Day 92: Browning Hut to Slaty Hut (1850-1864)

Wednesday, March 1

Sara and I got packed up and left Browning Hut around 8. We got to Hacket Hut around 9 and ate a quick snack before leaving about 45 minutes later.

After Hacket Hut, the trail went into the river for a bit. At one point the trail markers made it look like we were supposed to get out of the river, but after bush whacking for a few minutes we realized they wanted us in the river a bit longer. Once the river bit was over, the trail was pretty much uphill to Starveall Hut. I caught up to the four Kiwi ladies we had been following and got to Starveall Hut around 12:15. There was a retired Kiwi from Hamilton that was drying out his tent. We talked for awhile and he packed his tent back up and headed for Slaty Hut.

When Sara got to Starveall we talked for a bit and she decided she wanted to take a quick nap because she hadn't slept well last night. It was only supposed to take a few hours to get there so there wasn't any hurry. I left around 1:45. The views on this section were spectacular and went on for miles and miles. I met a Kiwi from Nelson hiking some of the Richmond Ranges in the opposite direction and took in some more beautiful views in the last little stretch to the hut.

I got to the hut around 4 and talked with the Kiwi I had met at Starveall. There were also two French hikers at the hut doing certain sections of the TA northbound. They had come from Rintoul Hut.

I wanted to wait until Sara got to the hut to make dinner, so I started to watch an episode of the West Wing. But soon after I started it she got to the hut. She got her bunk set up and I finished the episode. It was still a little early for dinner so I borrowed Sara's filter and plunger to clear out my water filter and get all the water I needed for tomorrow.

Sara carries the Sawyer squeeze filter and I have the sawyer mini. The mini is great for short weekend trips, but when I get home I'll be buying a Sawyer Squeeze for any overnight hikes. It's a tiny bit larger and heavier than the mini, but it filters water so much faster and it doesn't clog nearly as fast. Once I get my bounce box in Christchurch I'll have to start carrying my mini filter and the plunger to keep it clean, so the larger squeeze filter and no cleaning plunger would probably be lighter.

We ate dinner and got ready for bed. I of course watched a few West Wing episodes before going to sleep.