A trip to Myttons Hut, Cobb River Valley, Kahurangi National Park

Adventures in the Cobb River Valley, Kahurangi National Park

I spent last weekend exploring the Cobb River Valley inland from Takaka in Kahurangi National Park. I had three days in the area and walked up to the end of the valley to Fenella Hut and did some day tramps to interesting spots there. Really beautiful country and interesting for its geology, history and natural beauty...well worth a visit. 

The access road is bloody awful but more about that in my next post...

Looking up the Cobb River Valley from high on the Lake Peel Track

To finish the weekend I walked up to Myttons Hut which can be accessed from the Lake Peel Track as you head back towards the Cobb Dam and Reservoir. This is about a kilometer away from the Trilobite Hut at the end of Cobb Valley Road and is clearly sign posted. 

The Lake Peel Track starts from the Cobb Valley Road...

As you know I am a hut bagger and this particular hut is only 1 kilometer from the road. It was an obvious opportunity to bag the beastie...for a total of seven new huts bagged on this one trip. That takes my total of bagged huts up to nearly 230 and is the first step in my plan to try to bag at least 30 huts this tramping season....

The start of  Lake Peel Track, Cobb Valley, Kahurangi NP

The Lake Peel Track goes up to Myttons Hut and then continues up and over the Peel Range to Lake Peel, Balloon Hut, the Tablelands and the track down to Asbestos Cottage in the Upper Takaka River Valley.

View down to Peel Range and Trilobite Hut, Cobb Valley, Kahurangi NP

It is a mixture of grassland, tussock fields and forest along this track with a bit of a steep grunt of a climb at the start before it settles down into a more even climb up to the hut site. I had been told that it was a 10 minute trip to the hut but it is much longer than that ...30 minutes to the hut and 20 minutes back to the car park.

Heading up the Lake Peel Track to Myttons Hut, Cobb Valley

Map: Lake Peel Track to Myttons Hut

DOC have a intentions shelter near the start of the Lake Peel Track as this is an access way into quite a lot of backcountry tramping terrain. There is an intentions book so if you are thinking about staying at Myttons for the night check the book to see if anyone has already beaten you to it...write your name in the book for safety. 

DOC intentions book at the start of the Lake Peel Track

The first part of the track is across grassland before you climb up into a finger of mature native forest. There are an amazing number of birds in this part of the forest...I could hear Tui calling out to each other as well as Kaka, Bellbirds, Kakariki and Fantails.

You could see them all flitting through the trees....

Climbing through scrub to Myttons Hut on the Lake Peel Track

Entering the forest on the flank of the Peel Range

Beautiful mature forest on the Lake Peel Track

After this you cross a number of open grassland areas all the while steadily climbing up towards the hut. Take a sun hat and water as it was hot work climbing up the track in the blazing sun. A walking or trekking pole is also useful for the uphill climbing...

Crossing a clearing on the way to Myttons Hut, Cobb Valley

The next section of forest went for a couple of hundred meters and was a mixture of massive Beech, Totora, Rimu and other native trees. This is practically untouched forest as this area was always too inaccessible for commercial logging or farming. Before they built the dam up here in the 1950's it would have been a very difficult 3-4 day walk to even access the valley.

Lake Peel Track enters the forest on the Peel Range.....

Mixed Beech, Totora, Rimu forest on the way to Myttons Hut

There are areas of dense Manuka scrub on the Lake Peel Track

After 30 odd minutes you will reenter the bush for the last time and find yourself at the track junction for Myttons Hut. You can just see the chimney of the hut peeking over the bush in the photo below...If you were heading for Lake Peel, the Tablelands or Balloon Hut you turn right and start the 1.5-2 hour slog up to the top of the Peel Range.

Track junction to Lake Peel and Myttons Hut...note the chimney...

Lake Peel Track climbing up the Peel Range.....

It is closer to 40 minutes to walk to Trilobite Hut from Myttons hut...

Mytons Hut is an old deer cullers hut from the late 1950's used back when the government employed shooters to keep rampant deer numbers in check. I wont say hunters because they blasted 40-50 deer a day back then...there were so damn many of them.

That is why we have a hut network in New Zealand as the Department of Internal Affairs etc. built over 600 huts around the country for this purpose. After the deer were gone the huts were turned over to recreation users...

First view of the chimney of Myttons Hut, Kahurangi NP

The rear of Myttons Hut, Cobb Valley, Kahurangi NP

Myttons Hut sits in a lovely small clearing in the bush so it is sunny and open to the wind which blows down this valley. It is small with four bunks, a small table, open fire place and a couple of benches.

There was a massive pile of firewood there from a couple of fallen beech trees. Water for the hut is piped from a nearby stream..I do not know what you do in the height of summer as I imagine this stream dries out. Boil before use of course...

Myttons Hut (1957), Cobb Valley, Kahurangi NP

Myttons Hut has been removed from the DOC hut rota and was due to be demolished but a local group the Friends of Myttons Hut have taken over the maintenance of the hut. They accept donations for ongoing work and if I was staying here I would certainly send them some cash. I have heard they have long term plans to fully restore the hut but money to do so is tight. 

Myttons is maintained by the Friends of Myttons Hut

It is a bit rough and ready inside but then what else would you expect from a 75 year old trampers hut. It would still be a cosy spot in a storm with a blazing fire in the hearth and good companions to pass the time with. 

Interior of Myttons Hut, Cobb Valley.....

Rustic interior of Myttons Hut, Cobb Valley, 

I spent about 10 minutes in and around the hut and then headed back towards the car-park following the same track back to the car. There are good views up and down the Cobb Valley from the clearings along the track. You can see the big peaks like Xenicus and Aorere up at the head of the valley and right along the Peel Range and Lockett Range which border it to south and north. 

Heading back into the native forest from Myttons Hut

Aorere Peak sits at the head of the Cobb River Valley, Kahurangi NP

There are scores of birds in the forest around Myttons Hut...I stopped several times to just take it all in. The predominant bird seems to be Tui...there were dozens of them flying back and forth through the tree canopy. I also heard some distant Kaka calls and what I think were Kakariki screeching. 

Fully mature forest between Myttons Hut and the car-park

Dense undergrowth along the bush edge on Peel Lake Track, Cobb Valley

It was getting a bit blustery as I made my way down to the road as the wind had started to howl down the valley from an oncoming Nor Wester front. I was keen to get out and over the Takaka Hill road before any bad weather arrived but in the event I had good weather the whole way home. 

At one point on the track you have an excellent view right up the Cobb Valley and you could see the full range of terrain I covered on the track to Fenella Hut. I realised what a long way it is to Fenella Hut...14 kilometers doesn't sound like much but when you see it laid out before you...

Pt. 1619 and Iron Hill from the Peel Lake Track, Cobb Valley

Head high Manuka scrub on the Peel Lake Track

Fine view down the Cobb Valley, Kahurangi NP from the Peel Range

I stopped in an area of thick forest about 10 minutes from the hut and sat and listened to the forest for a while. I really wish I had some kind of recording device as the sound of the wind in the trees and the birds calling and singing was wonderful. I like to do this from time to time because you hear, see and smell so much more if you take the time to stop every so often to take in your surroundings.

If you ever head into the valley to visit Mytttons Hut make sure to sit under a tree for a spell and listen to nature calling...

My serenity spot in the forest along the Lake Peel Track

Typical dense undergrowth on the Peel Range, Cobb Valley

I was sitting on this interesting rock when I realised what it was...it is a conglomerate or accretion type of stone made up of small rocks, pebbles and shells. This is a piece of ancient seabed uplifted over the eons to over 900 a.s.l. The rocks around the top north west corner of the South Island are some of the oldest in the country with many of them transported by tectonic shift from Fiordland over millions of years. 

The whole Cobb Valley is a geologists dream with a profusion of rock types, rock formations and types of terrain. At various times this area has been subject to volcanic, tectonic uplift & subsidence and glacial/water erosive action. There is interesting stuff everywhere you look...

A conglomerate rock full of shells and small stones, Lake Peel Track, Cobb Valley

Heading past the DOC intentions shelter, Lake Peel Track

The last 100 meters of the Lake Peel Track, Cobb Valley

The Lake Peel Track car-park is right next to Cobb Valley Road

You can just make out Cobb Reservoir from the Lake Peel Track car-park about 5 kilometres down the valley. The gravel road to the start of these tracks goes along the southern edge of the reservoir on a rough track that needs some work. 

I managed to get the Surfer up here but she didn't like it one bit. I think it is just on the edge of accessibility by a normal 2 W/D car. I would not come up here if it was raining or snowing...you are going to get stuck!!!

Cobb Reservoir is just visible from the Lake Peel Track car-park

More interesting stuff...there are a series of Roche Moutannee's right next to the Lake Peel Track car-park. A Roche Moutannee is an area of eroded rock smoothed by glacial action in the distant past. The hard rock is polished by the glacier as it passes and leaves a distinctive smooth but also deeply scratched surface behind. 

The Cobb Valley had a massive glacier in it over the last ice age and you can see the left over results everywhere you look. U shaped valleys, hanging valleys, moraine walls now covered in forest and massive glacial erratic rocks. Cobb Reservoir was a deep depression carved out by the glacier which extended almost out to Takaka on the coast. 

A series of Roche Moutonnees next to the Cobb Valley Road

The Lake Peel Track curves up into the center middle of the photo below before heading up the ridge to the top of the range. Myttons Hut is roughly located at the far right end of the plateau you can see in the middle of the photo and the dissecting ridge. 

The Peel Range on the southern side of Cobb Valley, Kahurangi NP

This was a nice wee walk and the numerous birds in the forest around Myttons Hut were an unexpected pleasure. It is well worth taking time to visit the site both to see this quaint hut from the cullers days and for the wonderful bird song. Add it to your "to do" list if ever visiting the Cobb River Valley. 

Access: Turn off SH 60 at Upper Takaka. Drive 35 kms past the power station to the Cobb Resevoir. The Lake Peel car-park is located 500 meters to the east of Trilobite Hut.

Track Times: From the start of the track it takes approximately 20-30 minutes to walk to Myttons Hut (1 kilometer). The return trip takes 15-20 minutes. 
Hut Details: Myttons Hut: (non DOC- maintained by the Friends of Myttons Hut group) free for use, 4 bunks, open fire, woodshed, toilet, water from stream, Trilobite Hut: Serviced, 12 bunks, water from tank, wood burner, woodshed, toilet

Miscellaneous:The Lake Peel Track is uphill from the car park...steep at the start then more gradual. It is a mixture of open grassland and thick mature native forest. The bird population along the track is numerous with Tui, Belbirds, Kaka, Kakariki and Fantails. Myttons Hut is not a DOC hut but is maintained by the Friends of Myttons Hut group. 

A look at the electronics I carry...

Are electronics in the outdoors an enhancement???

 I work in the education sector and I use computers for every second of my work day....I enjoy my job but all that electrical noise does get to you after a while.

The view out the window by my work desk...

Generally when I am out tramping I am looking to escape from the constant flow of information that surrounds us in our day to day lives. When you stop and think about all the media, cell phones, computers and other digital equipment you interact with it is hardly surprising modern peoples psyches are so damaged.

The outdoors is great for relieving the stress of life...

It doesn't matter if it is a day tramp or a 7-10 day monster trip but walking through a forest with birds singing and the wind moving the branches will chill you out super fast. 

Some electronic gear is useful....

Despite the need to escape from the digital world a certain amount of basic gear can assist and sometimes enhance your outdoor experience, this is the gear I carry:

My navigation gear

I learnt how to use a map and compass when I was in the army and I'm actually quite good at using both of them. Despite this a bit of a digital hand is welcome from time to time so I carry a GPS unit with me. They are especially good if you are going off track, in thick dense forest, tramping in a blizzard or on a clagged in mountain top.

You should be able to read a topographic map.....

The unit I carry is a Garmin eTrex 20x, this is a small handheld device with software that allows you to find your map reference, and can give altitude and distance readings. You can also add programmed way-points to keep you on track and this unit has a topographic mapping ability if you buy specialist software for the unit. 

Garmin eTrex 20x hand held GPS unit

I generally use the Garmin for GPS fixing and carry a paper map with me of the track I am walking. I got this unit from my partner last year so I am still getting to know what tit can do and which functions are useful to me.

Some of the data the eTrex 20 can provide:elevation, distance, timings etc. 

The eTrex 20 is one of a range of Garmin products it is a middle of the range unit and costs around $400 NZ dollars, this is relatively cheap. Some of the new Garmin and Sunnato GPS units go for up to $1400 dollars generally for the watch style units.

Other Garmin products: the Etrex 10, and Etrex 30 GPS units

The eTrex has a very basic map on the unit but I have added the NZ Topomap series to mine as Karen my partner brought the CD-Rom for me as a birthday present. Isn't she lovely....

Communications devices: PLB and cell phone

I always carry a personal locator when I'm tramping regardless of the length of the track I am walking. More than often I am out on a solo mission so having a emergency safety device is a 'no-brainer' really...if carrying one provides you with another degree of safety why wouldn't you. Every party or any individual out tramping, skiing, MTB cycling or hunting should really be carrying a PLB.

Using a PLB gives you another degree of safety....

The PLB I carry is a ACR REsQLink...my version has the GPS function which cuts the radius of a search coordinate down from 100 meters to less than 10 meters. It is relatively light at 170gms, water resistant and very simple to operate. When I brought the unit back in 2015 it cost me around $600 but prices have fallen since then and quality PLB's can be had for as little as $300 now...

The ResQlink PLB comes in a buoyant Neoprene carry case...

Battery life on this device is six years or after it has been used....mine is due to have the battery changed in 2021 so I will either put a new battery in it or possibly buy a new PLB depending on which option is cheaper. 

ACR ResQLink PLB: the details.....

I would love to change batteries but it costs around $400 to do so...this is the price of a new KTI beacon which weighs less, works better and is much smaller. 

ACR ResQLink in deployed configuration

Using the PLB is very easy...you un-clip the antenna and raise it into a vertical position then you push the activation button on the side. A PLB will work best if it is not used in a high sided or confined space and you must have a clear view of the sky.

Instructions for use on the ACR ResQLink PLB...

I have never had to use my PLB (nearly had to use it twice for other parties...) but knowing I have it with me gives me a measure of safety in the advent of an accident. I have to be alive to use it of course..but that is neither here nor there really.

Photography: Canon Powershot SX 150 IS camera

I am a bit of a Luddite in that I am still carrying a digital camera with me when I go tramping.  It is possibly not the best or lightest option but it is what I have so....yeah!!! I brought this camera second hand on Trade Me for $45 about two years ago when my previous camera died. I am not a professional photographer so I don't need a fancy Digital SLR crowd, my camera is just a simple point and shoot.

My Canon SX150 digital camera

The Canon SX 150 IS screen and controls...

The camera I am currently using is a bog standard Canon Powershot SX 150 IS in matt black. It has 12X zoom ability for closeups which is more than enough for my needs. It also has a variety of program settings for photos/video, F-stop, brightness, ISO, timer etc.  It will take reasonable photos and videos and I generally have it operating on an auto-outdoor setting for most of the time.

More controls on the top of the Canon SX 150 IS camera

Canon SX 150 IS lens and flash extended...

One thing I do like is the ability to swap between color and black and white which I use occasionally for a different look on the blog. 

a black and white photo from my recent Mt Grey trip...

I know that everyone else is carrying a phone now that the camera on them has improved and that is what I will do when my current camera dies. I just find paying more than $500 for a phone with a good camera bloody ridiculous when I have a perfectly good camera. 

E-book Reader: Kindle Paperwhite

Up until very recently I carried a book or magazine with me when I went tramping but I now have a Kindle with e-books loaded on it so this is what I will be using going forward. It is about a quarter of the weight of the books I used to carry and allows me to carry a much wider selection of reading material than is possible with paper.

I am now using a Kindle paper white

Karen brought me this for my birthday back in August and I have already loaded about a dozen books on it. Some of my current downloads are some old science fiction anthologies, a couple by Ernest Hemingway, some Bill Bryson, Goodbye to all that by Robert Graves, some Jack Reacher short stories and a field guide to New Zealand Flora and Fauna.

Goodbye to all that by Robert Graves

I have downloaded some of their free books (self publish in most cases) that would give the old Edwardian 'penny dreadful's' a run for their money...real trash.

Eclectic mix eehhhhhhhh....

A sample of the free pap available in the Kindle Store...

One of the reasons I persisted with carrying books was that I left them in huts when I finished reading them so there was some reading materiel in the hut. Since Covid 19 came on the scene DOC now remove and burn all material of this sort to stop the spread of the virus through surface contact. So no more old hunting, fishing,Wilderness and FMC Bulletin magazines in huts.... :(  sad face!!!!

No more magazine stacks in huts with Covid-19.....

I might still carry the odd Readers Digest now and then as they are quick easy reads but otherwise (and just like Dylan) I'm finally going electric.... 

Digital music:

I enjoy listening to music at all times but not usually when I am out tramping. I think part of the point of tramping is to get away from all the noise, stress and everyday electronic buzz that fills our lives. I would rather listen to the sound of the wind in the trees, a gurgling river, bird calls or a gas stove blasting away. 

I prefer to hear nature when I am out tramping...

That said...if I am walking a track with long boring sections, road walking or trekking over flat featureless valley floor I will listen to one of my MP3 players. I also listen to music when I am fitness walking so occasionally you will see me wearing earphones in the pages of this blog. I also listen to music in the huts when I am relaxing on my bunk or before going to sleep at night. 

Gravel bashing the Waimakiriri River is ideal music time...

My MP3 players are from Sony...I have a 3 GB Walkman stick unit and a standard MP3 Walkman paired with a set of plug earphones. I used to wear 1980's style over head Walkman headphones but I cant find them anymore as they have gone out of fashion. They really are so much better than plug earphones but you takes what you can gets... 

My Sony stick MP3 player...

They both pack down small and weigh next to nothing and allow me to carry many hours of songs and pod casts.  

My Sony MP3 Walkman is my usual carry...

Again...I'm old school with an MP3 player and not a phone with Spotify added to it but I use what I have. I don't usually carry my phone but eventually I will replace most of these electronic items with a good smart phone that fills all their functions. 

Power supply:Batteries, USB charging

Both my GPS unit and camera use AA size batteries so I load them with freshly recharged batteries at the start of a trip and carry a couple of sets of spares with me. My camera will discharge a set of batteries over three days but the GPS unit uses very little power and one set would last me for a couple of weeks at least. 

My camera and GPS both use AA cell batteries....

I carry a generic brand power bank I was given at work as a Christmas gift one year...it will totally recharge both a MP3 unit and my Kindle/phone with power to spare. 

And that is it...all of the electronic items I carry with me when I am tramping. It isn't much but as I have said I like to get away from the constant electronic noise I have in my life.