New Zealand is getting pummeled by a weather system,
So while I am glad to be home rather than in a riverbed, it does seem like I am running a little “late” on the trail and winter might be arriving earlier than I had hoped. This made me decide to NOT redo the next section of the TA, that I have completed in late January 2022. For the sake of completeness regarding the TA however, I went digging for the photo’s on an old phone and decided to make a single post entry about this section of the trail here. Although this was not my first ever section of the TA that I completed, I still remember enjoying the experience and ultimately it contributing to my decision to perhaps complete the whole thing. I also did this section southbound, but telling it here in the northbound direction to not confuse everyone, including myself.
Day 40, starting at the junction where the Rangitata and the Potts rivers meet. A friend got me here, to the carpark where the road crosses the Potts river and there is only a half day left to make progress on the trail. I skirted around the outer edges of Lake Clearwater and up a little saddle to the western end of Mt Guy. Like I said, it was a short day and I could not walk past what looked like a perfect camping spot for the night between Mt Guy and Dog Hill. (Yes, I know… you cannot be making up the names of these hills right?)
Day 41, preparing for a long day, continuing on the Clearwater Track through Hakatere Conservation Park (more than 9000ha protecting significant wetlands and expansive landscapes), around Lake Emily, past Manuka Hut, all the way to Double Hut.
Day 42, and I tented last night because Double Hut was full of hunters mostly. It was an almost windless warm night and I enjoyed being outdoors. The first part of today was a long climb up to Clent Hills Saddle (1480m AMSL) followed by a downhill section to Comyns Hut. In true TA style, the last bit of today was completely in the riverbed, but the sun was out and I actually enjoyed the cooling waters from the river via my feet.
Day 43, a reasonable 16km out to the Glenrock Stream junction with the Rakaia river.
Back to 2024, the rest of my actual Monday was spent on a gear check and getting everything clean and dry. My water bottles and drinking items needs some deep cleaning and I need to look at the clothing that I am taking with, now that it is getting colder.
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43.5323 – 172.5567
8 April 2024
FP-88
2 responses to “Rangitata River to Rakaia River – Day 40/43.”
Let’s be sure that Floating Phil continues floating while the rivers continue to become more swollen. On the bright side you are unlikely to be overheating and requiring the cooling effects of water that’s becoming a tad cooler.
Yes, most certainly, the water in the last river was freezing cold… maybe 1 or 2 degrees above freezing if you asked my feet.