Start – Highland Creek Hut
Finish – Roses Hut
Daily Distance – 11 km
TA Distance – 2660 km
Bluff Distance – 381 km
An atmospheric day of cloud filled valleys, windswept heights and promised rain that never quite arrived.
A combined total of 1000 metres ascent and subsequent descent over two big hills has made this 11km
tough going. The quality of the track has at least been better than most of the TA, which is a huge relief.
Big climbs I can do (eventually), but fighting against rubbish trail strips the fun out of a day.
As per last night, the hut is full tonight. Being chivalrous I have volunteered to take a top bunk. For some
reason DOC only ever builds 1 (or no) ladder up to the top bunk level. This requires jumping/scrambling
up/down to your bunk, or crawling over several other people to reach your bunk from the head of the
ladder. In my mind’s eye I thought this would be easier than it actually is. The spectacle of me wriggling
like a beached seal onto my bunk is one I am glad nobody has captured on camera.
