ARTHUR’S PASS – LAKE TEKAPO 

Section Distance = 194 km

Total Distance = 1248 km

This section had so many highlights, from reaching the highest point of the trail and seeing in the new year with a snow-capped mountain sunrise to big rivers and vast tussock plains, I don’t quite know where to start!

ARTHUR’S PASS – HAMILTON HUT 

Road walking out of Arthur’s Pass to start the next leg of my journey turned into beech forest and tussock on a lovely trail (a little boggy after recent rainfall) that led to Hamilton Hut and river views for the evening.

 

HAMILTON HUT – HARPER CAMPSITE (Lake Coleridge) 

The following day was both shorter in km’s and duration as I got my first full day of river flats!!! It involved many river crossings as usual but the beautiful turquoise water and sunny skies made for one happy hiker.

I experienced my first TA tent village with 5 of us arriving at Harper Camp (Lake Coleridge) for the night.  

 

HARPER CAMPSITE – A FRAME HUT 

This section of the trail involves getting a shuttle around 2 large braided rivers, the Rakaia and Rangitata. Rivers in NZ can rise very rapidly from rain many km’s away and the large braided river systems can be dangerous as you have to cross many channels (some sections can be kilometers wide) to reach the other side. Because of this the trail ends at each river and begins again on the other side with several shuttle companies that offer groups of hikers a safe lift around the river. I was glad to be hiking in a little group at this point as it made organizing shuttle transfers both cheaper and easier.

To reach our pickup point we had a 22km road walk under a baking sun. I started out at dawn and made it with enough time to spare to lay by the lake.

After a very bumpy ride along a rutted gravel road there was still another 9.5km to hike up a steep switchback over Turton’s Saddle and back down to A frame Hut.

 

A FRAME HUT – DOUBLE HUT 

New years eve brought both freezing winds and brilliant sunshine, steep slopes (both up and down the scree), flat valleys, fun photos and an early night!

We all had dinner in the sun outside the hut and promptly went to bed before it had even set, let alone make it to actual midnight 😴 but I did have the opportunity to watch the first sunrise of 2022 cooking breakfast the next morning!

Double Hut even has Sir Edmund Hillary’s signature among the many notations written around the walls from decades of hikers passing through…

 

DOUBLE HUT – LAKE CLEARWATER CAMP 

New years day was a loooong one hiking wise, across the vast grass plains bordered by steep slopes. It was a hot treeless section of trail and I had the music on today to help the km’s go by.

This evenings camp was near Lake Clearwater as we wanted to get a close as possible to our pickup location for tomorrow’s morning shuttle around the Rangitata River…

 

LAKE CLEARWATER – MESOPOTAMIA STATION 

Up before dawn to smash out the remaining 10km to our shuttle pick up spot by 8:30am! Today’s lift involved a quick resupply stop in Geraldine on the way around (with a trip to the bakery for yummy treats enroute).

After all the lovely sunshine I have added a gaitor tan line to my weird tan collection 🤦‍♀️

 

MESOPOTAMIA STATION – STONE HUT 

This day was to put it simply, not fun! And by that, I mean that all the things I find most challenging were all combined into this one day… 

Deepest river crossings yet (I could thankfully team up with my fellow TA’s to safely tackle the deeper crossings, vertical climbs (both up and down scree slopes), tussock and spear grass (in a ‘make your own way’ between markers section trying not to trip yourself over or get stabbed by the spikes) …

Let’s just say I was VERY happy to see the hut and end the day with a cold Raro in the afternoon sun.

 

STONE HUT – CAMP STREAM HUT 

After the hard uphill slog of the day before the final ascent to Stag Saddle (1925m) was slightly ‘easier’… or maybe the view made it worth all the effort 😀

We spent a lovely hour on the saddle before descending via the ridge route which afforded panoramic views over Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mt Cook, The Divide and the entire valley below!!!

Our hut for the night was built in 1898!

 

CAMP STREAM HUT – LAKE TEKAPO 

Heading for the bright turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo on the final day of this section along more ‘mostly’ flat grasslands and gravel road…

Time for a rest day to resupply, replace some broken gear and relax 👌 I’m currently craving fresh fruit after so many days of trail food… 🍓🍌🥝🍍🍇🍎🍉

I had some great fellow TA’s to spend this section hiking with which made the tough slopes, long days and fabulous views all the more enjoyable for having shared them! And what better way to see in the new year than to be out exploring this beautiful country.

 

Next stop, Wanaka in Te Araroa Part 11