Old Ghost Road Part 2

After leaving Ghost Lake Hut Peewee dropped down into the head of the south branch of the Mohikinui River, then started the ascent to the Skyline Ridge. On the way up Peewee past places with names like Heavens Door and Tombstone.  The names seemed very adept. Peewee certainly felt very exposed and was grateful for a calm sunny day.

Then came the Skyline Steps. There were 302 steps down the ridge. Peewee was glad he was carrying just a pack and not a bike! Before travelling through the Graveyard Peewee passed by Lake Grimm and Lake Cheerful. These were delightful tarns high up in the Earnest Valley.

At the head of the Stern Valley there were the most friendly weeks. One in particular was keen to join Peewee for our morning break.

We then dropped down into the Stern River and the sandflies. After a cool swim in the river and a quiet night in the hut Peewee made his way over the slips made in the 1939 and 1968 earthquakes. The track narrowed and there were bridges across the faces to make the route safer across slips with names like Suicide Slip , old earthquake lakes, and deserted mining townships.

As Peewee made his way down to the end of the track he past the remains of the Rough and Tumble bridge which was the original route to Karamea. The stone supports collapsed in the 1929 earthquake.As a result the route through the Glasseye to Karamea was replaced with the current route over the Karamea bluffs. All that is left is the iron work in the riverbed.