Start – Royal Hut
Finish – TA km 2395 (nr Lake Tekapo Ski Field)
Daily Distance – 21 km
TA Distance – 2395 km
I will never gain employment as a weather man!
This morning, by unspoken agreement, everybody in the hut cancelled their 06:00 alarm, rolled over and
went back to sleep. Apparently I’m not the only one who doesn’t relish the prospect of venturing out into
the pouring rain. All good things come to an end though. After thoroughly enjoying my decadent 07:00
lie-in, the rain began to ease off and by 08:30 had stopped entirely. Optimistically deciding that the rain
was finished, I set out for the saddle, leaving the more pessimistic hut occupants (everyone else) happily
drinking coffee. Naturally, after 30 minutes the rain returned to punish my sunny disposition and steadily
worsened as I drew closer to the saddle. Unfortunate really as I have heard the views from the saddle and
adjoining ridge are lovely. I can’t confirm that as all I saw was mist and rain from the saddle and I decided
it wasn’t the type of weather for an exposed ridge walk. With a sense of crushing anticlimax (it was even
too wet and windy for my celebratory whisky) I departed the saddle and headed down the valley. Now, a
quick note for any TA walkers who have not yet done this section and may be considering taking this
valley track. Simply put, don’t! It is one of the worst trails on the TA so far. It’s a pathless, tussocky bog,
with a concentration of speargrass sufficient to shred your legs and replete with hidden holes just waiting
for your foot to disappear down them. In all but the worst weather, take the ridge down to Camp Stream
hut. To rub salt into the multiple lower leg wounds, about 40 minutes after leaving the summit, as if by
magic, the skies cleared and it became a beautiful sunny day. I was torn between laughter and beating a
tussock in frustration. Unable to decide, I did both.
It was in that mindset that I passed the next few hours, until reaching the (much nicer) path overlooking
lake Tekapo. Before setting out I had built up the saddle as the day’s highlight. Looking down on the
sparkling, azure waters soothed any earlier disappointment though. In such beautiful surroundings I was
excited to find a spot for a rare night of wild camping.
Contrary to my expectation when setting out, I think tonight is only about the 10th time I have wild
camped in the nearly 4 months of this trip. Between camping restrictions and the excellent South island
hut network, opportunity and incentive have rarely coincided. I really must try to do more in the time
remaining. A night of solitude every once in a while is proving a wonderfully peaceful thing.
