Round the Mountain - Day 5

A broken night of sleep.  The 10 year old sleeping beside me had a bad cold and much of the night he was either coughing or swallowing mucus from his running nose. 

On a more positive note; the Taradale Group lit the stove the previous evening warming the hut and drying out our gear.

The weather forecast for the day wasn't good.  Wind, low cloud and showers! 

Whilst awake during the night I decided I would adjust the contents of my pack.  I've now eaten four days of food and with some careful packing should be able to fit everything that has been tied onto the back in 'stuff sacks' inside the pack.  I also realised I've been the one carrying the rubbish bag, which has being growing in size and weight as the days pass.  I ask Carlin to carry the rubbish and he agrees with a small smile.  Could it be that he has been 'gulling' me?

We are now on the  western "wet" side of the mountain which means any rain is likely to increase the size and flow of any steams we need to cross.  Our options are to continue on to Whakapapaiti Hut and stay the night walking out to Whakapapa Village on the sixth day or take the bad weather detour which goes up the side of a steep ridge and across high and exposed terrain to the Bruce Road then down the bitumen road to the village (purple track on the map below).

The Taradale School Group are going to Whakapapaiti Hut as the Outward Bound challenge requires then to spend four nights.  They will then backtrack part of the walk tomorrow and walk out via the detour.

We decide to delay the decision until we reach the detour turnoff.

We will need to cross eleven streams before reaching the detour turnoff.   Obviously that also means eleven rises and descents.

From the hut there is a high ridge that needs to be crossed.  Just over the top is Lake Surprise

Because of the higher rainfall on this side of the mountain the Department of Conservation have installed a series of duckboards in an effort to minimise erosion.

The terrain is mostly open with low scrub.  We are exposed to the wind and cold and realise if we take the detour to the higher ground then the conditions will likely get worse.  Another consideration!

Carlin takes a 'selfie' with the waterfall in the background

Some of the ground is now soil rather than rock, which is wet and slippery.

After 4.5 hours we reach the junction and a decision must be made.  Do we walk the additional 30 minutes to the hut returning in the morning or should we continue to the caravan park and end the walk today?  We decide to continue to the end.

The start of the detour track is a series of zigzags climbing to the top.  The difference in altitude is only 100 metres but it felt like more.  We're now on top of the ridge and must follow it for 1.5km to the road.  The wind and rain buffet us and we need to keep walking to stay warm.  There are no photos as we focus on reaching the road.    The weather conditions don't improve on the road until we reach a lower altitude where the forest provides some shelter.

Cars wiz passed us in the rain and wind.  An offer of a ride would have been appreciated.  But then that would have been cheating.

We arrive back at the caravan park and I'm cold, wet and stiff.  I manage to get out of my boots and wet clothing before donning something dry and head to the shower block.  Carlin is already there.  A hot shower, shampoo and shave revives me.  We've done it!  Carlin looks like he has just completed an afternoon stroll whilst looking in the mirror I see I'm shattered!

It's been our longest day and hard going with the weather and terrain.  One of the larger ski lodges in Wakapapa Village is open for casual diners and we walk the kilometre to eat.  Real food instead of mush.  After five days on subsistence rations we order a large portion of garlic bread, chips with cheese and gravy, and a pizza each, washed down with a beer.  All of it was eaten with room to spare.

Another one off the bucket list.