Day 1. Dropped off by the shuttle at Lewis Pass, the chilly wind forced a quick change into our gear and an even quicker lunch and then we’re off down the track at a brisk pace to warm up. Down to the Maruia, across the swing bridge, up past Cannibal Hut and in 3½ hours we arrive at Ada Pass Hut. We’re delighted to see the four Christchurch occupants have the fire going and water heating on the stove. Now that’s service.

That night as the Christchurch four work their way through their bladder of wine we learn they intend lugging the inflatable boat they’d dumped unceremoniously on the deck up to the largest tarn in the area for a bit of a paddle. Hmm ...  A dare from long ago apparently.

Day 2. The next morning is overcast but the forecast rain still hasn’t come. Has it fizzled out or just been caught in traffic? We reconsider the original plan to go over 3 Tarn Pass into the Matakitaki, decide against it and head off at 9 am just as the last of the quartet exits his sleeping bag. No paddling before morning tea then …

As we follow the track down the Ada valley through bush and tussock clearings the clouds descend and the rain arrives. Around the corner to open flats and we confirm our decision to only go as far as Christopher Hut today, leaving a long day tomorrow with hopefully better weather. A group of nine Otago University Tramping Club students trickle in during the afternoon then two late arrivals, meaning the 20 bunk hut is overflowing. One out camping, two on the veranda and two a kilometre back up the track to the basic cullers’ hut and we’re surprisingly comfortable. Just 3 hours today.

Day 3. We’re away across the flats by 7.45am (goodbye St James Walkway), across the Ada river, and down to the corner in a little over an hour and into the long haul up the Waiau valley. Drizzle, low clouds, rain, rainbows, incessant flats, trudge trudge, lunch in a patch of beech during a bit of a lull, wasps, trudge and trudge again. After 24 hours of rain the Waiau is up and we link up and take the two required crossings carefully. At 1.45pm we reach Caroline Creek Biv, but one look inside and we all agree to continue on. Bush sidles, slippery lichen covered rocks and rough scree slopes slow progress as the track negotiates steeper terrain. Is the rain clearing? Lost count of how many times we’ve thought that today. Finally we arrive at Waiau Forks and see an orange triangle and our camp sites across what is normally a shin deep stream but now a raging torrent. We search upstream, find a safer spot, link up and we’re safely across. The campsites are great, the rain stops long enough to pitch our tents but returns for dinner. A long day - 8 hours, 27 km.

Day 4. This is more like it – no rain! We’re away by 8am, cross the other branch of the Waiau, sidle through scrub past waterfalls into tussock and start up to Waiau pass. The 550 m climb is well marked but steep, with several sections climbing over bare rock, and we’re treated to great views back down the Waiau and across to Thompson Pass. A final easy scree slope and we reach the top at 10.30. There’s no snow or ice, so why am I carrying this ice axe? We linger for photos, then start down the long scree slopes to the valley floor for a break and early lunch amongst the tussock and Spaniards. The track leads us down to Lake Constance and the stiff climb above it to skirt bluffs – where’s that inflatable when you need it? The views over Lake Constance and to the surrounding peaks are majestic and we make the most of an unplanned break. More sidling through tussock, another scree slope descent, across a boulder field and onto the moraine wall for our first views of Blue Lake. Wow! It’s everything we expected, and more. Simply gorgeous. We saunter down the track and arrive at Blue Lake Hut at 2 pm.

Leisurely strolls around the lake take up the rest of the afternoon (did I really take that many photos!?) and at 8pm we huddle around another group’s mountain radio to hear the forecast. Fine with light winds for the next few days. At last! Smiles all round and we resolve to spend a leisurely morning here and head down to West Sabine Hut tomorrow afternoon.

Day 5. We wake to snow on the ground, 2.9°C in the hut and strong winds driving sleety snow. Hmm. Not put off, I don all my storm gear and head up the ridge as planned for a look at Moss Pass. It’s icy and slippery with patches of snow and gale force winds buffeting me about. I get to the top of the ridge where I can see into the valley and the scree slopes leading up to the pass, and call it quits. Back at the hut the others had been down to the lake and were ready to move on so we head out at 11.10 am, the Israelis with the mountain radio bidding us farewell from their sleeping bags.

Once in the trees and out of the wind we soon warm up and steadily shed our layers. The weather also improves and we’re at West Sabine Hut in three hours. There’s time for washing of bodies and clothes and conversation with our hut companions. A group of 3 have food for 2 others who have cancelled and we agree to pack some of it back down to Sabine Hut for them tomorrow. Less than a kilo each we’re assured. Yeah right!

Day 6. We wake to fine weather and take the track downstream through mature beech forest to reach Sabine Hut in 4½ hours. Our food drop is intact and the goodies are devoured, as the sandflies do their best to devour us.

Day 7. It’s a perfect day as we head off at 8.10 and make steady progress up the unrelenting slope of Cascade Track, climbing 900 metres to the bushline in two hours. We take a break in the tussock and savour the stunning views of Lake Rotoroa, the Sabine Valley and across to Mt Misery and the Mahanga Range. Off again over Mt Cedric, along and up the ridge, around the valley at the head of Cedric Stream and its picturesque tarn, and over the scree slope into the spectacular Angelus basin. We have lunch overlooking Hinapouri Tarn then continue down through the boulder fields, scree slopes and tussock to the beautiful setting of Angelus Hut. On a cloudless, warm day with plenty of time to laze on the deck overlooking the lake and tarn, this is as good as it gets. A 4½ hour day.

Day 8. Another perfect day and we’re away at 8.20 am heading for Sunset Saddle and down into Hopeless Creek. We wind our way through tussock around the tarns and climb up through the boulders and scree following cairns and a ground trail to reach the pass in a little over an hour. There we down packs and head up 2075 metre Angelus Peak, following the cairned trail. On the top there’s a stiff breeze and glorious views down to Lake Angelus and to the surrounding peaks and ranges.

Back down to Sunset Saddle and over the edge, following cairns. This is beautiful country – wild, majestic, barren, moonlike and a real surprise. We negotiate the scree, boulders and bluffs in the upper valley with its frozen waterfalls and iced over tarns. A falcon reveals its presence. Down past the first large tarn at the base of a massive scree slope with its eerie cracking ice reverberating in the silence. Further down the ridge and to a picture perfect lunch spot above the second large tarn. More frozen waterfalls, scree and boulders then a 300m descent down loose scree to the valley floor and treeline. 15 minutes later we arrive at Hopeless Hut and another surprise. Originally built by the Alpine Club as a base for climbing Mt Hopeless and recently refurbished by DOC, this 6 bunker is full of character, warm and inviting. After some discussion we cancel our plan to camp down at the Travers with the sand-flies and claim our bunks. The rest of the day is spent enjoying the last of the sun at the river and reading the hut literature. 5½ hours.

Day 9. Our last day and anticipating an 8 hour tramp we’re away at 7.40 at a brisk pace down a very good and easy track through the forest. In an hour 10 minutes we come to a bridge over the Hopeless and are momentarily confused. The track description we have indicates 2 unbridged crossings of the Hopeless and 2½ hours down to the Travers. We realise we’ve reached the Travers and that the info we have is, well, hopeless. Great, one hour less.

Off again and cranking out the kilometres down the picturesque Travers, a detour over a slip, and a welcome refuelling stop on a log in the sun on the flats. On down the river, over the bridge and through the bush and flats to Lakehead Hut. The last leg now, onto the Lakehead Track, a break for lunch, a last encounter with wasps, and the solid pace sees us reach Kerr Bay at 2 pm. Up to the lodge and our tramp is over. Within an hour we’ve showered and are comparing notes with the multi-trip party.

This was a great tramp in superb country. It was challenging but not overly onerous, and one that most trampers could handle. Our huge thanks to Roger for the planning and impeccable organisation. We were: Dennis Brown, Garry Brooks, Alan Spencer.

 Thanks Dennis for the report and Garry for the photos.

It was an early start 4.45 am pick up for a 6.50am flight.  Seven of us set off from Auckland Airport heading for Nelson. After  a trip of approximately 80 minutes we landed, collected our some what cumbersome luggage and found the shuttle van which would take us to our starting points.

The Multi-Day party of Bernard, Chris, Elizabeth and Lindsay, were dropped off, along with both parties’ food drops, at Lake Rotoroa. The Distance party continued on to Lewis Pass. We took the water taxi to Sabine Hut, dropping the food drops there. A beautiful spot by the lake with a pleasant DOC hut. By 11 o'clock we were on the track We tramped for about 5 hours, an easy track, to reach the West Sabine hut late afternoon. This was a larger hut but quite full.

We got organised and socialised a bit, including having the ubiquitous cups of tea. Suddenly, from above came a familiar voice saying “ I recognise those voices.”  You guessed it. The infamous Hines! Great rejoicing and joke telling with some hugs. A bit of catching up. Despite their earthquakes caused damage they were as positive as always.

An early night. As is typical, especially with the early darkness, we were asking each other starting around 5pm, if it was too early for dinner then bed. This was a nightly occurrence! I must say that on this type of tramping, I do catch up on the sleep! However being the city party some did partake in a little mulled wine

The next morning, up at the crack of dawn, which was around 6.30 to 7, we did the breakfast and repack thing and headed up the track to Blue Lakes hut. This took about 4 hours with rain most of the time. We were sheltered in the trees for much of this. Both the days’ tracks were easy and through beautiful, South Island beech forest and over some stony slips.The rain had the given benefit of allowing us to see a cascade of waterfalls at one stage

Once again we met up with the Hines’ party at this hut. The weather forecast wasn’t sounding too flash for the next day so we opted to retrace our footsteps back to the West Sabine hut in the rain then to the Sabine Hut in finer weather instead of crossing Moss Pass

On arrival at the Sabine hut we were offered a wash in hot water. A current occupant put on a huge pot of water to boil so we could do this. What luxury! This spacious hut by the lake had many piwakawaka flying around to get the insects. We were taken on a short night walk to the jetty to have a look at the eels. Wow! The size of some of them. One to two metres and up to a thickness of a leg. Earlier, Bernard did a “swim with the eels” thing. He actually didn’t know he was. He may have avoided Mt Cedric if the eels had got a little closer We finished the night with hot cross buns

The next day’s weather appeared to be calm enough for us to toil up Mt Cedric, an 1100 metre climb along the tops and ridges to Angelus hut. It took 2 and a half hours to get up above the tree line where the wind turned out to be very strong and cold. We all put on more clothes Several times it blew us women over and actually rolled Lindsay over. Lucky it wasn’t near the edge. Some trampers from Angeles hut advised us to keep to the leeward side of the wind good advice It was a six hour tramp by the time we reached the hut It was a new hut 18 months old and very spacious the only hut I have come across that had more social room kitchens etc than sleeping areas .As you do tramping, getting up at 2am to go outside, the weather had changed to freezing and it was snowing and left a covering all over the hut and ground by the morning

Day six and we were to head back St Arnaud along Roberts Ridge The winds had reduced from yesterdays 70 k/h to 60 k/h This was still too strong for the ridge ( trampers the night before had told of having to hold onto posts to avoid being blown off the ridge ) Once again we changed our plans  to suit the weather   something that we all need to be prepared for in Nelson lakes. We left the hut and went up the ridge and then immediately ducked down to Speargrass track and out to St Arnaud

The backpackers was full that night so were put up in a motel unit  This suited us well as we were all tired from fighting the weather

Day 7 bright sunny a nice unit and we abandoned heading back into Nelson Lakes   The thought of good coffee and real food persuaded us to do day walks from there  There are some nice day walks around there Bernard and Chris walked up the St Arnaud Track to the east  A good track but another 1100 m climb and a 6 hour day Once at the top we had views of all the mountains and tarns below.

Whilst in St Arnaud we came across several groups of university students doing an agriculture and environmental course  One group was training robins to find food that they had hidden (they said they were easy to train ) A second group counted eels, they stay in the lakes  for maybe 60 years and are then ready to head to Tonga  mate and die  The offspring return to the lakes Others were looking for different fungus   We came across all colours and shapes

Sunday morning and the shuttle came and took us back to Nelson  A good time was had by all and we were all looking forward to not seeing dehydrated food for a long time

My family were a little surprised when I said that I was going to “accept the acceptance” of volunteer hut warden duties over the Christmas break. So it was an early family Christmas, early leave request from my employers and then off to Nelson on 21 December to a windy wet day. Trish from Nelson Lakes Shuttles took me to St Arnaud through some very nasty deluges of rain along the way. It wasn’t a promising start weather wise but that afternoon in St Arnaud the rain cleared and optimism returned.

There was one other volunteer besides myself and we were to spend two stints of four nights, five days in each of the Travers and Sabine valleys with one day off between valleys. The morning of 22nd December was an induction session where we were given our badges, keys, information on protecting the DOC estate, hut cleaning instructions and training to use VHF radios (which, with the spare battery feel like an extra 2 kgs to carry). The radio schedules were twice daily while on the track with the weather updates given each morning.

After a substantial lunch, we set off – Simon to the Mt Robert Car Park and then tramping to Speargrass Hut and me, a walk around Lake Rotoiti to Lakehead Hut.

Pre Christmas, neither valley had large numbers of trampers although Christmas night at Mt Travers Hut I had a muster of 22. The really wet weather held off until the last day when I arrived at Coldwater Hut wet through from the long grass on the flats.

Our rest day and when I dropped off my radio at the DOC centre for a battery recharge, I was greatly surprised to learn that the only way out of St Arnaud by road was back to Nelson due to the stormy weather. It was difficult to believe as the weather in St Arnaud hadn’t been severe.

The next day I was taken to Mt Robert Car Park in fine weather and Jake, the DOC officer, commented as we drove over the bridge how high the water was in the Buller River. On my way to Speargrass Hut I met trampers who had come down the Sabine Valley in atrocious conditions – reports of the track wash outs and in places no track just a river of water. By the time I was further up the valley conditions had settled down but there were two sections of track which had completely disappeared. It was obvious that the river level had been running between one and two metres higher than normal.

Post Christmas, there were trampers out in numbers – most well equipped but some taking some foolish risks. It was so pleasing to see so many families out on the track. The youngest was a seven year old girl who, with her mother, had walked from Angelus Hut to Sabine Hut.

As for my Hut Warden experience, I thoroughly enjoyed it (despite the toilet cleaning and Hut Ticket collecting duties) - meeting trampers, assisting them in whatever way I could at the same time being mindful of their safety. In some Huts I didn’t have my own bunk room so it was a great opportunity to chat with some very interesting people.