The Matukituki - Dart treck
14 לפברואר 2006
Warning! Reading this text will take 8 -10 minutes
After doing two hikes, we were ready for new challenges. The Matukituki track gave us such an opportunity. "This track is only for experienced trackers" said the DOC leaflet. We were not intimidated, by now we were nearly professionals.
The 4 days track started at the supermarket. A 5 km walk between the ails searching for the perfect food product. one that will give the highest nutritious value, and the least amount of weight. We ended up with tuna, tuna and tuna. For variety we also added noodles, noodles and noodles. The next morning we took a lame looking bus to the start point. The bus impressed us with its ability to speed on gravel roads like they were highways, ignore the cows that block the way, even an occasional stream crossing didn't seem to slow it down. We arrived to the car park shaken (not stirred). We made pastrami sandwiches and started to walk.
Raspberry creek car park - Aspiring hut: 2.5 - 3 hrs
The easy walk in the valley wasn't easy at all. The 15 kg bags slowed us to an almost stand still pace. We wondered how we'll manage the next day: almost twice the distance and a 1400m climb. Thankfully the view distracted us. so did the cows. Hilly had a soft spot for them. She made diagnosis as she walked past them. Daniel visualised them as potential steaks. We arrived to the Aspiring hut tired but pleased, and cooked steaks for dinner.
Aspiring hut - Dart hut: 10 - 12 hrs
We got up an hour late and had breakfast (croissants and tea). We started to walk at 9:30, unfortunately in the wrong direction, so we came back. Twenty minutes delay. We Started the never-ending climb to Cascade Saddle. It was steep! after 15 minutes of climb we could barley move. "Why did we take that xtra T-shirt. Couldn't we have managed with only one pot?". We reached the summit (1800m) two hours behind schedule, took a long break, eating as much as possible. (Tracking is the only activity in which the more you eat the lighter you get).
The descent was faster. Gravity was kind enough to carry our bags for us. (Walking downhill is the only activity in which the more tired you are the faster you go). Half an hour later we were in the saddle. A creek flowing at 1500 meters altitude between two mountains. We took another break before crossing the water. These were water melting from the glaciers up the mountain. they were sweet to drink but freezing cold. We crossed bear-footed, it was painfully cold, but fun.
Then another short climb to the Dart glacier. Since the sun was shining we kept hearing (and sometimes seeing) bits of ice breaking and falling down the cliff to the creek below us. By now 10 hours had passed. We were sure the Dart hut (our destination) was close by. How wrong we were. Night began to close on us. We kept walking for two more hours but still no hut in sight. Then another creek to cross. This time a deep one. It was tough finding a spot to cross. Eventually we did but we wasted precious time. We took off our shoes and pants. and crossed in our underwear's. This time it wasn't much fun. We discovered what the sand flies are, or rather they discovered what we were. 10 minutes later we saw something resembling a hut. We felt great relief, as darkness was closing on us. But helas! The hut was no more then a rock. We realized that just as we discovered the next river we had to cross. This time because of the dark we could hardly see.
In squinted eyes we tried to find rocks to cross on in order to avoid getting in the water again. Nothing looked reliable enough. Daniel took a quick suicidal step and one leg slipped on the unstable rock and found itself in the water. What the hell.. He got inside with the other shoe and went Knightfully to help Hilly cross.
It is dark. Some of us are wet. We can see no hut. Not even the path. Thoughts about sleeping under a rock started to cross our minds. In spite of the slight panic we tried to think what is the best thing to do, and so we took out our flashlights, retraced our steps back to the last road-mark we saw and that way found our path. We were walking closely together and any sign that this was the right path made us feel better. After about twenty minutes we saw two flashlights coming in our direction. It was our two British friends that were walking before us most off the way - they got to the hut and were worried when we didn't arrive so they went looking for us. You can imagine the relief we felt. We got to the (dark) Dart hut at about 22:00. Daniel could finally take off his wet shoes. But that's not all... At this point we discovered that our new gas tank (that we bought especially for this track) wasn't working. Again our British angels came through and gave us there spear one. We cooked our spaghetti quickly and went to sleep.
Dart hut - Daleys hut: 6 - 8 hrs
We opened our eyes at about 6:30 - that's when all the other people in the hut starts to get organized. whispering to each other and making breakfast. Looking outside wasn't very cheering. I was raining... A good reason to close our eyes back.
We left the hut at about eight, Daniel's shoes still wet.
The wet shoes, Yesterday's Memory fresh in our minds, the annoying Sand flies and the rain made sure we didn't linger this time. As a matter of fact we practically ran. Walking through forests along the ravine we tried to enjoy the view, but we were anxious to get to the next hut. As all other huts it wasn't keen on revealing itself easily. (In tracking the closer you are the longer it takes to get there). After six tedious hours we arrived. It was 14:30 and we had half a day left to rest. We cooked noodles, ate some biscuits and went for a nap. We shared the hut with about 20 people (Canadian, Australians, Dutches, Americans and Kiwis) it was an interesting experience even-though we were too tired to socialise.
We helped lighting the fire in the stove, and put Daniel's shoes close to it so they would dry. Then we turned in.
Daleys hut - Chinaman's Bluff carpark: 4 - 5 hrs
The shoes were almost dry! That was the good news that morning. The bad ones - it was still raining. We took the time, slowly drank our tea and were nearly the last ones to leave the hut. The fairly easy walk had a razor sharp dead-line: 14:00 last bus pickup from the car park. Once more we were unwillingly in a race. We began to walk at 9:00. Muscles aching very tired, we didn't even stop once for a rest. We ate snacks as we walked drank without stopping. Only quickly stopping to take pictures. We walked straight for 4.5 hours. What kept us going was the comforting hamburger we were planning to buy in Queenstown (were we had to change buses on the way back to our home-base in Wanaka). When we got to the car park we were very tired but very satisfied. We have done it - A difficult track even in local terms, and we have completed it honorably. Waiting for the bus we used our last bag for our victorious tea.
