24. Omaru – Ngapurua (TMM 4)

Monday, March 4: Hot & sunny

Tramping: 20.4 km

Ngapurua Hut (Doc, $15)

Couldn’t seem to get much sleep last night, and the sleeping bag was always too warm – even after it got down to about 10° I was still outside the bag and only got in because it was beginning to feel a bit cold. Must have had a lot of heat to dump.

Accordingly I was up a little later @ 7:30, but soon had had breakfast and everything was packed away: The volume is slowly but surely decreasing. I was ready to go by 9:30 and set an aim of 11:30 to do the Mt Humphries summit. There was a further route signposted along the way but it is no longer on any map. Got to the turnoff just a little late, had a break of a single muesli bar and then pushed on to the next hut (Pouri) for a lunch break proper and was rewarded by a spectacular panorama of the central volcanoes which I shot as a fivefold ±⅓ bracketed pan with pol filter. The view of Ruapehu was astonishing. Then it was back on the track.

Up to the Humphries turnoff the track is quite easy to follow and from there there is a surveyed section almost as far as Pouri. But then the fun begins: Very few markers (for longer stretches none at all) and the track is very overgrown. About the only thing to keep you knowing that you are indeed on the track is that the track sometimes reverts to a clear cut & trodden path, whereas a goat track wouldn’t. Once or twice there was a bridge or short boardwalk, the chances of finding which randomly in the forest seemed to be too slim. And every now and then there is a kilometre post, although the majority of these appear to be lost to the undergrowth.

Slide Show

I had designated a break two hours after lunch and at around that time a signpost did turn up, followed by three orange markers (and after that no more) and within the appointed time I was at the hut – well first saw what I thought was a woodshed, but in fact is a “shelter”, and then the hut to the right. Sealing door, flywire on the openable windows and a gigantic stove, which I don’t think I’ll be using.

There is a sink for washing up directly on the deck, and a tap but no sink at the rain tank itself so I thought that today’s ablutions might also include a hair & beard wash, and a preliminary washing of the boots, just to get some of the swamp out of them. Stripped down Vladimir Putin style and let the very cold water run over my head, and perhaps relieve some of the heat load. Everything worked out fine and I am now considering setting up a sunset series, as a tiny bit of cloud is showing.

Interactive Map

Will start the sunset series with new batteries on rawopint #3, continuous shooting and see what happens. Cooking was done at the same time. For the record: ½ cup of rice, 1 cup of water, bring to boil, wait four minutes. Add ⅓ cup of dried peas, 1 cup of water, bring to boil, leave for eight minutes; add ½ cup of water, instant noodles, bring to boil, wait two minutes, add flavoring, serve salted.

Can’t help thinking what a crazy exercise this is – especially today where most of the track required mind reading. Wouldn’t want to be doing it with a bunch of novices in the rain.

Wallet will have to be reactivatable tomorrow. My wish for coming off the track: Fruit juice! Haven’t had anything like that in a long time. No hand cramps or spasms or other cramps today. Two smaller screwtop plastic containers (100 mL) for sugar and coffee should be enough, even perhaps for butter. Sixty hours without contact.