Wednesday 28 July 2021

Review of the 2020/2021 tramping season...

The year without mass tourism...

So my 2020/2021 tramping season is coming to a close with the approach of late July...from 1st August I am in my 2021/2022 season. As usual at this time of the year I like to have a look back and review the previous season. 

At the Marahau shelter at the end of the Abel Tasman Coast Track...

I recommend that you sit down in late May/early June and plan your agenda for the coming year. This allows time to identify potential destinations before the DOC online hut booking system rolls over.

The effects of Covid...

Despite all of our best efforts (...or worst efforts from all the anti vaxxers, anti maskers, deniers of history, conspiracy theorists, fascists and the Orange Buffon who shall not be named...) Covid continues to blight the world. This has started to have a real impact on New Zealand...financially but also socially, mentally and physically. We are a funny, cloistered little nation way down here in the South Pacific and we need that pressure valve of trips overseas and incoming tourists to ease our isolation...

We are isolated from the world...for good and bad!!!

  Although we can still move freely about the country I am finding that more and more services are unavailable as they relied on the tourist trade to stay in business. A good example is my recent planning for the Heaphy Track later this year... 

Brown River is the northern terminus of the Heaphy Track

Almost all of the transport, accommodation and service providers have cut services as there is not enough domestic demand to keep them afloat. This made it very, very difficult to plan the trip. I believe the longer the borders are closed the more services will be affected.

 

Karamea is becoming more difficult to access on public transport...

Unfortunately we have no other choice...countries which have opened their borders to business/tourism/repatriation are now suffering dearly and this is not what we want to happen here. We have to stay strong, hunker down and weather this storm as best we can...


How did the 2020/2021 season go?

All in all I think the last season was a real cracker..it started strong and though it waned a bit towards the end I still managed to get out amongst it.

Cobb Tent Camp was one of over thirty new huts bagged...

The focus for 2020/2021 was knocking off the last two Great Walks and some longer multi-day trips to Abel Tasman NP, Arthur's Pass NP and Kahurangi NP. I also went on a couple of base camp missions to Nelson Lakes, Golden Bay and Hanmer. 

We visited Golden Bay earlier this year...

Karen and I did a camper van trip around the lower South Island with lots of walking enroute. We have another planned for the end of August this year from Karamea down to Hokitika and then back over Arthurs Pass. 

Our Juicy camper van parked at Aoraki/Mt Cook NP...

I finished both the Paparoa Track and Kepler Track so apart from the Humpridge Track I have tramped all the existing Great Walks after nearly 30 years...


It was a little damp on the Paparoa Track....

...but it didn't stop me making it to the end of the track...


...and a cleansing ale in Punakaiki!!!


I visited some new parks including Kahurangi NP, Aoraki/Mt Cook NP and Mt Aspiring NP. I will be spending more time in these parks over the 2021/2022 season with trips planned to all three. 


I visited the Cobb Valley in Kahurangi NP....


I did not make it to Mt Richmond Forest Park due to other commitments but I have added it to the 2021/2022 plan and hopefully will manage to finally get in there. 


Kahekatea Flats at Pelorus Bridge is the start of the Richmond Range...

I have a new MTB which I brought after the Covid-19 lockdown. I was a keen rider back in the 1990's and now I have more spare time I am looking at getting back into a few rides. I wont be doing any of those chaotic down hill rides I used to do on the Port Hills. Rather I am looking at riding some of the Rail Trails which criss-cross the South Island.

I am keen to ride the Alps 2 Ocean at some stage...

 Anyway here was the plan for the 2020/2021 season so lets see what I actually managed to achieve

My 2020/2021 trip planner...


As always these trips were totally reliant on New Zealand's often fickle weather so some of them may not have been completed in this cycle. You can click on the links to go to the relevant post on this blog. The huts comment (5 huts etc.) is the number of new huts I could bag on that trip...


 July 2020:

Looking out from the Kaikoura Clifftop Walkway...



August 2020:


Kahanga Atawhai/Manson-Nichols Hut at Lake Daniells

                        
September 2020:
       
I visited historic Myttons Hut in the Cobb Valley...

           

October 2020:
I finally got back up the Poulter River after nearly ten years and visited the new Casey Hut and several of the other huts in this valley. It was an awesome trip but I really hate walking over Binser Saddle.....


  • Canterbury Foothills, one of: Mt Oxford/Mt Thomas/Mt Richardson: 3/4 October, day trip
  • Mt Thomas Forest Park: Pinchgut Hut: 10-11th October, overnight (1 hut)
  • Arthur's Pass NP, Poulter River Ramble: 23-25th October, multi day (5-7 huts) (half completed)
                   
Crossing Casey Saddle enroute to Casey Hut II.....



November 2020:

     
We visited Golden Bay in November 2020...

     
                        
December 2020:

  • Arthur's Pass, Mingha-Deception Route: 4-6th December, overnight (3 huts)
  • Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, Lake Daniell, 14-15th December, overnight (completed)
  • Arthur's Pass NP, Taipo Valley: 12th December, MTB ride to the Dillon Huts, day ride (done in May 2021)
  • Canterbury, Little River Rail Trail: date 19/20th December, MTB day ride (rained out...)
  • Abel Tasman NP, Inland Track: 30th December to 3 January 2021 (completed)
                                       
The Little River Rail Trail at Lake Forsyth


January 2021:

My workplace has mandated that we must take a week of annual holidays over the Christmas break...personally I would rather use the time else where but there is not much I can do about it. Karen is working so we will not be able to go away together, therefore....tramping/camping time up some remote valley for Jon!!!
  •  Lake Sumner Forest Park, Harper's Pass Track: five days from the Otira River to Windy Point (10 huts possible) (moved to 2021/2022 season)
  • Arthur's Pass NP, Sudden Valley: mid January, overnight/day trip (1 hut) (no weather window- moved to 2021/2022 season)
  • Canterbury, Christchurch 360 Trail; Spencer Park to Brooklands: mid January, MTB ride, day trip (no weather window...)
  • Port Hills, Awaroa/Godley Heads: early January, day walk (completed) 
  • Hakatere Conservation Area, Mt Sunday: 24th January, day walk (completed) 
  • Port Hills, Pilgrims Way Coastal Track, 31 January, day walk (completed)

The new DOC Lighthouse Hut at Awaroa/Godley Heads.....



February 2021:
       
Paparoa Track..near the junction with Moonlight Track

 

March 2021: 

  • Fiordland NP, Kepler Track: 22-25nd March, Great Walk, multi-day trip (6 huts) (completed)
  • Fiordland NP, Cruise on Milford Sound, 21st March (completed)
  • Fiordland NP, Milford Sound Foreshore Walk, 21st Mark, day walk (completed)
  • St James Conservation Area, Boyle Settlement-Hanmer via St James Cycleway: early March, Partial TA Section, multi-day trip (6 huts)   (moved to 2021/2022 season...)         
  • Arthur's Pass NP, Coral Track/Cons Track: late March, day trip or
  • Arthur's Pass NP, East Hawdon Valley: late March, overnight (I haven't been to the East Hawdon since 2014 so it is time I returned. I will probably camp up the valley near the bivy)  (moved to 2021/2022 season...)
                         
I walked the Kepler Track in late March.....

 

April 2021:   


Karen and I visited Haast Beach on our camper van trip...


May 2021: 

Karen got knocked off her bike by a person running a red light in early May. I was in Nelson Lakes at the time so had to dash home. I didn't get much tramping done over that month... 


Lake Rotoiti from Paddys Track on Mt Robert...


Camping at Kerr Bay Campground in May...it was cold!!!



June 2021:

We had planned to re-visit Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park in late June BUT because Karen had her foot in a plaster cast we decided to stay at home. We will go down to Mt Cook for a weekend sometime later this year...
  • Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, Lake Daniell: 11-12th June, overnight (completed) 
  • Arthur's Pass NP, Taipo Valley: early June, MTB ride to the Dillon Huts, day ride (completed)
  • Aoraki/Mt Cook NP, Hooker Valley Track: late June (cancelled due to Karen's foot in cast...)
  • Aoraki/Mt Cook NP, Tasman Lake Track: late June (cancelled due to Karen's foot in cast...)

On the Lake Daniell Track in June...

July 2021: 


A cold and frosty Lakehead Hut in early July...


So what did I accomplish this year...two Great Walks (Paparoa & Kepler), several multi-day hikes, some day walks, some day trips and 43 new huts/shelters bagged. I have managed to get out on several winter overnight trips this year...this is something I intend to continue going forward. 

I think I did quite well all things considered...

Kerr Bay Jetty, Lake Rotoiti, Nelson Lakes NP


Have a look at my 2021/2022 tramping plan to see what I have in store for the coming year...


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