There are such a lot of walks and tramps in New Zealand on my record that I haven’t had an opportunity to take a look at. And irrespective of how a lot I get out and deal with them, the record solely grows longer. Humorous how that occurs.
However there’s one monitor I’ve been desirous to do perpetually, the Heaphy Observe. New Zealand has ten Nice Walks, together with the Heaphy, and I’ve principally executed all of them, some even a number of instances. Nice Walks have higher infrastructure than our regular backcountry tramps – additionally they include greater worth tags and ebook out quick. Greater, fancier huts with wardens. Some even have flushing bogs (!!!). Vast and better-maintained trails, and for a few of them, you may select guided choices.
Whereas kiwis pleasure themselves on being powerful and low-cost in relation to tramping (no arguing), there’s something nice about simpler tracks. I’ve executed my justifiable share of slogging by frigid rivers, climbing tree roots and scrambling up dodgy rocks, and even strolling in knee-deep mud (f*ck that). I’m fairly certain the motto right here is, “Why construct a pleasant switchback path when you may simply climb straight up the mountain?”
However I’m gonna be trustworthy: I like an opportunity NOT to make use of my fingers when tramping, hanging on for pricey life, and praying to no matter god is on the market that torture ends quickly. I actually don’t care about being hardcore.
When you received’t see many kiwis on the favored Nice Walks, it was all locals once I did the Heaphy Observe in Might this 12 months. From Might 1st, our autumn, the monitor opens to mountain bikers. At an 84-kilometer tramp, it’s the longest Nice Stroll (minus canoeing the Whanganui River), and I’ll argue it’s the most effective.
So why did I put it off for thus lengthy? As a result of the beginning and end of the monitor are a seven-hour drive aside. I couldn’t determine the logistics, particularly as I choose to tramp alone. The beginning on the West Coast is a ten-hour drive from Wānaka, too. It’s fairly a dedication, and it could be practically $500 to relocate my automobile, on prime of gasoline: it presently prices me $175 to refill my little automobile right here. NOPE.
However then I discussed to a buddy that I used to be eager to deal with the Heaphy this 12 months, and so they instructed me about Golden Bay Air as the most effective logistics possibility. Seems to be left to proper, how did I not learn about this? You’ll be able to fly in between the beginning and end, and so they do numerous shuttles. They’ve streamlined the method of organizing the tramp, and it’s inexpensive. It’ll prevent 450 kilometers of driving. Rely. Me. In.
How I organized my logistics with Golden Bay Air:
- I drove from Wanaka to Westport in a day and stayed in a motel that evening
- The subsequent morning, I drove north, and I dropped a bag of fresh garments and toiletries on the tiny airport in Karamea
- Then I drove quarter-hour to the beginning of the monitor on the West Coast facet
- I parked my automobile on the Kōhaihai campsite, which is the place the monitor begins
- Over the following 4 days, I walked the Heaphy Observe
- I stayed in these huts so as:
- Day 1 – Heaphy Hut
- Day 2 – James Mackay Hut
- Day 3 – Perry Saddle Hut
- I met the Golden Bay Air automobile shuttle pick-up on the finish of the monitor at Brown Hut to move to Takaka airport
- I grabbed my rent automobile and my different bag from the Takaka airport
- I stayed in Takaka for 3 nights to discover Golden Bay
- I returned to the Takaka airport to return the rent automobile and catch my quick flight again to the Karamea airport
- Then, the shuttle introduced us again to the beginning of the monitor at Kōhaihai, the place I left my automobile
- Then drove again to Wanaka
**This seems like rather a lot, however principally, while you ebook with Golden Bay Air, they cowl all of those companies, so the method is streamlined, and the timings all line up, so that you don’t have to attend round. And for these of you studying from abroad, the Karamea and Takaka airports are tiny, the dimensions of a room; they’re extra like an airstrip, not for bigger industrial jets. There’s no queuing or something.
I made a decision to stroll the Heaphy Observe from the Karamea/West Coast facet north to Takaka. Most individuals do it the opposite approach, nevertheless it doesn’t matter. I don’t assume it’s tougher in both path. Karamea is simply nearer to me to drive to than Takaka.
My GPS instructed me that the monitor was 84 kilometers lengthy, and it was largely evenly cut up over the 4 days, often 16-25 kilometers per day. For me, it actually wasn’t that onerous. I believed the times could be for much longer than I believed – every day took me round 4 to 5 hours. The most effective half, although, is the monitor feels flat. For those who have a look at DOC’s elevation profile, it seems daunting. You’re climbing to 1,000 meters however over 20 kilometers. It’s so gradual you don’t discover the incline a lot.
I seen my again was slightly extra sore than regular as a result of I had a heavier pack, bringing my digital camera and extra meals than on shorter tramps. So don’t be delay by the 20-kilometer days—they have been simple, the monitor appears flat, there are not any steps besides onto bridges (bear in mind folks bike it), and it’s effectively maintained. You may also make it longer by staying at a number of the smaller huts.
You’ll be able to drink the water alongside the monitor too – it’s stained brown from tannins from leaf matter. It’s completely wonderful to drink and tastes higher than my faucet water.
I made a decision to deal with the Heaphy Observe within the autumn. It doesn’t have the avalanche hazard that the extra mountainous Nice Walks have, making it a monitor you might deal with all 12 months lengthy. Although I think about it could possibly be disagreeable and chilly in winter, I reckon you’d in all probability have the monitor all to your self!
Additionally, I’m conscious that many individuals assume it’s bizarre that I like tramping alone and that I discover the concept of being the one one on the monitor AMAZING. I’m an introvert. I usually hate folks. I can’t assist it.
I’ll use this chance to emphasise simply how vital it’s to put together accordingly and carry a Private Locator Beacon (PLB), which you’ll hire when you don’t personal one. That is what you set off you probably have a life-threatening harm or are in peril of great harm or lack of life. Belief me, Search and Rescue would fairly come and discover you along with your GPS location from the PLB than have to start out trying to find our bodies.
There’s additionally the chance of flooding, which suggests you may need to remain longer on the monitor. There are lots of huts and a number of other emergency shelters. Carry additional meals. I at all times deliver additional meals.
The biodiversity struck me as the most effective a part of the Heaphy Observe. It’s unbelievable, and I’d even say it’s a number of the finest I’ve seen tramping. The landscapes are unbelievable and various. The West Coast is inexperienced and humid, the path meandering alongside the rugged shoreline shrouded in nikau palms. You then head by some unbelievable forest earlier than climbing up into crimson tussock nation. It was colourful. It was lovely.
I noticed kiwi, tūī, bellbirds, a fernbird (!!), whio, weka, kererū, robins, riflemen and so many extra. You’ll be able to inform there was a lot predator management within the space to guard it; the birdlife was wonderful. It’s additionally the place you will discover the most important carnivorous snails—Powelliphanta snails. What the heck? I vaguely knew this, however name me intrigued. I looked for them so laborious, however I solely discovered three shells. One of many DOC rangers instructed me it’s laborious to search out them alive.
And the queen of birds to see alongside the Heaphy Observe: the takahē. And I didn’t see one; cue tears. It wasn’t like I didn’t attempt guys. Takahē can poo as much as 9 meters per day. You guess your ass I adopted these poo trails all by the bush across the monitor for ages. However nada. Different folks did see them, which makes me joyful. Whereas I used to be there, some have been hanging round Saxon Hut at sundown.
I’ve been privileged to have seen takahē many instances in ecosanctuaries and at their breeding facility, however by no means within the wild. I assume that simply means I’ve to return.
Takahē are a badass, massive, hefty blue fowl that was as soon as declared extinct for 50 years. Not many creatures can boast about getting back from the useless.
Geoffrey Orbell, a doctor, discovered a wild inhabitants of takahē within the Murchison Mountains by Te Anau in 1948. These days, with a variety of laborious work in conservation, there are about 500 takahē in New Zealand. Many are in predator-free ecosanctuaries and islands (record right here). There nonetheless is a inhabitants within the Murchisons, nevertheless it’s probably not accessible to the general public. I’ve been making an attempt to weasel my approach up there for years unsuccessfully, pun meant. I do know it ruins a joke to elucidate it, however weasels are mustelids, like stoats, that are one of many worst launched predators in New Zealand. In reality, in 2007, stoats managed to kill half the takahē there. Furry monsters.
However what made Kahurangi Nationwide Park significantly particular was the discharge of the second wild inhabitants of takahē in 2018. This huge milestone brings us one step nearer to restoring our land, birds, and different creatures to what it as soon as was like.
Many because of Golden Bay Air for organizing the entire logistics to make this doable. As at all times, I’m maintaining it actual—all opinions are my very own, as when you may count on much less from me.