Day 21/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ā¹ļøStats: Sunday 21st January
Weather: Sunny all day until the evening - then rain & thunder āļø
From: John Tait Hut
Start time: 7.25am
To: Blue Lake Hut
End time: 6.35pm
Accommodation: camped āŗļø
Terrain: Rocky, forests, mountains, steep climb, river crossings, wet, muddy, more rocks
š„¾Km: 13.7
š¦¶Steps: 17,562
Total Km: 2014.5/3028 = 66% ā
š°Costs: $0
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 9/10
Fatigue: 6/10
Ease of terrain: 8/10
āļøHighlights: passing 2000km (although I didnāt realise it). It was good to start early and get the kms in. Pleased I got to Blue Lake Hut. It was a tough - but fun day.
šļøChallenges: 1 or 2 slips - bit of blood on the elbow - but Iāll survive.
šThoughts: whatās going to happen with the weather tomorrow? Can I make it over the pass? Is it safe to walk?
Day 22/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Waiau Pass Track (Te Araroaās second-highest point) - incredible š„³
ā¹ļøStats: Monday 22nd January
Walked with Kai (š©šŖ)
Weather: cloudy then sunny
From: Blue Lake Hut
Start time: 10.30am
To: flat ground by the side of the river. 2024.5 km
End time: 6.30pm
Accommodation: camped - it would have been another 4hrs walking to make it to the next hut. Good decision to stop.
Terrain: very steep scree slopes, boulders fields, scrambling, steep drop-offs Avalanche zone, walking through streams, river crossing, high passes (1870m).
š„¾Km: 8.8
š¦¶Steps: 11,339 - every step was tough
Total Km: 2024.5/3028 = 67 % ā
Enjoyment: 9/10 mixed with a good dose of fear
Fatigue: 4/10 - felt ok today but very tired towards the end. You needed to concentrate for every step. Which is so tiring mentally.
Ease of terrain: 10/10 - brutal descents and the climbsā¦..
āļøHighlights: what a day! Some very tough terrain, but the views were incredible. Reaching the pass was a highlight, putting the poles away and scrambling down rock faces - was so much fun - as were the river crossings. It was all brilliant!! š¤©
šļøChallenges: thunder and lighting at night. Woke up in the tent āŗļø and I was lying in a mini lake. No joking I was 2 inches in the water - luckily everything in the tent was dry. (Very impressed with this!).
Got up at 6am ish and took everything from the tent to the hut. Weather was horrendous - rain etc - lots of chat about what to do.
I decided I would wait it out as the next stretch was 7 hrs. So as long as I started before 11ish. Iād be good.
Weather turned better just before 10am and Kai (š©šŖ) decided to give it ago. If it was impassable or we felt unsafe - weād turn back. Turned out to the right decision. We had a brilliant day. Super tough - but we took our time, took loads of pics and enjoyed the amazing scenery.
šThoughts: I tried to avoid the āgroup thinkā lots of people decided to turn back as they didnāt feel comfortable with the weather and the potential risks.
You really need to know yourself and your cababilities in these situations. I felt comfortable and happy to push on and give it a try.
Day 23/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Waiau Pass Track
ā¹ļøStats: Tuesday 23rd January
Weather: rain all day with a rainbow š
From: campground ground by the side of the river. 2024.5 km
Start time: 8.10am
To: Ann Hut (890m)
End time: 4.30pm
Accommodation: mattress - top bunk
Terrain: grassy flats, 4wd track, rivers,
š„¾Km: 22.3
š¦¶Steps: 28,616
Total Km: 2057/3028 = 68% ā
š°Costs: $0
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 5/10
āļøHighlights: so nice reaching Ann hut - having a fire and getting dry and warm š seeing a rainbow at the end of the day. Having a swing bridge to cross instead of crossing the river. The views of the valley.
šļøChallenges: so many river crossing. My thighs rubbing together, being wet all the time! It was a big day of walking.
šThoughts: didnāt take a huge amount of photos - because of the weather and now Iām disappointed š
Day 24/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ā¹ļøStats: Wednesday 24th January
Weather: cold in the am - warmed up in the afternoon
From: Ann Hut
Start time: 8.10am
To: Boyle Flat Hut
End time: 1.10pm
Accommodation: bottom bunk in the hut
Terrain: flat and grassy
š„¾Km: 13.6
š¦¶Steps: 17,490
Total Km: 2074/3028 = 68% ā
š°Costs: $0
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10
Fatigue: 4/10
Ease of terrain: 2/10
āļøHighlights: the views of the snow covered mountains in the morning. š
šļøChallenges: in order to stay at Boyle education centre. You need to arrive before 5pm - I could have made it - but it would have been a real push. So I decided to stop at Boyle Hut and have a more chilled afternoon and then I can get to the village tomorrow earlier on in the day and have more time to sort stuff out. Before setting off on the next section.
šThoughts: 954km to go (39 days)- I need to average about 24km/15 miles per day to catch my flight in March. Which is still very manageable. So Iām good for time! Hope the weather stays good and there are no more delays!
Day 25/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ā¹ļøStats: Thursdays 25th January
Weather: frosty in the am and then hot and sunny āļø
From: Boyle Hut
Start time: 7.45am
To: Boyle Outdoor Education Centre
End time: 11.30am
Accommodation: bottom bunk - had the small room to myself š
Terrain: flat grassy, rooty, muddy & foresty
š„¾Km: 10.8
š¦¶Steps: 13,846
Total Km: 2087/3028 69% ā
š°Costs: $45 accommodation
$40 resupply 3x chocolate bar & box of museli bars
Total = $85
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 7/10
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 3/10
āļøHighlights: reaching Boyle, the swing bridges, doing laundry and having wifi š„³
šļøChallenges: food resupplyā¦. There is very little
šLuckily there was loads of free food in the hiker box. So I was able to do a resupply (oats, tuna, mashed potatoes, cherries, peanut butter)
šThoughts: so pleased I did what I did. I basically had 2 half days. Plus arriving around 11.30 ish I was able to do laundry, have a shower, eat food (mashed potatoes canned peaches, chicken noodles gf) and I have a room to myself! Bliss! There are 3 other hikers here - Erika (šøšŖ), Scott (š³š±) & Pierre (š«š·).
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