Tramping mugs...which one is for you?

What makes for a great camping mug?

One of the great pleasures of tramping and other outdoor activities is sitting around with a group of like minded people and chatting about life, love and the general state of the world. These types of encounters are always enhanced with some kind of drink in hand and make the physically demanding rigors of walking for hours carrying a pack more bearable. 

Hut life...a mixed group enjoying the pleasures of the hut....

The beverage you are consuming could be hot or cold...alcoholic or teetotal but the one thing they all have in common is they need some sort of drinking vessel to hold them in. A cup or mug suitable for holding a variety of liquids is one of the most important pieces of kit you can carry. What is that morning cup of coffee without a sturdy mug to hold in your hands....?

A tasty pre dinner Cup-O-Soup at Wharewharangi Hut

I have used a multitude of different cups and mugs during my tramping adventures and I thought it might be a good idea to look at what makes a great tramping mug. We will also look at some different materials used for cups/mugs and discuss their pros and cons. 

Jon enjoys a pot of tea at North Arm Hut, Rakuira

Finally I will discuss what I personally carry when going out into the backcountry. 

What constitutes a great tramping mug?

Before discussing materials and product options I think we should first consider what makes a great drinking vessel for tramping. Different people will have different criteria depending on the type of tramping they do, the style of their outdoor adventures and how much they are wiling to carry. For example a ultra light long trail walker will probably drink from their cook pot (if they even have one) whilst your cyclist, kayaker, car camper or 4 W/D enthusiast has a vehicle to haul heavier items in. 

Using my cooking pot as a tea cup...John Tait Hut, 2018

I have a hierarchy of criteria based on my own needs which dictates what I am carrying and they fall into the following areas:

1. Weight: How heavy is the item and is it heavier than necessary or can I find something lighter? This will be dictated by your tramping style to a certain degree. You should always try to minimise weight when purchasing new outdoor gear. Extra weight leads to more fatigue, slower pace and a less enjoyable tramp. 

2. Purpose: What do I need it for and can it fill more than one purpose negating the need for extra equipment? What is it going to hold..cold and hot drinks, soup, cold soak, cooked food etc?  Can it be used for multiple outdoor activities? A multipurpose piece of kit is better than one with a limited set of uses...

...multi purpose gear...using a large metal mug as a cook pot.....

3. Material: I mostly tramp/walk which means bashing, drops, knocks and general rough handling conditions. Anything I carry must be sturdy & rugged enough to survive the hard life it is going to endure. Don't go overboard here...it doesn't have to last for 40+ years but it should survive me dropping it on the hut floor a couple of times. 

4. Size: What size of mug do you need for the adventures you undertake? Do you enjoy massive cups of coffee of a morning or just a stronger thimbleful?  Will your mug have a second role as your food bowl? You should probably go for a larger size so that it can be used for a multitude of uses but be cognizant of weight issues... 

BTW: in JonWorld (TM) an oversized tea cup is actually called a BBT or Big Bastid Tea...just so you know...

Now that is one big bastid of a tea mug.....

5. Cost: This is a lesser concern but do I want to spend lots of money on a super-duper branded item or can I buy something similar from a chain retailer for much less. Don't spend big on those ancillary items...plates, cups, basic clothing etc. Spend your money on the essential items (pack/mat/sleeping bag/wet weather gear/boots) which favor using quality brands. 

6. Ascetics: This is not important to me but a lot of people must have the right shape, color, size, design. I could honestly care less...if it does the job I'm quite happy to suck my Lifers Juice out of a pink princess cup.....

What you are looking for should be a combination of all these factors which addresses most if not all of them. You will probably need to compromise as very little equipment is going to perfectly fit all your criteria..just get as close as possible.  

Types of drinking vessels for tramping.....

There are a variety of materials used in the production of outdoor drinking vessels but some materials such as glass, ceramic, bamboo and wood are not suitable mainly due to weigh and durability issues. The vessels commonly used basically break down into three main materials. These are metal, hard plastic and soft plastics (such as silicone).

Enjoying a brew at Totaranui Campgrounds in 2019

 Lets have a look at each of these in turn and consider their good and bad points. 

Metal mugs:

Metal is an excellent material for outdoor cup ware as it is rugged, easily cleaned, cheap and durable. the main problem with metal cups are that they tend to be heavier than plastics and they conduct heat well which means you often burn yourself on them. Many different metals are used: aluminum, tin, stainless steel, titanium and enamelware. Prices range from just a few dollars for cheap enamel mugs up to $50 for a quality branded titanium mug. 

'Brewing up' in the bed of the Blue Grey River back in 2015

One of the iconic items of Kiwiana is the enameled metal cup. These have been a fixture of the backcountry and outdoor living for as long as Europeans have lived in this country. Made by many companies they are great as a camping mug as the enamel makes the metal less likely to burn you. They are also very hard wearing, easy to clean and cheap. 

A typical cheap enamel mug...

You often see people (especially older trampers) using these mugs in huts and at campsites. 

An enamel and a stainless mug at use at Onetahuaiti Beach...

Another option is one of the many different types of cup-canteen used by military forces around the world. Made of heavier grade aluminum or stainless steel they are made to be carried in webbing gear with an integral water bottle. I have one from my Army days which was manufactured in 1972 so it is nearly 50 years old and still as good as the day they made it...

Military style cup canteen (US Army circa 1960-1990)

The handle often folds down or under the cup canteen making them a smaller item to store. These may double as your cooking pot which negates the need for another piece of kit. I have seen modern iterations of this in stores recently...Gerber/Bear Gryyls was one of the brands also Coughlin's, Esbit and no name Chinese knock offs.

A Gerber/Bear Gryyls cup canteen

The most regularly seen mug is one of the many metal camp mugs made by just about every outdoor retailer in the world. If using a metal camp mug it is a good idea to look for a double skin version as they will allow you to drink without burning your lips. They are also slightly insulated so will keep your drink warm for longer. 

A cheap Campmaster brand mug from Mitre 10 Hardware

Any of these mugs would work a treat outdoors but we should also consider the other material camp mugs are often made from which is plastic...

Hard plastics mugs:

Most people today will be using some form of plastic cup or mug when they are out on their outdoor adventures. Plastic is an ideal material for camp ware...it is light, durable, easy to clean and cheap. You can spend as little or as much on a mug as you like.

A white plastic mug I have used in the past...

 

Possibly the cheapest option is to go to a big box store like the Warehouse, Briscoes or even the local supermarket and look at what they have to offer. I have a white plastic K-Mart mug I sometimes take on trips that cost me $3 NZD and it works fine. Have a look around home...I bet you have one of these mugs in the cupboard...

A cheap hard plastic mug from a chain store...

If you wanted to go a bit more upmarket you might look at one of the cheaper outdoor stores like Mountain Equipment or Hunting and Fishing. These stores sell all types of outdoor cook ware...the melamine mug below is from Mountain Equipment and costs only $6. They are usually more colorful and show purpose design features.

Melamine mug from Mountain Equipment

If you are a total gear head then the sky is the limit...you can spend up to $100 buying a outdoor mug (don't...that is stupid money for a plastic cup...) from a brand like Kathmandu, Macpac, Sea to Summit, REI, Marmot, GSI, MSR etc. etc. A Sea to Summit X Mug or Thermo Mug will retail for around $15-$20 and some of these fancy ones will have lids, thermal sleeves, volume graduations etc. 

A Sea to Summit Thermo Mug

Are they any better? No...not really...they are branded but they basically do the same job as that cheap $3 dollar K-Mart mug. If buying a hard plastic mug just be aware that it will get bashed around a lot on trail. Try not to buy very hard plastics like Melamine as they easily shatter. The mug should have a degree of flexibility so a semi hard plastic is the best base material.

Soft plastics:

Aside from hard plastics there is a growing range of softer silicone based mugs and cups on the market. The premium brand in this area is Sea To Summit with their X-Cup and X-Mug range. The body of these are baffled, folding silicone with a hard base and lip. When stored they make a neat round package about a cm thick and they unfold into a 250ml or 480 ml drinks vessel.

Sea to Summit X-Cup

There is a whole range of this folding camp ware from Sea To Summit; cups, mugs, plates, bowls even metal bottomed pots/pans/kettles. The main advantage of this system is the small size of the folded item...it will easily fit under the cook pot in your cooking gear storage bag. 

The whole Sea to Summit X range of camp ware

UCO use a similar idea but with their own particular twist...their cups/mugs have a solid top and handle and a folding bottom. This means they are easier to hold and drink from but with the added space saving aspect the folding bottom provides. 

A UCO collapsible mug in silicone and plastic

Here is another example of folding cup used by the British Army....the top of these silicone mugs fold down into the main body. This makes them smaller and easier to pack into a mess kit or cook pot. Not a bad option...I have used one of these before and it works adequately enough to be considered. 

Collapsible silicone mug as used by British Army

The main downside of all of these mugs is durability...these will not last as long as a metal or hard plastic mug. They can also be more difficult to use as the heat is more readily transferred through the material...you might burn yourself with these. The constant folding/unfolding is likely to cause splits especially on the ones which have baffles. 

Thermo flasks:

We should not forget the thermos flask as a possible outdoor mug...when I talk about thermo flasks I really mean those thermo travel mugs you get for coffee and other hot drinks. 

A Kathmandu thermo travel mug.....

They actually make good camp mugs as most of them are made from light materials, they are durable and most have a lid to keep the heat in. If you are going to use one of these have a really good look around and find one that is as light as possible. 

Thermos coffee travel mug...

You shouldn't discount actual flasks either...there is a bewildering range of them available in many different shops and they work well to keep hot drinks warm and cold drinks cool. 

A metal thermal vacuum flask...

Again look for as light as possible and make sure the inner is metal and not glass as the glass ones break very easily. 

Karen's thermal flask in use in Hanmer Forest Park

Thermos Flasks also have a time and place in the outdoors but they tend to be very heavy so they are not suitable as a mug for trampers and hikers. These are excellent for holding a brew/soup on a day walk or casual stroll...Karen has a quality Stanley flask that will keep the contents warm for up to 6-7 hours....

Classic Thermos flask....

So now we have looked at materials and types of mugs let us look at what I am currently using when I go on my outdoor adventures.

What I use when tramping....

My gear is constantly changing and evolving...I think about how my gear has performed after each trip and if it is not ideal I look for an alternate. I have also started to swap out my initial gear with newer better equipment as finances allow. 

This is my currently gear load:

Sea to Summit X-Mug: 

Karen brought me a new tramping stove for Christmas so I brought myself a new folding X-Mug to go with it. These mugs are made of silicone with a solid base and rim and fold down to a disk about a cm thick and it fits perfectly on top of my stove in its storage bag. Yet to be used in the field....I brought mine from Bivouac Outdoor for around $20.

Sea to Summit X-Cup...open and folded closed

The Sea to Summit X-Mug 

Sea to Summit Delta Mug:

I replaced my metal camp cup with a plastic Sea To summit Delta Cup early last year so it went on all of the overnight trips I undertook in 2020. It is an excellent mug...thick enough to let me hold hot drinks, tough, easy to clean and it has graduations on the inside for measuring hot water for meals. I will continue to use this mug and in fact I have brought Karen one as well....

A hard plastic Sea to Summit Delta Mug...

Here are some photos of the Delta Mug in use...

Its propping up my Cheez-its but you get the idea...

Breakfast of champions...O-Meal Hashbrowns and coffee!

Brew time at Moonlight Tops Hut on the Paparoa Track

A mug of soup with dinner...Luxmore Hut

This is my main mug for overnight and multiday trips using my lite cooking kit...they cost from $12-$20.

Kiwi camping metal mug:

Prior to the Delta Mug I was using a double walled Kiwi Camping metal mug on my outdoor adventures. It had accompanied me on a number of trips over the years but has been relegated to my day pack as a mug for tea, soup etc. when out day walking. 

Morning coffee at Howdon Hut in late 2019...

Having a brew in my Kiwi Camping mug..

Dinnertime at Woolshed Hut in 2020...

A perfect example of why this material makes for a good mug....

Toaks TI 1.3l pot:

In an effort to lighten my load I sometimes just leave the mugs and plates etc. at home and eat/drink straight out of my cooking pot. My main pot is a Toaks Titanium 1.3 liter pot...it certainly fulfills the role of Big Bastid Tea vessel very well...

Boiling water in my Toaks Ti cook pot....Hawdon Hut

My lite weight cook kit in action at Bark Bay Hut, August 2020

I'm getting old now and I prefer the comfort and class of drinking out of a mug and I actually enjoy not burning my lips on the edge of the pot....

Generic thermo mug:

Karen and I brought a couple of cheap metal thermo mugs for use when we go camping and tramping. We have used them a couple of times on day walks...they are excellent camp mugs as they have a lid to keep the contents warm and they keep bugs out of your brew. 

Using my travel mug at the Pororairi River in 2020

Well...hopefully that will help some people decide what kind of drinking vessel they will carry when they head outdoors. 

BTW: I am walking the Paparoa Track next week so come back soon for some new Trip Reports including this Great Walk track...

Mt Sunday, Hakatere Conservation Park: 23 January 2021

Another visit to the Hakatere Conservation Park...

I did a cheeky late afternoon visit to the Hakatere Conservation Park on Saturday..I didn't leave Christchurch until nearly 2.30pm and actually got to the start of the Mt Sunday Track at 4 pm! This was my first tramp for a couple of weeks as sickness and bad weather keep interrupting my plans. 

Upper Rangitata River from the Hakatere-Potts Road

I have long wanted to investigate the tramping on offer high in the Rangitata River Valley. Normally this area would be swarming with tourists as Mt Sunday had a starring role as Edoras in the Lord of the Rings movies. It has become a LOTR mecca and most summer days would normally see bus loads of international visitors making the journey to visit the site. I was super lucky...I only saw three other people the whole time I was there...and two of them were fellow Kiwis. 

Road sign for Mt Sunday Track, Hakatere-Potts Road

The track to the top of Mt Sunday is easy walking...initially across flat land and completed by a short climb up the eastern end of the mount. Some of this track crosses private land so it is important that you only follow the marked track so that access is maintained to Mt Sunday. Do not go haring off overland...high country station owners are notoriously irritated by people crossing their land without permission. 

Start of the Mt Sunday Track, Hakatere Conservation Park

Plenty of space for parking at the start of Mt Sunday Track 

There is space for around 20 cars at the carpark for the Mt Sunday Track...it is relatively secure as you are a gazillion miles from anywhere but I still wouldn't leave any valuables on display while walking the track. 

On the Mt Sunday Track:

The Mt Sunday Track is just over 1.5 kilometers from the carpark to the summit of the mountain and takes 40-45 minutes walking time each way. For the most part it is a gentle stroll across some rocky and boggy flat ground with a climb of less than 100 meters in elevation at the end. 

Map: Mt Sunday Track, Hakatere Conservation Park

The track is easy but it is also rough...you are walking for more than half the distance in an old river bed and it is rocky and uneven ground. 

The Mt Sunday Track crosses private land....

Mt Sunday Track starts on a gravel road...

The track is well marked with snow poles with the usual orange sleeve on the top...there are no trees here to nail plastic markers too. It is super easy to follow as it weaves through the Matagouri and across areas of river shingle and grassland. 

Snow poles mark the route of the Mt Sunday Track

Black Mountain Range from the Mt Sunday Track

It was looking stormy up valley from Mt Sunday with thick dark cloud and obvious rain squalls visible for all of the time I was walking the track. There was a good strong Nor' wester blowing as well so I hustled along the track to ensure I finished the track before it started raining. Although I did get hit with the odd bit of wind blown water it did not rain while I was there. 

Thanks Huey for not chucking it down on me...

Threatening rain cloud at the head of the Rangitata  River

Jon sets off along the Mt Sunday Track

You follow the snow poles up valley for about half a kilometer before turning left and walking towards Mt Sunday out to the south west. There are a number of creeks and streams to cross along the track...this is old glacial till and it is undulating and filled with bogs and swampy areas. All of the major streams have bridges including a wooden footbridge and a proper swing bridge over the widest channel. 

Mt Sunday Track: first of two bridges on the track...

Mt Sunday from the first of the two bridges...

Heading towards the Mt Sunday Track swing bridge...

These headwater streams all fed into the Rangitata River so they are full of both native and exotic fish species. As well as various Galaxias/Kokopu species there are Trout and various types of Salmon. You can fish these streams but only in season and with the relevant fishing license. I would imagine there are also freshwater eels and koura here but I did not see any. 

There are both native and exotic fish in these rivers...

The swing bridge crosses what should certainly be a named river...it is about 15 meters wide, deep and swift but does not have a name. It is certainly bigger than some of the other named watercourses I have encountered so it is a bit strange. I suppose you would count it as a  tributary stream of the Rangitata River.

It looks to be raining up the Havelock River....

The swing bridge on the Mt Sunday Track

Mt Sunday (611 asl) is a small outlier mount separated from the surrounding mountain ranges...I would assume that it was harder than the surrounding area so it did not erode flat like its surrounding rock. It is about 100 meters higher than the plain it sits on and has some excellent views out to the Upper Rangitata River and up both the Havelock and Clyde Rivers. There are bluffs on the western flank that fall 40-60 meters from the crest and give it a rugged mountainous appearance....

Bluffs line the eastern flank of Mt Sunday, Hakatere Conservation Park

Mt Sunday Track: there are smaller streams to cross...

Mt Sunday Track: some of the stream crossings have foot bridges

The track to the top of Mt Sunday goes from the eastern end of the ridge to the crest...keep on the old farm track and follow the snow poles up past the cattle. The track condition is decent and the gradient is not that step so it should only take 10 minutes to get from the base to the top of Mt Sunday. 

Mt Sunday Track: starting the climb up Mt Sunday

The views quickly improve as you climb and you can see down valley to Mt Potts Station and across the Rangitata to Mesopotamia Station. This valley is a couple of kilometers wide and consists of  flat rolling grassland from the hills to the river. It is almost devoid of trees except near the station buildings which have exotic shelter belts to protect them from the fierce winds which often blow off the Southern Alps. 

Harpers Knob from Mt Sunday, Hakatere Conservation Park

The Potts Range from Mt Sunday...Mt Potts is 2184 asl

The last 200 odd meters to the crest is along the spine of the ridge running in from the eastern side of Mt Sunday. This is the steepest part of the track but it is short so just pace yourself and take your time climbing. Stay away from the eastern edge of the ridge as there are a series of bluffs right along the track that you do not want to fall off. 

Mt Sunday Track: on the ridgeline track to the summit

Mt Sunday Track: the trig point on the summit...

I eventually topped the ridge and found myself in a sheltered depression just down from the trig point which crowns Mt Sunday. This was a good place to get out of the howling wind and I had a drink before walking the last couple of meters to the summit. 

On Mt Sunday.....

The wind was fair wiping over the top of Mt Sunday as I reached the crest...there is absolutely nothing here to stop the wind so it roars down the valley and up and over Mt Sunday before continuing on its way. There are magnificent views of the Upper Rangitata and Cloudy Peak Range from up here..it was especially dramatic with the misty rain clouds rolling over the distant hills. 

View of the Upper Rangitata River from Mt Sunday

View up the Clyde River Valley from Mt Sunday

I hunkered down in the rock garden on the crest and enjoyed the various views on offer. The Hakatere is a bleak looking place but it is also beautiful as it looks totally wild with only minimal signs of human habitation to be seen. The high country stations up here are some of the most remote in New Zealand and it must be a harsh working environment for those who manage the farms in the area. 

View to Bush Stream and Mesopotamia from Mt Sunday

Black Mountain Range from Mt Sunday

Mt Sunday runs out to the west along another ridgeline but as this is private land you should not venture too far along the tracks. We do not have roaming rights in New Zealand like they do in the UK...you need permission to use the tracks and cross farmland. We are really lucky to be able to visit these places and irritating the station owner is one way to lose walking access to choice spots such as this. Stay on the marked track please....

Rain cloud clears from the Havelock River Valley

If you look out to the east you can see the Potts Range, the Hakatere-Potts Road and the course of the river that you crossed on your way to the mountain. Mt Potts is the highest peak at 2400 odd meters and there is a public easement track down by Erewhon Station if you want to bag the mountain. 

View of the Hakatere-Potts Road and Mt Sunday Track

Mt Potts dominates the Potts Range, Hakatere Conservation Park

Mt Sunday was a place that was infrequently visited by walkers until quite recently..it was mostly Kiwis who knew about it...that was until the Lord of the Rings. Mt Sunday was the location of Edoras (capital of Rohan) in the LOTR movies and a small temporary village set was built on the crest of the mountain while filming was underway. 

The LOTR Edoras set on the top of Mt Sunday...

There was some talk of leaving the site set up as a tourist attraction but it was decided to remove all the workings after filming was completed. The harsh winters up here would have destroyed it within a couple of years. Today it is on the LOTR tourism fan route so most days over the summer the area would be swarming with fans of the films. 

Covid has really knocked this type of scenic travel for six as our borders have been closed for more than a year now. It does mean we Kiwis get to explore our natural wonders without having to fight through a horde of tourists all trying to take the viral Instagram selfie....

The trig point on Mt Sunday, Hakatere Conservation Park

Jon on Mt Sunday with the Rangitata River behind...

I didn't spend long on the summit of Mt Sunday as I was getting hit by the occasional rain drop and I wanted to be gone before it let rip.....I spent about 10 minutes on the crest and then headed off the top via the eastern ridgeline I had climbed on my way in. 

You could walk west off Mt Sunday.....but it is private land

Mt Sunday trig with Harpers Knob in the distance

Mt Potts Station is marked by the distant shelter belt...

Mt Sunday: lots of good natural seats on the summit 

Jon on Mt Sunday with the Rangitata River and Black Mountain Range to rear

Erewhon Station is about another two kilometers up the valley from Mt Sunday...it covers most of the land at the top of the Rangitata River. Erewhon is famous as it was land owned by an English gentleman Samuel Butler back in the 1860's who wrote a fictional account of life on the station. 

He painted a rather rosy view of life on the station markedly different from the hard, dirty and lonely reality. It was widely popular in England of the time and resulted in a great many people heading to New Zealand to start anew.

Erewhon Station is marked by the distant shelter belt...

There are a multitude of small kettle lakes around Mt Sunday

Erewhon is still a running station and they primarily raise cattle, deer, high quality Merino sheep and large working horses like the Clydesdale. You can visit the farm on tours that include a look at the workings, horse treks and traditional morning tea...surely one of the most remote tourist attractions in the country.

Mt Sunday...heading for home....

I headed off as it looked like some rain cloud was heading for me down the valley and it was approaching 5pm by that stage. Heading back to the carpark is along the same track you followed to the summit and is perhaps 5-10 minutes faster as you are walking down hill for part of the way.

Mt Sunday Track: walking off the eastern ridge...

So long to the summit of Mt Sunday..

I was quite taken by all the kettle lakes you can see on the plain surrounding Mt Sunday. They are glacial in nature...large chunks of ice from the glaciers that once filled the valley got covered by dense layers of glacial till. Long after the rest of the glacier is gone they melt and the till collapses into the resultant hole forming a small lake. 

These kettles will infill with silt and become swamps, bogs and mires...a natural progression as old as time. Some of these kettle lakes are huge...the one to the south east of Mt Sunday is probably 300 meters across and is now filled with reeds, rushes and swamp grasses. Some time far in the future it will dry out and you will never know it existed at all. 

Mt Sunday Track: a large kettle lake near the mountain

While the track off the mountain is easy do take care as there are some bluffs along the eastern side of the hill...don't be tempted to try taking a short cut!!!

Heading down the eastern ridge of Mt Sunday

There are cattle on the plains around Mt Sunday and for the most part they are harmless and will steer well clear of you. Do take care to stay away from cattle with young as they may charge you to protect them. This cow was giving me the evil eye as I walked past her so of course I asked her "...hey buddy...got some change..." She did not reply so obviously she must have left her purse at home that day...

Got some cash...black cow????

You get a good view of the eastern bluffs as you walk off Mt Sunday...they are not massive by any means but they do give the mount a more rugged appearance than would otherwise be the case. You certainly wouldn't want to fall off them...you might not die but you would be in hospital for quite some time...the bouncing would hurt a bit!!!

Looking along the eastern escarpment of Mt Sunday

Mt Potts and the Pyramid from Mt Sunday

Mt Sunday Track: the bluffs are 40-60 meters high...

That vista looking towards the head of the Rangitata is very compelling...I have taken multiple photos as it draws your attention. It might not be quite so interesting if it was a calm, sunny and cloudless day but the moody, stormy air makes it much more interesting. 

Cloudy Peak Range at the headwaters of the Rangitata River

The trig point on Mt Sunday is atop the slight bump in the middle of the ridge...it gives you a sense of scale about how big this mount is. You can see why they would have thought it a great film location...you can just about imagine some eyrie like castle perched atop the mountain waiting to repel all attackers. It would certainly make a fine defensive position. With some mortars, half a dozen machine guns, lots of ammunition and a company of men you could hold off most of a Brigade from the top....

Excellent view of Mt Sunday from the track

I stopped down by the swing bridge for a break and had a good look at the creek while I was there. It is really deep and moving a significant amount of water. I am surprised it has no name but then I suppose they just consider it a part of the Rangitata river.

 You should take care if messing around near the river...I don't think it is suitable for swimming. Beside being polluted with cow manure it would quite easily carry you away down stream and it is perishing cold water. 

Mt Sunday Track: nearing the swing bridge...

Salmon and Trout make their home in these rivers...

Deep and swift river along the Mt Sunday Track

Cloudy Peak (2403) from the Mt Sunday Track

I'm sure you could probably raft or kayak this river if you could be bothered lugging a boat this far inland...I think it would be worth the effort. The river joins up with the Potts River and then the Rangitata Rivers about six kilometers down the valley so you could get a decent run out of it. 

The Mt Sunday Track swing bridge with Mt Potts to rear

The no name creek is quite deep.....Mt Sunday Track

Mt Sunday from the swing bridge....

Mt Sunday Track: Mt Sunday with the Black Mountain Range to rear

Once over the rivers it is just that last kilometer or so across the old river bed shingles and through the Matagouri back to the car. This is the easy part of the track and you cover the distance swiftly. 

Last view of Cloudy Peak Range, Mt Sunday Track

The Mt Sunday Track heading for the carpark

You can see Bush Stream and the Mesopotamia Station on the far side of the Rangitata River...this is one of the oldest high country stations in the country. It was originally owned by Samuel Butler (who owned all the land at the end of this valley including Erewhon Station) from 1860 to the late 1860's. It is a huge station at nearly 90 000 acres with a mix of freehold land (15 000 acres) and Crown lease land (65 000 acres)

Most of the land is due to undergo tenure review soon and it will probably form the basis of a new conservation park. There has been talk of a 'Eastern Rivers National Park' similar to the one proposed on the West Coast. The Hakatere area contains the headwaters of several large rivers...the Havelock, Clyde, Lawrence, Hakatere/Ashburton and Potts...they all feed into the larger Rangitata River.

Distant Mesopotamia Station and Bush Stream...

The Te Araroa Trail goes right across the Hakatere Conservation Park...it comes in from the Rakaia River at Glenrock crosses several mountain ranges and then crosses the plains of the Hakatere from near Lake Heron to the Potts River. 

The Rangitata is a hazard zone along the track...the TA trust does not recommend crossing the very dangerous Rangitata. Rather they advise you to travel right around the river and restart at Mesopotamia Station on the true right of the Rangitata. It is a long way between the Potts River and Mesopotamia...over 100 kilometers by road so every year foolhardy folks attempt to cross the river. Nobody has drowned yet but it is only a matter of time. Lets just say you wouldn't see me trying to cross the Rangitata under any circumstances. 

Matagouri and grassland on the Mt Sunday Track

Good view of the distant Black Mountain Range

It is a bit quicker to walk back to the carpark as you are walking downhill for some of the way. I found myself back at the carpark about 35 minutes after setting off from Mt Sunday.  

The Mt Sunday Track is well marked with snow poles...

There are many things to do in the Hakatere Conservation Park so I will be spending time in the area going into the future. I have a couple of mountain climbs to do, Te Araroa Trail trekking and I am keen to do a camping trip to the Lake Camp campsite next to Lake Clearwater settlement. I would also like to investigate some of the big river valleys that feed the Rangitata. 

On the gravel road at the beginning of Mt Sunday Track

The Silver Surfer awaits at the Mt Sunday Track carpark

The Hakatere is a bleak and starkly empty place but it has an ascetic appeal all of its own. I can see why people have built holiday homes at Lake Heron and Clearwater....the views would be spectacular right through the year No more houses will be built up here as all the freehold land available in the park for dwellings has now been built on. The rest of it is all DOC/Crown land...so this is how it is going to stay. 

I hope to visit again soon...you should too!!!

 

Access: From Rakaia on SH1 follow Thompsons Track to Tramway Road and Mt Somers village. Join Ashburton Gorge Road to Hakatere Station and then follow Hakatere - Potts Road past Lake Clearwater Settlement and over the Potts River bridge to the sign posted turn off to Mt Sunday. 

Track Times: Mt Sunday Track to the summit of Mt Sunday is 45 minutes walking. It is approximately 2 kilometers from the carpark to the top of Mt Sunday. 

Miscellaneous:  It is 45 km's along gravel roads from Hakatere Station to Mt Sunday...it is accessible by two wheel drive vehicles. Mt Sunday is near the headwaters of the Rangitata River not far from Erewhon Station (one of the most remote stations in New Zealand). This is in the shadow of the Southern Alps so it is a alpine area with the resultant changeable weather. There are two fords near Mt Potts Station that may be flooded in very heavy rain. Access over winter can also be blocked by heavy snow and ice. This is a remote area so make sure you have sufficient clothing, equipment and consumables to sustain your stay.