Adventure Magazine

"Ironically the crisis was
partly caused by the superb
weather that greeted us
when we arrived in late
December."
I was still dubious even as the colour
slowly returned to her face. She
wet a cloth and wiped her arms and
neck. Ten minutes later she was a
different person – a bit unsteady but
determined to continue.
She reluctantly handed me her tent
to carry, and we walked the few
hundred metres to the swing bridge
at 25-mile creek. By the time we had
all taken our turn to cross, Karen
had enjoyed another long drink and
her sense of humour had returned.
Ironically the crisis was partly
caused by the superb weather that
greeted us when we arrived in late
December. We had underestimated
the effect of the long days travel
to reach the start. It was after 3pm
before we had hefted packs onto our
backs, and it was blatantly clear we
had all become dehydrated to some
extent during the long drive.
The sun had begun to slide behind
the jagged peaks of the Forbes
range that loomed above us and a
shadow was creeping across the
valley towards us. Within an hour
we were pitching tents in an almost
perfect spot for a night’s camp on
the edge of the forest, close to fresh
water. The stark-white glacier on Mt
Earnslaw shone brightly overhead,
nearly 2,200 metres above us. It
felt pretty good to be enjoying an
evening meal together, and later
succumbing to sleep while listening
to the gentle sounds of the river
nearby.
Next morning’s dawn chorus was, to
quote another member of the party,
“just glorious”.
Fearing we might underestimate the
effects of the previous day’s dramas,
we set a goal to reach Shelter Rock
hut, yesterday’s official goal, by
midday. If we failed to meet that
deadline the hut would become our
shelter for the night, and we would
cancel the side trip to Cascade
Saddle we had originally planned for
the following day.
We made Shelter Rock hut by
11am! Karen seemed to be back to
her normal self, sharing her wealth
of botanical knowledge as she is
inclined to do, pointing out various
obscure but beautiful flora along the
way. What a team.
Shortly after midday we had made
it past the source of the Rees and
were celebrating on the crest of
the saddle at 1471 metres – a
celebration made that much sweeter
knowing how close we had come to
ditching the venture.
Mt Aspiring is such an apt right
name for a National Park that offers
many great wilderness experiences
for avid and ambitious adventurers.
Tramping to the source of both the
Rees and Te Awa Whakatipu/Dart
rivers left me in awe of these huge
glacial valleys towered over by
rugged snow-topped peaks.
At times we wandered over wide
open grassy flats, creased by the
many tributaries that guide melting
snow and ice from the peaks up to
two thousand metres above us. In
other places the trail winds through
fern and moss layered beech forest,
and thanks to some great pest
control, we got to enjoy the calls of
many native birds. Close encounters
(yes, plural) with curious robin are a
certainty, and we were lucky enough
to pique the interest of a young kea
who danced to within a few feet in a
vain attempt to garner some morsel.
Each of the three main huts are
unique. Shelter Rock hut sited in
a grassy flat surrounded by subalpine
plants and steep valley walls.
Daleys Flat hut sits above the lower
reaches of the Dart River. Dart Hut
must however, rate as one the best
in New Zealand. Built alongside an
energetic Snowy Creek and filled
with the sound of water crashing
its way over some huge boulders
nearby. It also offers superb tent
sites.
Tanya and Kate above an ice strewn valley floor and imposing cliff faces of te Awa Whakatipu valley.
Emerging onto Slip Flats on the way to Rees Saddle.
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