Day 126: Top Timaru Hut to Pakituhi Hut (2525-2549)

Tuesday, April 4

I woke up a bit before 7. After quickly eating and packing, I hit the trail around 8. Bart had left about 15 minutes before me.

It was still overcast, but I could make out bits of blue sky where I was headed. The trail started out nice and was pretty easy to follow. Since it looked like it was going to rain all day, I had my rain pants on. It never really rained, but it was nice having them for the warmth. The mornings have been pretty chilly.

Around 10:30 I stopped for a snack, but it was a quick stop because the sandflies quickly found me. For much of the day, the trail followed the river. The water was so clear it was unbelievable.

Some hikers had told me I could just follow the river, but I followed the steep bits of trail. I'm not sure what was better. Walking in rivers is always slow, but some of the sections I ended up hiking were pretty steep.

The forest I walked through was filled with fantails and I heard lots of beautiful bird calls. The sun came out a bit more and it was followed by a rainbow. What a treat!

After a brutal and steep climb I made it to Stodys Hut around 2:15. Bart was there and packing up to continue. I ate some snacks, read over the hut book and my maps, and started hiking again around 2:45.

Now the trail was a nice 4 wheel drive track! Around 5 I made it to a fork in the trail. There was a 3.5 kilometer trail without going over Breast Hill and a 4 kilometer trail that went over Breast Hill. I thought there'd be a view so I took the path over the hill.

There was a nice view of Lake Hawea and the trail was incredibly windy along the ridge. But I knew I was only 2 kilometers from Pakituhi Hut when the wind started, so it was fine.

I passed six people walking in the opposite direction planning to tent. It made me worried the hut was full if they weren't staying there.

Shortly after seeing them, I saw the hut! Bart was there and so was Shana and Spencer (they were really nice Canadians I had met at the holiday park in Taumarunui). Jen arrived and was really excited to see Spencer and Shana. We had been seeing their names in the Hut books but didn't think we'd see them.

I got my bunk and snacks ready and it started to get dark. We all kept a lookout for Alex, and just as twilight was disappearing, she appeared on the hill. We all talked and ate dinner together. It was really fun, but the hut cooled down quickly with the setting sun so we were all ready to get in our sleeping bags.

We'd walk together to Lake Hawea tomorrow and hitch to Wanaka to avoid the road and trail along the river. I could be wrong, but the trails between towns haven't been very well maintained, so I wasn't extremely anxious to walk it. I could walk to Wanaka in a day, but I'd have to start early and take short breaks. I'd rather walk with everyone. 

The river the trail followed and a rainbow.  

Lake Hawea from Breast Hill.  

Lake Hawea from Breast Hill 2.