SK Valleys

A few years back someone rather carelessly told me about a traditional challenge of 'doing' the length of the Tararuas in the space of a weekend. They should have had more care - the idea lodged and it was pretty much inevitable that at some point I would have a go. Without going into all the details, it is called the 'SK', or the Schormanns - Kaitoke, after the start and finish points. The Schormanns Track no longer exists so you leave from the nearby Putara Road end, but somehow 'PK' has not caught on - shame, it has a bit of a ring to it.

There are a couple of main options and lots of variations - the Valleys route is easier and more direct. The tops is longer and, not surprisingly, more exposed with considerably more up and down. Records exist for assisted and solo efforts, and the times being posted now are superhuman.

When I say 'easier' the Valley SK is still a small matter of 74km and a net climb of a little under 3400m.  I'm not chasing a record though - I'd just like to get the idea out of my head.

What:   SK Valleys
Where:  P to K
Why:     Because it'll bug me until I've done it
Who:     Solo, unassisted
When:   10 December 2016
Map:     Map

Preparation

With regular trips over recent months my fitness is at a suitable level and gear all well tested. The trip is on marked tracks, apart from a section at the start down the Ruamahanga River. I don't like rivers at the best of times, so checked it out a couple of weeks back. I've been over almost all the rest of it at some time, although it's been a while for some parts, and I'm not looking forward to scrambling around slips on the Tauherenikau (the subject of a long standing DoC warning).

On Wednesday I figure I've recovered from the previous weekend's exertions but the forecast is marginal - the story of this summer so far. The Ruamahanga River gauge drops gently over the next few days though, so at midday on Friday I decide it's a goer.

The plan is to start early Saturday morning, see how the day goes, and either soldier on into the night or sleep at one of the huts en route. I have a weekender hut pack (i.e. sleeping bag, no tent, warm layers, food, emergency gear) which means more weight but also more peace of mind. All up weight (with water) is 6.7 kg.

I complete the usual intentions sheet and send it to my PLB contacts with outlines of various contingency options.

The route

The original SKs involved trains, rail cars and taxis to get from Wellington to the track end on a Friday night after work. In the grand tradition I intend to catch the Wairarapa train, but then to spend the night in Carterton for a comfortable sleep and a drop off at the track end by an understanding brother.

The route follows the major river systems in turn as they run parallel to the length of the Tararuas in the east of the range, before each exits into the Wairarapa to join the Ruamahanga. This means a series of saddles and rivers, with huts around the more popular areas. It also provides regular milestones to mark progress: 6 saddles, 5 river systems (not counting the Mangatainoka) and 7 huts.

The final act is climbing up Smith Creek to Puffer Saddle and the long sidle and descent to the new (to me) road end at Kaitoke.

Kick off

At about 0515 it is dim in the bush but more than enough light to not need a torch. The clouds are gathered and threatening in the west, but it's not cold. The track along the stream and up to the junction is familiar territory.

Record shot - 0517

The junction (right to the Main Range, left to Roaring Stag) after 0:52 is my first saddle and at 1:40 Roaring Stag is my first hut (score: 1,1,0). The wind is strong in the tree tops - the sort where you get a little jumpy at creaks and cracks from overhead.

There's no-one in Roaring Stag as I fill in the log book, pause briefly, and checkout the river. Probably half a metre lower than two weeks back so it is looking good not to use the terraces (the high route that avoids the gorge section at Cleft Creek).

First sunlight creeping down one of the many slips

It's much easier travel down river this time. I hardly use the terraces, and boulder hop most of the way to the bluffs, about 0:45 min after leaving Roaring Stag. It's still deep, and I can't touch the bottom in places through the bluffs, but a lot less of a proposition than last time.

Looking back up through the bluff section -
deep on the true right but navigable by holding onto the rock

0:20 min later the gorge above Cleft Creek is unmistakable. The river runs onto the right bank forming a deep section against the rocky side. It's no drama to cross upstream in thigh deep water with just a little help from a koro stick.

Start of the gorge above Cleft Creek

The other side provides bouldery travel and a short scramble along a rock face opposite Cleft Creek. The river broadens and slows and another thigh deep crossing is easily accomplished. The track is on the right somewhere up on a terrace; I potter down stream a short distance to find a way to scramble up. Three hours after leaving the carpark I'm standing on the track (1,1,1).

Cleft Creek

Gorge above Cleft Creek

River below Cleft Creek

The first thing that is apparent is that a track team has been through - ferns, grasses and saplings have been cleaned off at ground level and markers have been added - fairly recently by the look of it.

The track climbs alongside then joins Cleft Creek and I am soon standing at the stream junction, which two weeks ago took 2:26 from Stag Hut with the river up and using the terraces route. This time, using the river route and the new track, it has taken 1:38.

Bear right but keep an eye on the markers because the track soon takes a new route

The next surprise is that the track takes a completely different route to the saddle. Instead of following a side stream, it dives into the bush and grunts straight up a spur. Eventually it bears right and sidles and rises for a long while to eventually hit the junction in the saddle, right beside the sign post to Waingawa. I'm stunned - I had stood at this point two weeks ago and saw no sign of this track.

However, right now I'm a little more focused on ticking off the top of the second saddle. It's 09:06, about 3:50 in, score: 2,1,1.

It's a short hop down to wade across the Waingawa and arrive at Cow Creek Hut 18 minutes later (2,2,1).

Cow Creek Hut

The track is now a fairly typical Tararua River track. It potters along in the bush, on grassy flats, across slips and in and out of side streams.

About 1:50 later the rather elegant Mitre Flats Hut hoves into view (2,3,1). The weather is still holding.

Mitre Flats 

I don't have fond memories of the Barton Track that climbs to the next saddle. It is pretty much as I remember: a bit of a climb up, a long sidle with a wee descent, then a drop into a creek, and a bit of a mucky scramble out and up again. I'm also starting to feel the distance already traveled. It is nice however to get to the intersection with Baldy Track and join the track I traveled last week (12:54, 7:37 elapsed, score: 3,3,2).

Descending from the saddle, heavy drops start pattering through the canopy, and by Atiwhakatu Stream the rain has set in. It's warm enough though, so I don't bother with a jacket. Between the two routes up to Jumbo I meet my first people - a group of three women who are following the old track up to Jumbo. We chat briefly but I can't tell them much about that route.

40 min from the saddle Atiwhakatu Hut (3,4,2) and I'm chatting to a couple who are just leaving having come in for a day walk. After filling in the log book, I take a bit of time for lunch out of the rain. I'm thinking now about when dark will become a factor. It's looking good to get through Cone Saddle which I hadn't fancied doing at night (it's years since I've been up through there).

The track now is a veritable highway and familiar from last week. It is also crowded as I run into a couple more parties and pass the couple from earlier.

Leaving the Atiwhakatu Stream (3,4,3) and climbing the River Ridge I start feeling a bit under the weather. Consequently it's a slow ascent. I figure I haven't been getting enough energy in, and focus on slowly nibbling through bars despite not feeling like eating. Voices ahead indicate I've reached Pig Flat. This is the route to Powell Hut and Mt Holdsworth but, more importantly, another saddle (4,4,3). It's 9:50 on the go now.

The Totara Creek Track is new territory. Last time I traveled in this direction it followed down the creek. Now it stays on the ridge above, then drops down a spur to cross on a solid swing bridge. The track is well bedded in now. This part of the trip should be quick going but I'm still making somewhat heavy weather of it and concentrate on just ticking along.

Totara Flats Hut is pumping when I arrive at 4:50 (4,5,3). It's hard finding a space to sit and drip and fill in the log book. A tourist kindly offers me some gourmet chocolate, and is understandably a little nonplussed that I am intending to leave a perfectly good hut at this time of day and in this weather.

The grass on Totara Flats is carrying as much water as it can hold and consequently deposits cascades of it as I brush through. A pause for the customary gaze across to the location of Sayers Hut - no-one to be seen but there's a waft of wood smoke in the trees almost indistinguishable from the mist. A little further on, a distinctive tang on the breeze removes any doubt.

A 'new' bridge has improved access to Cone Saddle Track. I remember a trip with school mates when Makaka Creek was a torrent and we sensibly turned back for an extra night at the old Totara Flats Hut. While we were there Greame Dingle came through with a bunch of hard youngsters and a camera crew. Later we heard a helicopter go over and I think the story goes that someone got swept away in a river crossing - not fatally fortunately.

Cone Saddle - camera in bag because of rain

I plod up Cone Saddle and meet a party of young women doing a trip for their Duke of Ed, together with adult chaperons. They are off to Totara Flats.

My memories of Cone Saddle is of a false top followed by a long sidle then a final wee 'up' to the saddle. I'm downright slow now and it takes ages to get through the sidle. Two creeks are significantly up but still quite passable.

At the saddle it's 7:28 and still light, but I arrived at Totara Flats Hut 2:40 ago so it has been slow. Still, 5,5,4 feels like progress.

21 minutes later I take a break at Cone Hut (5,6,4). There's a chap from the Rotorua Tramping Club in residence. He has come down from Alpha but spent the day in the hut. He has plenty of time, no firm plans and - hell, why flounder around in the wet when you don't need to!

I take a good wee time to drip on the floor, don jacket (it's not so warm now), fill in the log book, chat and ... yep, basically farf about and avoid getting back out there.

With head torch ready in pocket I eventually drag myself away. By now I have pretty much resolved that I may as well see this through, so there's a long evening walking ahead.

The Tauherenikau is making itself heard today. It's considerably up and you would not contemplate crossing to the Bull Mound Track. I am slightly concerned that I will hit a creek that is impassible somewhere down river.

Just before 9pm the very last of the light sees me to Tutuwai Hut: 5,7,4 and 15:40 on the go. A couple have a tent on the flats - he is in the hut and is tossing up whether to sleep out or in. The rain has finally abated so I switch on my light, top up my water and head on into the night.

It's hard to gauge progress in the dark. The only thing that provides information about the world beyond my torch light is the roar of the river. I know there are some slips to scramble around and the track does potter along and up and down - at one point there's a knotted rope but there's not much to indicate what's in the blackness below - very comforting!

I see numerous possums; ghostly in the light - twin pin prick eyes that look, disappear, then look again before heading up the nearest tree. A couple of times larger animals slip off into the undergrowth. When the track bears away from the river the odd Morepork can be heard. Otherwise I follow the tunnel through the trees and try to watch for markers and my footing at the same time until suddenly, I'm trying to make sense of what turns out to be a swing bridge support.

This is a major milestone. There have been no real navigational difficulties or impassable streams. I find out later that the rain had hardly touched the Wairarapa so the streams on my side of the river had hardly received anything whereas the Tauherenikau had had an ample dump in its head waters.

The interminable meander down river is now reduced to less than two km to Smith's Creek on a gentle track then the final climb to the final saddle. I don't even notice the shelter as I head past.

I confess to disliking this part - it can never be over fast enough. Smith's Creek represents the worst of accessibility, with the shelter often filthy and abused. The clay track beyond the saddle is lethal in running shoes and there's gorse among the scrub. Not good reasons to be so down on it - it's more likely to be something to do with usually being pretty much buggered by the time I get to this point and just wanting the pain to stop.

Picking my time I pop a gel tube with the idea that it will have well kicked in by the time I start up the wee climb to the saddle. Along the way there is a long standing bypass around a slip which I ignore - the route through is perfectly serviceable, even at night. Then the long drag up the valley, hanging out for the last stream crossing, which marks the short climb then sidle to the saddle: 6,7,5 - it's after midnight and, at last, I have run out of numbers.

There's cell reception now so I wake the long suffering support crew from her slumbers and she very gamely agrees to meet me at the road end. I'm somewhat surprised that it is quite a distance down to the new carpark by the entrance to Kiwi Ranch so she arrives only 10 minutes or so after me.

In the end, according to the time stamp on my start and finish photos, it took 19 hours and 43 minutes from P to K. Nice to finally get that out of my head - just the Tops version to do now. But not in one go I think.

Lessons

There's a few things that I would do differently when I don't ever do this again ...

My food choices were somewhat random; an assortment of bars, some emergency gels and can of sardines. I had enough but the bars proved to be a bit rich and hard to get down when I was feeling the pinch. Definitely need a little more thought.

A nasty case of chaff that had me walking like a cowboy for the next few days could have been prevented - tights are great for cool weather travel but do tend to rub a bit.

There are plenty of escape routes - I should have committed and not carried the extra weight of a sleeping bag and one of the extra layers.

I had a bit of a scrape on my forearm from last week and was a bit concerned about ripping the scab off and getting it infected. A telfa pad with a sleeve made from a nitrile glove with the fingers cut off to keep it in place worked brilliantly.

I was pretty stiff and sore for the next few days with the normal odd bruises, numb toes and the like, also a few wee spots where friction from clothing or pack straps had rubbed the skin off. Nothing that a bit more fitness and care wouldn't prevent. I also developed an interesting facial rash that could have been chloracne but for the absence of dioxin. It took a few days to clear - probably not shingles - possibly a heat rash, but seems a bit weird.

Running shoes were good and light but were lethally slippery on wet roots and rocks. Surprisingly I only got a couple of wee blisters but by the end it felt like someone had taken a rattan cane to my feet. I think I need something with a more aggressive tread, a bit of an instep and slightly more rigid sole.

Cattle Ridge loop

It has been quite the week, from four hours at the top of Wainui Hill in the wee small hours, feeling the aftershocks roll through, to a day watching the turbid Hutt River crawl up the stop bank. A bit of a tramp is surely indicated.

There's a stretch of the Ruamahanga River that I have been meaning to explore. The major river systems in the east of the Tararuas trace a line from Eketehuna to Kaitoke and I haven't got around to travelling the section from Roaring Stag Hut to the bend at Cleft Creek. It's not marked on the topo map but it's a known route and there's a reference in Tararua Footprints, albeit a little light in detail.

This weekend there was only one day available for a trip (after visiting Iona's most impressive weaving exhibition on Saturday), so I figured with an early start I could build a day trip around an exploration down river.

What:   Day trip
Where: Ruamahanga - Cattle Ridge Loop from Putara
Who:    Solo
Why:    Check out Ruamahanga River and Cattle Ridge
When: Sunday 20 November 2016
Map:   Map

The alarm goes at 4am after four hours sleep and I pour myself into the car for the 2 hour drive. The Putara Road End is tucked into the hills behind Eketahuna at the head waters of the Mangatainoka River. It's been a bit of a mecca for trampers over the years as the kick off point for the SK (look it up!). Unlike the hob-nailed boots that have walked this way before, I have the good fortune of not having to catch the rail car and a taxi to get here.

Morning at Putara Road End

The sun is well down the hills at 0640 as I leave the car at a relatively crowded car park (4 cars). The track is good along the river, up to the junction then the long amble down the ridge to the flats near Roaring Stag Hut.

Foot prints on the track indicate that there are a likely to be a few people at the hut. Sure enough there are two parties in when I arrive, an hour 45 after leaving the car. It's shaping up to be a sunny day.

The view from Roaring Stag

From here it's tiger country. I follow the track down to the Manuka Flats where the Cattle Ridge Track hives off west. At first I try to find tracks across the flats, but pretty soon the flats run out and it's a question of picking ones way along the river bank. The rain during the week means the river is up somewhat, so there's a bit of wading required when it carves in against the bank. There's quite a few slips along the way, some of which have been recently active. At times there are terraces that can be followed, but I don't see any evidence of trails or pink ribbons and inevitably end up in the river again.

Another slip

With the river up it's a bit slower going than expected, with a few sketchy scrambles on unstable erosion scarps required to avoid deep bits. Eventually the river enters a short gorgy section. There is no way I'm going to try to cross, as the river is deep and swift. There are enough hand holds on the rocky bluff and foot holds under water (no idea how deep it is) to clamber and float along the edge and around the corner - keeping well clear of the main current.

On the other side I find a slip as indicated in Tararua Footprints and scramble up. However, I find a large creek, which I quickly realise can't be Cleft Creek, so have to drop down another slip to the river - disturbing a deer on the way.

Random stream that is not Cleft Creek

Shortly after, yet another slip presents and I nip up to a series of old terraces. It's pretty easy travel but I can't find any indication of tracks. I potter along keeping the distant sound of the river on my left until I come across what is undeniably Cleft Creek. Undeniable as it is at the bottom of a large ... well, cleft. It's quite pretty, with clear water tumbling between steep mossy banks amidst mature forest. A few deep pools discourage me from looking too hard for a way down. Somewhere on the opposite side is the main track in from the Ruamahanga Road end.

It takes a while to follow up stream on the old terrace before I find a route down just before an old erosion scarp.

Another slip

It's further still before I look back and see an orange triangle. At some point the track has joined the creek. Two minutes later the route leaves Cleft Creek and starts climbing a side stream. It's taken about two and a half hours from Roaring Stag Hut. I think it would be somewhat quicker with a lower river, less chest high water, and fewer unnecessary excursions into the bush.

Cleft Creek looking down stream - first orange triangle on right somewhere 

Junction on Cleft Creek - route heads right

The side stream rapidly becomes a lot smaller but it is fairly easy and open travel. Marking is a little variable, and there are a few points where a little vegetation clearance or another marker wouldn't go amiss. I rock past the point where the track hives off up a spur towards the saddle, finding it beside an almost invisible tributary when I return looking for the last marker.

The track to Cow Saddle is also poorly marked in one section, where it traverses around the slope to the final short climb to the saddle. Approaching the saddle though, the ground trail is clear and in the saddle itself the turn off for Cattle Ridge is elegantly indicated by a classic old wooden sign.

Cow Saddle

It's about 11:40 so I figure time is going ok and there's no need to take the bail-out option back to the Ruamahanga Road end. There's a small matter of a 700m climb, though. It becomes rapidly clear that there hasn't been much track maintenance through here for a while. The track is covered in wind-fall, most of it small stuff that would be easily cleared with hand saws, and the occasional large tree that's created a bit of a mess.

Where's the track?

I've never been up this track before. It climbs steadily and is pretty easy to follow. It slowly opens unfamiliar perspectives on familiar Tararua features. Shortly before leaving the bush line I'm a little surprised to cross an active little stream - it looks big enough to possibly even be present in summer.

Down the Waingawa River - Cow Saddle to the left

Cow Saddle through to Te Mara on the horizon
Blue Hut would be just to the left somewhere

The track exits the bush line and works up through the scrub into tussock country. The bare tops start to dominate the horizon: Table Ridge to the south-west, gradually revealing more and more of Tarn Ridge at the headwaters of the Waingawa, the bush clad Blue Range in the east and Tawhero in the north east.

Spur up to Cattle Ridge - Ruamahanga River runs towards Mt Bruce (right of centre)

The wind gets a good run up out of the Waingawa head waters and slams into the spur, but then eases as the track climbs in the lee of Waingawa.

Approaching the top - looking north along Cattle Ridge

Approaching the top - SSW to Waingawa
That could be Banister behind?

Um, I think that's Table Ridge on the left

An hour and a half after leaving the saddle, Cattle Ridge is as round-topped as the map promises. Today it is quite clear to the east but the cloud lurks high above and thick around the peaks on the main range to the west; a strong cold wind cuts across (WSW?). We should stay clear today but I could imagine it being pretty bleak up here in clag.

Down the Ruamahanga

The top - Waingawa to Bannister on left, Dundas to the right with its head in the clouds

It's easy travel but cold enough that after a bit I give up and put my rain coat on - although the sun is coming through the wind is pushing me around a bit. The ridge top undulates along but I am waiting for the notch between Pukekino and Pukeroa. It is apparently about 100m down and up through tussock and spiky Spaniard.

Further along Cattle Ridge looking back 

Probably Bannister

There seems to be more of a foot track towards the east side of the ridge and down into the notch - not much though. There's a bit of scrub and quite a bit of Spaniard - some of it brown and tough, some green, soft and more flexible, but still spiky. I try to avoid stepping on it - partly because running shoes don't give much protection - but also I have a bit of a soft spot for it. We have few enough plants and animals that bite, sting or poison that we need to take care of those that do.

In the notch looking back

In the notch looking forward

Annnnd, looking across the notch to Pukekino

Cloud on the main range - spur to Dundas Hut almost visible just above shoulder

First view of Cattle Ridge Hut (dot on spur in middle)

Once the route from Dundas Hut joins Cattle Ridge there are markers, cairns and a ground trail so it is quicker going. Soon after the track heads off the east side of the ridge and down to the hut. There are a bunch of foot prints in the mud so someone has been through today.

Main Range panorama from near the end of Cattle Ridge
East Peak at right end - clouds magically gone again

It's taken a bit under an hour and a half to traverse the ridge to the hut and it's nice to get in out of the cool. This hut has been the source of a bit of controversy, with plans to remove it the subject of some criticism. There's a new wood shed, supplies for repairs and a new deck - slow going but a good start.

The log book indicates that a group of runners have been through doing the Dundas Circuit in a day - quite a trip.

Cattle Ridge Hut - not that pretty but there's a bit of work being done.

Next is the knee crunching descent to the Ruamahanga, almost 700m below.  It's a nice wee track down through scrub, then into forest, arriving at the river an hour after arriving at Cattle Ridge Hut.

Roaring Stag way below
Probably Tawhero behind 

Roaring Stag Hut

It's around 3.30 as I wander into the hut. An older couple have come in for a couple of days and have already read the log book, as they ask if I'm the bloke that had signed through earlier. They look set for a good couple of days with great weather in a comfortable, empty hut. Look most old school trampers they are thoughtful about their environment - he asks whether he should take a hand saw up Cattle Ridge tomorrow (not needed) and has already noted some of the rubbish around the hut that he will carry out.

After a short chat I head off, with the afternoon sun filtering through the canopy. It's a bit over an hour to the junction, then about 45 minutes to the road end I bump into a couple that have come down from Herepai Hut, after deciding not to head up and over to the Mangahao River because of the weather on Saturday.

The Junction

I wasn't expecting to be getting back to the car in daylight so it feels like a bonus to be hitting the road around 5.30pm.

I can feel that I've had a fairly active day and am sporting a few more minor bruises, scrapes and punctures, but nowhere near the beating from some of the recent bush bashing trips. However, it's a few days before I stop making old man noises every time I go to stand up.

The river section was a little more complicated than I expected, due to the high flow and a few unnecessary scrambles. I wouldn't like to do it in the dark. The track up to Cow Saddle needs a little attention to the markers, and the track up to Cattle Ridge definitely needs a tidy up. Cattle Ridge was really enjoyable - the views are great and it's a nice amble on a good day.  Don't expect a beaten track though. The track down is steep but pretty good and the track out is good apart from a fair amount of winter mud up to the junction.

A good day trip.