Christmas Wangapeka Tramp

With Helen and I making some major changes in our life, we have taken some time out from working to de-stress. 

While I really enjoyed my job and the immediate people I worked with, there was aspects of the way the company was managed which caused extra unnecessary workload, while "One Team" was spouted by hierarchy it was one rule for them and one rule for us. The lack of staff training available for my team, the lack of paid cover for on-call, along with little protection for staff against acts by customers led to me resigning, I can only give so much and take so much BS.

So with having some downtime, we decided to go and hike the Wangapeka Track in the southern Kahurangi National Park.  This particular tramp had been on my/our radar for more than a few years. 

The track starts west of Tapawera (62 km from Nelson) and finishes at Little Wanganui on the West Coast.  You traverse four river catchments, the Wangapeka, the Karemea, the Taipo, and finally the Little Wanganui. This route has been around for over 125 years, there has been searches for precious metals, farming, and forestry in the region.

We had planned for five days to cover the 59 km, with a day spare, as we knew heavy rain had been fore-casted for the middle of the week.

Lucky for us, our friend Ant was able to drop us off at the start, big thanks for making the start logistics easy 😄 we will be happy to return the favour one day.

Day One - Siberia carpark to Stone Hut

We headed off, packs weighing 16kgs each.  We had a tent just in case the huts were full. Our aim was to head up the Wangapeka track to Stone hut from Siberia carpark.  This is mainly an old benched track so is good going.  An hour in I felt a hotspot forming on my heel, I was wearing new socks which I had trialed for a day.  20 minutes later I stopped and changed socks to a pair I knew were good, unfortunately it was too late, the blisters had already started to form ... oh well better start taking those concrete pills and just harden the f@#k up! 

No Whio were spotted before leaving the river, and a bite to eat was had at Kings Creek hut, then on passing Cecil Kings historic hut and up to Stone hut, our accomodation for the night.

20 kms in the book, 6 hours 40 minutes (including stops), not a bad effort for a desk jockey.

Day Two - Stone hut to Helicopter Flat hut

Today started with a brisk climb straight out of the hut up and over the Wangapeka Saddle, a little misty, but beautiful amongst the Beech forest and Dracophyllums.  The track here is still in good condition and we were making good time as we headed down into the headwaters of the Karamea river. I had paddle some of the lower reaches of this many years ago. There were a few slips to get around and fallen trees to clamber over. 

The track had really start to deteriorate, it was slower going and harder to spot the track markers.  It appears DoC have limited any maintenance they are doing on the track, leaving it to become a marked route, thats ok, their dollar only goes so far - it can't be easy to decide where to put it.

Today about 1 1/2 km from the hut, I had a fall, stepping down into a side stream to cross it, my foot slid out on a greasy rock slab and I went down on my hip and forearm, fortunately my pack absorbed a lot of the impact, but it was enough to knock the wind out of me, I then tripped again 15 minutes later, this really knocked  my confidence and slowed us down.

What I have realised over the last twenty years is I am still dealing with trauma from the drowning I was involved with in 2002. My depression is situational, when I loose my confidence or my identity life becomes black.

My identity is tied to how well I am doing, particularly in a work situation.  It took a long time to rebuild after the drowning.  I always saw myself as a solid dependable instructor who was safe, there were definitely better instructors out there.  Recently at work it had been a battle as well and it was effecting me physically (my psoriasis had flared up and two weeks after stopping work it had gone) and mentally.

Work had become a mental battle as well, but when then are others depending on your guidance, you continue on. So when I fell on the trip and for a second time, my confidence went out the door ... not only did my heals ache, my hip (which is already screwed together) ached. Trying to stay positive was hard, I was slow moving, Helen was waiting lots, I was struggling.

The second part of this, is an overwhelming feeling of being responsible for everyone to get home safe and in one piece. This is a very heavy weight to carry and when I can't look after myself it just got heavier.

We arrived at the hut mid afternoon, then Helen spotted two mature Whio with four chicks! Wahoo pretty special to see these guys ... still wondering what Whio are? Check your ten dollar note! Lots of predator control, by the Whio Forever group, has been carried out in these two valley's and there is approximately 70 pairs of Whio residing here now.

While enjoying a cuppa, we had a young English lad pop in, we gave him a much appreciated cuppa and gingernuts.  He was in awe of having seen so many kiwi on the track, it was a little sad we had to dispel his excitement, and tell him they were Wekas!

Well, he headed off towards the next hut, still full of enthusiasm.

12 kms completed today, half the distance down, a little slower going in 5 hours 40 minutes.  Just before helicopter Flat hut we took the high route rather then crossing the river to keep our boots dry, maybe it was the slower route.

Day Three - Helicopter Flat hut to Stag Flat bivvy

Today we left the Karamea river and headed up the Taipo river (one of the headwater tributaries to the Karamea). 

Our initial plan was just to go through to the Taipo hut, but on arriving there and looking at the weather closing in, we thought it would be better to continue to Stag Flat biv at the head of the valley. Our thoughts were if tomorrow was going to be mildly wet it would be an hour less to do or if it was heavy rain we could stay put.

The sun came out for the day, Helen was on to spotting the track markers so we made reasonable progress. Giving us some wonderful views of the peaks around us.

Around dinner time the heavens opened up and down came the rain, it continued through the night and eased up mid to late morning the next day.

11 kms completed today, 4 hours 11 minutes.

Day Four - Christmas Day - Stag Flat bivy

Spent the day here, waiting for the side streams to drop, when it did clear we got some great views of waterfalls that had appeared with the rain. A quiet day reading, listening to podcasts and watching the weather.

Day Five - Stag Flat bivvy to Belltown Manunui hut

It dawned sunny and was time to get moving, this we knew was going to be the hardest day of the trip.  It starts well for the first 150 metres of board walk then turns right and just climbs for a solid 40 minutes.

Then you pop out of the bush and onto Little Wanganui Saddle with a view all the way to the sea on the West Coast. It is the only spot where you get briefly above the bush line, we stopped to enjoy the view, texted our contacts to say we were going to be a day late (yes there was cell service at this point, not strong but enough to send a message). On with a wind breaker and to start descending for the next two days.

This side was steep, and it had been hammered by a cyclone in 2014.  Lots of windfall and slips over the track making progress slow. The trees were wrapped in their mossy coats, the forest floor was covered in beech tree leaves, which looks like someone has spilt the cornflakes box, it was just spectacular bush to be travelling through.

We called in and checked the Wangapeka Biv, a two bunk portacom, helicopted into place and bolted down ... simple concept.

There is one major side stream which is unbridged (McHarrie) and the water levels had dropped, it was good to cross.

Arriving at the Manunui hut site, we discovered they had moved it a further kilometre down the track, in fact they had built a brand new hut in 2022.

It was to be the only night we shared any of the huts, with two other couples, lots of interesting stories were shared.

We managed 11 kms in 6 hours 30 minutes, it felt we had been travelling quickly but in fact was our slowest speed.

Day Six - Belltown Manunui to the Road end

Last day, we loaded up and headed off, it was warm and muggy but the end was in sight and was good going and soon we were there. From the road end when you look south across the river you can see where the cyclone snapped the big trees off at half height, just a ferocious force.

An hour before the end we bumped into some trail angels who were out for a walk.  They arrived back at the road end soon after and offered a lift into Little Wanganui, in typical West Coast style we stopped in at their place, I enjoyed a beer and Helen had a cuppa.  We chatted for an hour had a look around, then they dropped us down at the Little Wanganui Hotel, where we were to stay the night and get the shuttle back to Nelson the following day.

The final 10 km done in 3 hours 18 minutes

A big thanks to Jimmy and Marnie for house sitting and the wonderful meal which awaited us when we got home! You guys are the best!

The trip overall

Huts

The Crown Jewels of Bike Packing - The Heaphy, Old Ghost Road and the Paparoa Track

 Bike packing has really taken off in New Zealand over the last 15 years. 

Every bike shop, every manufacturer has specialised bikes, packs, tyres, etc available! What a change and it is great seeing everyone out there enjoying the incredible network of trails we have. Routes have been put together to challenge everyone ... Tour Aotearoa, Cape to Cape, Sounds to Sounds, Te Waiponamu, Renegades Muster, the Great Southern Brevet, the Kiwi Brevet, the Geyser Mega Grind, the Carrot Cake Chase and the list goes on.

But for back country trials my favourite three are (and they are pretty much on my door step!) The Heaphy, The Old Ghost Road and the Paparoa Track.

Rugged wilderness ... HUGE views ... peace and quiet ... Stunning flora and fauna

While each of these rides can be completed in a day (by the fit), I ask why? Life is so busy and these places are an opportunity to slow down and (as they say) smell the flowers. Enjoy being in the moment, where you are, who you are with and soak in the surroundings.

JEWEL No 1 - THE HEAPHY

The Heaphy, ohh so much history here as a ride, it was a paper road through what was North West State Forest Park, but with it becoming Kahurangi National Park  and mechanical vehicles were not allowed, access to the paper road was closed. Long negotiations followed after a few years an agreement was formed that it could be ridden during the winter months (1 May to 30 November), a first in a National Park! We owe a big thanks of gratitude to both sides of the negotiation table.

At 78 kilometres long, but with a 430 km shuttle from one end of the track to the other it involves some serious logistics.

We avoid this by doing a there and back option, leaving from the Golden Bay road end, staying at Saxon hut for the night, then the next day doing an out and back ride to the coast, without any gear and on the third day ride back to the car, followed by a cold pint at the Mussel Inn on he way home.

The Heaphy Track

JEWEL No2 - The Old Ghost Road

This is a magic ride into some BIG back country, carved through rock and bush which takes in some stunning vistas.

We start this 85 km ride at Lyell in the Buller river valley and climb to stay at either Lyall Saddle or Ghost Lake, the following day head out to Speciman Point Hut on the Mokihinui River, the last day is a cruisy morning out to the trial end for a shower and beer.

There is no way in  hell that i want to ride this in one day, there is so much to take in and I want to just enjoy being out amongst the wilderness, this is a really special place, which we have the privilege's of visiting due to a small group of people tenacity and hard work... THANK YOU!

There is a great video on building the trail on the website check it out here

JEWEL No 3 - The Paparoa Track

Like the previous two trials, the landscapes are stunning and vary so differently between the three tracks. At 55 kilometres this is the shortest track but dont underestimate the climbing involved on day one ... that can be said for the other two as well!

'The escarpment that you traverse along between the moonlight tops hut and the Pororari hut has to be seen to be believed.

We do this over two days finishing in Punakaiki, for a meal and pint.

The Paparoa Track

Shuttles can be arranged for all these trails which makes it easy to do, fill the car with people and split the costs, it makes it reasonable. All the huts are well serviced so you don't have to carry much but you do have to book in advance, check the links to the websites.