Takitimu Mountains

Weight adjusted we are trying another four day expedition. Peewee is heading into the Takitimu Mountains. Entry is through the Mount Linton Station, Peewee was confronted with conflicting information. Everywhere he looked there was a different distance, route and time. Oh well all we could do was get going and be prepared for what would be. The DoC sign at the beginning of the track said 19 km, great we could cut that out by early afternoon. This was good because the weather was overcast and looking like rain.

Peewee quickly struck up conversation with two walkers from Costa Rica and Virginia, USA. We had walked through a paddock of Angus heifers. Now these guys are pretty black. The girls were concerned that these beasts were the bulls they had heard tales about. Peewee assured them ,that these were just babies!

After 33km of up and up, down and up Peewee was glad to curl up in the tent at Telford campsite. It was to be an early start with a long ridge walk, 624 metres up! It was ideal weather, cloudy with just a little wind. The downside being that when Peewee reached the summit instead of being rewarded with views across to Rakiura and Bluff Hill we got to see the inside of a rain cloud! Then it was a steep descent to Lower Wairaki hut.

The next morning we were heading for Aparima Hut. Peeweee enjoyed the mild temperatures as he travelled through the forest. The early morning mist hung in the trees. As we came out on to the tussocklands we could see the the hut in the distance. Before crossing the bridge over the Aparima 

bridge Peewee was lucky enough to see skinks skittering across his path and then galaxid in the river.

Southland tussocklands and beech forest

Crossing the headwaters of the Aparima 

Tomorrow’s walk

As the weather was good and the travelling fast we decided after an hours rest and a lack of water at the hut made Peewee decide to push on. We found a great little campsite a couple of hours on and pitched the tent. Peewee was not keen to spend too long outside as the sandflies were pretty diabolical. Peewee was then treated to chest high tussock. Good thing he is good at jumping so he could find the next track marker!

We appreciated being a few hours ahead the next day as Peewee had another 220 metre climb before we made it to Princhester saddle. It was a case of the never ending ridge. Everytime we thought we were at the top it kept giving. And if Peewee thought the going up was never ending going down was the longest 2.5 km that he had ever done! It might have been 2.5 km as the crow, or should I say Karearea flys but not ground distance. The track was super muddy, and not at aexactly well maintained. Luckily it had been a dry week and we avoided the worst of the mud and the ground trail was pretty obvious.

Coming out Prichester Rd after a wash and quick change of clothes at the Lower Princhester hut

The short ridge tussock. We saw a four Karearea wheeling in the sky close to here.