal prints around - I presume scent marking by some mammal or other.

The snow is soon thick on the foliage and there's a real winter wonderland feel with the blue sky above.  Before long, a familiar corner with a window out to the hazy plains signals it's not far to the hut.

About an hour forty from the car I scrunch into the hut clearing.  The hut is looking like a ski lodge but the view is a bit claggy.  

A couple from Wellington are just about to head up towards Te Atuaoparapara and over to Waikamaka Hut.  We exchange notes on the route which could be a bit of fun in snow and clag - they have the gear though and have done their research. They head on up as I pop in to fill in the log.

Behind the hut the track pops out on the ridge edge.  The clag turns out to be just holding in the lee of the ridge and the view of the ridge circling up to Te Atuaoparapara is clear. 

I catch up with the couple and take the lead, plugging through the knee deep snow.  Soft enough to not need crampons fortunately. 

Armstrong Saddle about 10.50, then up and along to the knob where my track leaves the ridge to head north - about 15 minutes later. I carve a smiley face in the snow for the couple and make my way carefully through deeper snow descending over wee knobs to the bushline.  There's plenty of tracks in the snow - I suspect hares but don't know enough to be sure.

Up towards Te Atuaoparpara

  

The snow lies deep compared with the ridge top - possibly it was protected from the southerly and settled without being blown away.  Once below the bushline the sun is doing a good job of melting the snow on the beech trees, resulting in a steady rain and a slushy track. 

At 11.30 Top Maropea Hut is cheerful in its snow hat, looking across a snowy yard towards the sunny horizon.  I pause for 10 minutes to fill in the log and have a bite.  

The track drops further from the hut to a saddle where it dives right for a steep drop to the stream.  I leave it at this point to follow a little ways further up and along the ridge.  I see a couple of bits of old tape but no foot trail in the snow so pick a random spot and start dropping west through snowy cutty grass.  

There's supposed to be a bit of a spur to follow - I don't find it and suspect I've drifted too far north.  It's not an issue though until I find myself a little bluffed at the bottom.  A bit of scrambling and, about 20 minutes after leaving the ridge I'm in a stream.  It's catching the sun at the moment but the odd shady bend still has a bit of settled snow.

 

10 minutes later, about 12.30, I've reached the true left sidestream that I'm aiming for and only one foot is a bit damp.  The wind is cool but the sun is out so I have a break for lunch and to dry a little. 

I've heard there's a route up the spur here but from the start you wouldn't guess it.  It's a bit mucky underfoot with  bushlawyer - I wonder if it pays to either head down stream a little further or even up the side creek a bit.  Before long however, the odd old marker turns up. I grind up slowly and back into a snowy understory. 

It takes a bit over 50 minutes to get to the ridge where I can see over the next valley (Waikamaka) to Rongotea with a sprinkling of dandruff.  Originally I had thought I might get over there today but I'm somewhat tired from contending with snow and, although I tell myself I'll decide when I get down to Wakelings Hut, the traitorous back of my mind is already redoing the sums for the weekend.

The ridge top is much as I remember it - except with snow.  The tight saplings are delighted to release their load as I squeeze through and the cutty grass hides little hollows for my feet to slip into. 

But more to the point - it feels like I have got in towards the middle of the range and away from the tracks most travelled. With the sun filtering through the trees it's a good spot to be. 

It takes about an hour ten to travel a little over 2km along the ridge to meet the track between Maropea Forks and Wakelings Huts.  I have to do a wee bit of navigation where the ridge veers north west and you have to drop away from what feels like the main line.

On the track it feels good to be able to swing the legs freely again, albeit briefly before diving steeply down to the river.  By the time I reach the bottom I'm certain I'll be stopping at Wakelings tonight.

As I step out off the bush beside the river the whistle of a whio indicates I've been spotted.  A couple are feeding 30m downstream and make it clear that they're keeping an eye on me.

There sun is on the spur above the hut but there's a patch of snow on the river bank where the sun clearly don't shine.  Despite the cold I decide to doff socks and boots for the crossing.  It's about 3.10 when I get to the hut with an armload of firewood so plenty of daylight to get settled in. 

  

The hut book confirms that a track crew have been through recently to clear the track up to Rongotea.  They have also cut and stacked firewood. I drag in some more rounds and split a few with the intention of having a fire to dry damp clothes and boots.  

Getting the open fire going and tending the drying clothes takes up a fair chunk of the evening.  It's a calm and starry night outside. Inside, the hut fills with smoke until I open a window.

It has clagged over by morning but it's calm in the valley. I drag on mostly not damp clothes and get away by 6.30 - I'll be sleeping out in the rain tonight if I don't keep moving.

The spur starts immediately by the hut.  The track party have done a good job and I knuckle down for a slow but steady climb.

As yesterday - there is soon snow under the trees and higher up it is lying thick through the scrub. 

It's clagged in but it's about half way from the bushline to the top before I stop to pull on a bit more gear. 

At the top (Rongotea - 8am) the wind is more obstreperous and carrying a bit of rain. In the conditions, what is visible of the ridge is featureless.  There's a stake at the top but I can't see the next one so take a bearing and head into the grey and wind.

The map shows the route heading north west past a tarn and onto a broad ridge where it turns west to drop down a spur.  If the stakes are a bit haphazard finding where to turn could be tricky.

There's a foot trail that I keep losing and in between; knee deep snow.  I keep to my left and spot the occasional stake, eventually reaching a spot where it looks like there's a spur across a wee gully. When I get across there's a clear foot trail. 

The spur starts dropping steeply - the snow is soft and I go A over K a few times as the dark clay soil 

slides and crumbles beneath.  Again there are plenty of animal tracks and the odd patch of reddish orange snow.

I'm happy when the spur eases into forest and out of the wind.  It potters gently down for a while before the steep drop to the river.  

The bottom is a bit of a clamber down a rocky bluff and a hop around the bottom to where the track leaves from the stream mouth and sidles for five minutes down river to a swing bridge.  The track is churned up by hooves.

The bridge spans above a clear green pool to Crow Hut on it's terrace.  The sun chooses that moment to emerge - it's a beautiful wee spot.

It's a nice old hut that doesn't get so much use now the farmer is being such a .... about access to the Kawhatau DOC base camp in the west.  It's about 9.25 - 3 hours from Wakelings Hut and time for a snack.  It's pleasant in the sun and half an hour whistles easily by.

The track sidles into a creek gully and it takes a moment to pick where it climbs the opposite bank. Soon enough though I'm repeating the morning's exercise of a steepish climb to the tops. I stop at the bushline for some more layers then it's a short way to the top where the track sidles briefly to a signposted junction - Kauwhatau base right, and McKinnon left; 11.45.

I follow a well staked route that undulates along the tops - there's not much snow for a start but before long I'm knee deep again. It's cloudy but visibility is not bad.

About 40 minutes from the signs I reach another pointing to McKinnon Hut - this must be where you would continue south along the range to Hikurangi then Mangaweka.

The track heads down increasingly steeply - and slipperly.  After 10 minutes the clag drifts apart and McKinnon Hut emerges to the left of a tussocky knob.

At 12.45 it's definitely time for lunch out of the elements.

It's a characterful place right on the bushline which looks like it would be a cosy retreat on a stormy night. I study the map over lunch and figure that things are looking good to get to Waterfall hut tonight provided my planned route down and the river don't throw up any obstacles.

I've rather blithely planned to follow a spur to the river that heads west from the knob above the hut. It looks navigable, reaching the river a few kilometres above where the track joins. It should be a bit of a challenge and hopefully quicker - the perfect shortcut.

I get under way again at 1.10. Rather than climb to the knob I find a foot trail from the helicopter pad that sidles up hill near the bush edge.  Reaching the spur I start downwards keeping an eye on the compass and occasionally the altimeter.  I can't see signs of markers or much use. 

A bit above 1100m I drop right off the spur aiming for a spur that points further upstream. It's steep and a bit tricky, but I only have one little bluff and a grovel through a gully to keep on the right line. 

A dirty hot and slightly smug tramper emerges at the desired junction. The river is slightly up with snow melt but is running clear. It's 2.30 - an hour twenty from the hut; much faster than the track.

The sun is shining directly up some stretches of the river and it is very pleasant.  The river is a good size but nothing tricky - I keep a half hearted eye on the map but am not bothered about exactly where I am.

There's the odd waterfall or stream joining the river but I quickly lose track of which might be marked on the map.

A bit under an hour up stream there's what will sometimes be a wee island in high flow - complete with tree.

I note the time at the largest side streams on the true left thinking I will easily recognise Iron Peg Creek (I don't).  For future reference it works out at: 2.30 join river, 3.27 island, 3.47 stream, 4.28 stream, 4.47 stream, 5.08 - Iron Peg Creek.

Iron Peg Creek

Now it is (in theory) familiar territory.  Having reached Iron Peg Creek a little bit of edge drains from the day. I'm going to reach the hut before dark. The forecast is for rain and wind tonight so I'd rather be inside.  I start watching for Broken Ridge to appear ahead - it duly emerges - a comforting milestone and a reminder of an enjoyable morning scramble. 

Broken Ridge

Rangi Creek gives a glimpse up to sun on a snow streaked knob - I think it might be Rangioteatua but in retrospect suspect it was the knob north of Rangi saddle.  15 minutes later I'm at Waterfall Hut in it's clearing with a remnant patch of snow.  Just after 5.30 - 11 hours after setting out and covering a satisfying distance and variety of territory (with a few breaks).

The hut is well familiar. I strip off sopping boots and trou and settle in.  No fire tonight, I can do without the hassle of gathering wood and tending it.  I elect instead to warm my feet on the pack of dinner dehy.

During the night the wind occasionally elicits a loud bang from the tin chimney, peering outside drizzly rain seems to be keeping it up.  

The plan in the morning is to head into Rangi saddle and see what the route up to Rangoioteatua is looking like. The forecast is a bit miserable but the route sounds not too tricky.  From there I'm hoping to head over three Johns to take a spur down to the Waipawa River. 

I've made a bit of a habit of taking different routes to and from this hut over the last year or so and this will come close to exhausting the options.  Admittedly I have come up river previously - but only from Iron Peg Creek, and over Rangi Saddle too - but not up to Rangioteatua.  I reckon I haven't broken the mould yet.

I get away around 6.45; the decision not to try to dry socks and boots is quickly proved sound with four river crossings before I start heading up Rangi Creek. 

It's cool, there's a bit of wind and drifts of rain come and go. The rubble in Rangi Creek is wet and slippery but I'm pretty sure it's out of the worst of it down here.  

Once out of the bush the gully has a bit of snow and the wind starts getting boisterous towards the ridge. About an hour twenty from the hut I'm sheltering on the northeast side of the saddle dragging on gloves and checking the map.

The wind is strong here, driving bands of drizzle in from the west(ish) - it's going to be a bit more of a proposition 300m higher with snow to contend with. Not to mention soaked feet. I have a think and decide to continue with retreat an option if it gets too bad.  

There's not much snow at this level but out of the saddle the wind immediately starts pushing me around. There's a few steep scrambles up through tussock - being careful to avoid slick patches. At one point I avoid what would be an easy route across shingle on the northeast side of the spur as it would require crossing a strip of harder snow which disappears down into the clag. 

Where possible I hang on the leeward side of the spur until I roll over the top of a knob and into a saddle. Normally the next bit would be steepish but straight forward.  Today it looks bleak - the clag shreds through the saddle with steep snowy slopes drifting in and out of view above.   

The snow is deepish in the saddle and the wind is annoying but it ends up just being a simple grind upwards.  As the spur rounds onto the top the wind has polished the snow off the ridge and the cairn is just rimed with ice. The wind is stronger again now, however the ridge is fairly straight forward from here - providing you don't stray off the southeast side.

I have already set a bearing through the next long saddle so I don't have to fish the map out - a quick glance at the compass and I head northeast and gently down. 

A short way into the saddle a solid wall of wind comes smashing in from the northwest. It's a battle to keep upright and moving - a few times having to kneel and brace as progress becomes impossible - or being pushed helplessly half a dozen steps up slope towards the edge.  It's not helped by patches of deeper snow.  

Fortunately the ground is reasonably level but I'm feeling pretty beaten about by the time the ground starts sloping up towards pt 1635.  I huddle behind a snow bank for a much needed breather and bite.  

Underway again I veer too far left on the way off 1635 - the slope looks right but is dropping too steeply - a compass check confirms and it's a wasted slog through snow, shrubs and spaniard back to the top to get on the correct bearing again.

The first part downwards is knee deep tussock and spaniard (still haven't found a trail through here) with a foot trail eventually developing near the face on the right. The snow becomes patchy, the wind drops and I'm soon moving freely over herbfield. A hare races across the slope in front.

With ears still ringing from the wind it's pleasant following the gentle ridge down into the saddle and start the climb out. I decide not to risk the steep slopes of Three Johns and a potentially long scrub bash down the spur I had my eye on. Instead - as soon as it looks doable I cut across the gully to my left to join the spur down to Waipawa saddle.   

Everything steadily improves - the wind drops further, and by the time I reach the saddle I can see that I will soon be dropping out of the cloud. 

Pausing for a drink below the saddle I discover a minor disaster - I've lost the orange cap that has been on so many trips.  It owed me nothing but I regret the loss and the litter that it has now become.     

It's 1020 - it's only been two hours forty on the tops from Rangi Saddle but they've felt like two reasonably tough hours.

With a few less layers I head head down valley.  A glow in the clouds ahead promises sun on the lower river flats. The odd patch of snow shows footprints which must be the couple from Saturday who would have come through yesterday. 

It's an active landscape with a lot of shingle coming down the valley, but if you keep your eyes peeled there is often a good foot trail somewhere on the true left.  

The cloud drops behind and before I reach the forks above the hut it's a different day.  This time I pay attention and spot the triangle and cairn marking the track up to the Sunrise Track - a short distance up valley from the hut track - not what is shown on the map.

Back at the car at 12.10 I can finally peel off wet clothes and am soon bumping back down the road past flocks of wild turkeys. 

Postscript

Despite not ticking all the planned boxes it's been an eminently enjoyable trip.  Pretty snowscapes on Saturday, checked out an alternative route to Wakelings hut, a couple of whio, navigating Rongotea in the clag, Crow and McKinnon Huts (more snow and clag), a satisfying shortcut to the river, pretty river trip up to Waterfall, Rangi saddle to Rongotea and over to Waipawa saddle in challenging conditions (wind, snow and clag).  

Sure, skipped a bit of ridge and the Three Johns exit, but didn't really fancy sleeping on the ridge Sun night or a snowy leatherwood bash in galeforce winds off Three Johns - can't regret that too much.