December 5th
Pahautea Hut(526.4)-Orongo Rd(546.3)
Mileage: 19.9mi/32km
Campsite Elevation: 1725ft/526m
Elevation chart courtesy of Guthook Hikes Te Araroa App.
As for today, it was a brisk morning up high on the ridge, but thankfully not windy. We indulged in 10mins of boardwalk walking before the trail became the Hihikiwi Track, which is known to be one of the muddiest tracks of the whole trip. It was nice to get a morning view up top on the Hihikiwi Summit before we headed down.
We stopped early yesterday because we knew the Hihikiwi Track would be better to do with fresh legs and minds. It took us 2.5hrs to do the 2.4mi/3.8km track. Since it hasn’t rained much lately, the first half of the track was thankfully more solidified than we expected.
It was the second half that got slower with more mud and roots. We’d seen pictures of mud that was thigh deep, so it seems we got lucky with it only being shin deep in places. I can imagine it being quite a lot slower had it been wetter or had recent rain. We actually had fun with it. It was much more enjoyable in the morning than at the end of an already strenuous day yesterday.
There was a great stream at the end of the track and we were able to rinse clean before our day of mostly gravel road walking. We leapfrogged and overlapped with Victoria (who we first met in the hut on day 24). She ate lunch with us and hiked a bit with us, but I forgot to get a photo. She’s great, is from Italy, and also a purist walking the roads. We tend to do longer days than she does, but she has spent less time in town, so it’s been nice to see her multiple times. The scenery today of the farmland, clouds, and rolling hills was the best yet. I couldn’t get enough photos of it!
We are really close to the west coast again, and could even see a bay in the distance.
We also overlapped a bit with an American couple from Oregon that are hitching, so we may not see them again. They had done the PCT as well, so it was fun to talk trail for a bit when we did overlap.
The end of the day had another forested section that was a bit muddy in spots, but nothing terrible. Our goal was to make it to a camp spot marked on the Guthook app. It’s the first year for this app on the TA, so there have been a few times that the camping info is wrong because it lists a spot that is on private land or restricted to no camping. In this case, it was the Oamaru Scenic Reserve. We usually catch these mislabeled spots ahead of time, but missed the note in the trail notes, so we didn’t find out that it’s a no camping area until we reached the trailhead.
The top of that range in the distance is where we started from this morning.
As we were asking, the German couple, Jasmin and Jan arrived (Here is their blog in German). The farmer (named Nigel) let us in the truck bed with the mud/rocks and Jan got in the tractor with his 9yr old son that was driving the tractor. Yep, a 9yr old was seriously driving a tractor. It was pretty cool to see. They drove us up the hill about half a kilometer and pointed the way to the sheep shed. It is a pretty great spot with plenty of space, running water, a sink, a toilet, cold shower, and a table and chairs. So nice of him!
It was about 5:30pm when we arrived. It was nice to have a relaxed night with fewer people around. I’ve been getting to sleep too late the last few days, so I’m happy to have had an easy night where I didn’t need to do as much since we were inside. I might actually go to bed before 10pm! Well, it was a classic Te Araroa day. Some muddy forest walking, plenty of gravel road walking along beautiful scenery, and a camp spot on a farm in a sheep shed. Yep, definitely not your ordinary trail.
I have a question about your cooking fuel. Are you always able to buy a small container so you have enough room in your fuel bottle? If you have to buy a one litre container what do you do with the leftover fuel?
Often there are other hikers to share with or some leftover in the hostels to take that people have left. If not, I have to buy a whole bottle and leave behind what I don’t use.
Beautiful scenery, great pics. Love the rolling green hills and low clouds, so much moisture! You all must have a guardian angel watching over you, you scored a great and unique spot to spend the night, including facilities! Glad this leg is less city, more country. Aside from the mud, it’s a beautiful part of NZ.
The ULA backpack nicely offered looks too small for Becky size (based on the photo in the truck).. Weight is not properly balanced …probably do not feel it yet because of the major weight drop…finger crossed
Yes, the pack is too small, but she’s loving the difference. It is my old one that she will be using for a couple more weeks until a brand spankin’ new one will arrive in the right size. Excited for that!
You commented at one stage that Becky had a blog, are you able to provide a location for that. Would like to catch up with her views on everything.
She doesn’t have a blog, but does some with photos and thoughts on Instagram for public to follow if they like. @plzgetinthevan is her Instagram.
Thank you very much for your response.
Erin:
I’m following everyday! Love all the pictures and reading your perspective. I just finished assemblying 14 gingerbread houses– it’s that time of year– everyone coming to decorate them this wkend. Have fun and be careful. Love, PC
Oh man! It’s so crazy to think it’s Xmas when it’s summer here. Great to hear from you:)
What a mix-mud and meadows, roots and roads. It warms my heart to see people helping you out. I look forward to your story every day and share with my wife and brother. Thanks.
Aw, great to hear!
That is cool that Becky has a nice right-sized pack coming. Pretty awesome. That’ll be a great Christmas present.