Day 90: Pelorus Bridge Campsite to Middy Creek Hut (1808-1835)

Monday, February 27

I woke around 7 after sleeping wonderfully at the campground. Sara and I wanted to eat some food from the cafe before we started walking and it didn't open until 8:30.

As I ate my meat pie and scone the DOC guy told us the weather was supposed to be perfect as we made our way through the Richmond Ranges. That's always good to hear! I got one last popsicle before our week on the trail and put on some sunscreen. The sun was already staring to beat down.

Once we were ready, we hit the road. We should have had a road walk of over 10 kilometers to get to the start of the Pelorus River track, but two really nice ladies, one from England and one from outside Seattle, asked if we were TA walkers and offered us a ride. The lady from Washington lives close to the PCT and enjoys helping hikers on that trail. Both of them come to New Zealand in the Northern Hemisphere winter and they were going to do a multi-day hike staying in huts on the Pelorus River Track.

We got to the trailhead and Sara and I started walking around 11. The Emerald Pool, a green-ish section of the river, seemed like a good place to stop for lunch. It had a picnic table but the sandflies were unbearable so we scarfed down some food and hit the trail.

I made it to Captain Creek Hut and checked out the log book. Marjolein, Julia, Puff Puff and Dave had been through. Some for a night and some just for a lunch break. Sara got to the hut we talked for a bit before continuing to Middy Creek Hut.

When I got to Middy Creek Hut I started filtering water in the river and the sandflies came after me in what felt like a cloud. I decided to take the water up to the hut to filter it. Sandflies are usually worse by the water. Sara got to the hut and I finished filtering all the water I'd want for dinner and tomorrow morning.

It had been an incredibly hot day, so Sara and I decided to go for a swim in the river. There was an amazing swimming hole! Next to the swimming hole there were rocks that were easy to climb so we could jump in the water. Most of the hike today looked over the crystal blue water and now we were swimming in it. It was so clear I could make out ever pebble in the nine-foot-deep water and every speck of dirt on my feet where I could touch the ground.

The best thing about the swimming hole was if I swam underwater for a few seconds the sandflies would lose track of me. We went back up to the hut and a French TA hiker headed Northbound arrived from Starveall Hut. He went for a swim and the nice ladies who gave us a ride to the trailhead arrived. A little later a French-Canadian headed north on the TA arrived too. The hut was full.

The three of them went for a swim and when they got back we all talked for a bit and made our dinners. The TA hikers told us they thought that the Richmond Range, which we were about to do, was the most difficult part of the trail for them so far. But the trail didn't sound muddy or hard to follow, just steep. Once we're done with it, it'll be nice to (hopefully) know the most difficult part of the trail is behind us.

After dinner everyone was pretty tired and we all quietly laid in our bunks. I watched some West Wing and went to bed.