The treachery of yiur climb and this section - I feel for you. You did it! "IT'S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE" another deserving quote. The mountain vista's - stunning. Bringing out the best mountain goat in you. Greetings always to Richie! We could be expecting our first nobo in about another 2 weeks. Just entered the TARARUA Range yesterday from Waikanae. You guys take care. Noho haumaru.
Awesome Kurt & Co! You are are sure footed as mountain goats. Spectacular footage and thank you for sharing some hard to access beautiful NZ. Kia kaha kare!
Hi Kurt! Ahh I am really feeling it for you on the rocky sidling in and out of the Wairoa River. My worn out ankles are twinging in sympathy! My hut bagging list says I tramped the Red Hills and the Wairoa River in April 1994. I have no recollection of the river section! (As a 30 year old I probably still had pain sensitivity dulled by testosterone)... But very strong memories of the tussock and sub alpine flora. Beautiful scenery! Have you thought about wearing some calf length gaiters? They would protect your lower legs. It seems very convivial when the 'bubble' of hikers rest up at the end of the day. There's always an Ollie from Switzerland! All the best!😀
Better say this. Having two long Nordic walking poles in this terrain is unsafe. If you slip, the poles may stop you from grabbing some vegetation and avoiding injury. How do I know? I slipped, and my long poles didn't let me grab anything, and I smashed my glasses and nose into a rock. I now use one short pole that I know will take my full weight, and allows one hand free. Yes, I am a local and have walked through there in both directions on six occasions. This steep forested track is not twin pole country, nor is much of what you will encounter in the next few weeks. (Good for skiing!) 46-year-old Petr Cech drowned in May last year despite carrying a week of food and knowing that the weather forecast was bad. We had a deluge that day in Nelson, and it was more up there in the hills. He could have stayed in Top Wairoa Hut for a few days to let the rain sweep through, but he thought he knew better and paid the price. Those river crossings may look benign, but that can change quickly. These rivers are steep and can go up extremely quickly. They also go down quickly. He would be alive if he had accepted other people's advice and waited a day or two. The summer before, someone was trapped in the middle of the Motueka River crossing and almost had the same fate, he just managed to alert Search and Rescue to pull him from a rapidly diminishing island in the middle. You need to take these river crossings seriously. I'm pleased it looks like DOC has finally widened the track there. It was perilous
Thanks for that input. I have adjusted my pole use…especially in boulder fields. The river warning is so important. At a hut in the Tararuas I watched a river rise alarmingly quick, glad to be done for the day. But the rivers also empty quickly too. I think some people get impatient when a day could make all the difference.
Be careful on Waiau Pass. The descent over the other side starts extremely steep and is a bit of a scramble down. Definitely scary if you have a fear of heights. Beautiful though
@@Lazydaisy646 if you can find a way to get up to Blue Lake Hut and Lake Constance just below Waiau Pass I highly recommend. The best scenery I've seen in New Zealand to date.
That sound great!! They really need to sort out the accomodation issues in The Richmond’s. I think the type of days you describe are going to be few and far between in the future.
Slow down for a day or two to pace yourself, I suggest. Don't hike yourself into exhaustion or injury. You are going great guns and have plenty of food. Just a suggestion from an experienced fellow hiker of your age.
It’s definitely worth it! That one section is pretty tense but before and after it are some amazing experiences. I would do that whole section again before the Whanganui River or Tararuas.
The treachery of yiur climb and this section - I feel for you. You did it! "IT'S ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE" another deserving quote.
The mountain vista's - stunning.
Bringing out the best mountain goat in you.
Greetings always to Richie!
We could be expecting our first nobo in about another 2 weeks. Just entered the TARARUA Range yesterday from Waikanae.
You guys take care. Noho haumaru.
Awesome Kurt & Co! You are are sure footed as mountain goats. Spectacular footage and thank you for sharing some hard to access beautiful NZ. Kia kaha kare!
Hi Kurt! Ahh I am really feeling it for you on the rocky sidling in and out of the Wairoa River. My worn out ankles are twinging in sympathy! My hut bagging list says I tramped the Red Hills and the Wairoa River in April 1994. I have no recollection of the river section! (As a 30 year old I probably still had pain sensitivity dulled by testosterone)... But very strong memories of the tussock and sub alpine flora. Beautiful scenery! Have you thought about wearing some calf length gaiters? They would protect your lower legs. It seems very convivial when the 'bubble' of hikers rest up at the end of the day. There's always an Ollie from Switzerland! All the best!😀
I have leggings that I wear for warmth, sun protection, and minimal grass and rock protection. I find gaiters too heavy for me.
That was my favorite section, hard but beautiful
Goodonya! Besides the scree slope, it would be near the bottom of the list for me!
That sidling looks very intense and anxiety provoking. Congratulations on making it through in one piece.
Thanks. It was the most intense section for me to date.
Gidday mate, rough start to that day wasn't it but a beautiful place to end..it's really isolated out there wow.
Full camp
Only found this recently. Living in Marlborough it caught my eye and loving following your journey.
Now gone back to the start of your journey😃
Thanks for joining the journey.
Better say this. Having two long Nordic walking poles in this terrain is unsafe. If you slip, the poles may stop you from grabbing some vegetation and avoiding injury. How do I know? I slipped, and my long poles didn't let me grab anything, and I smashed my glasses and nose into a rock. I now use one short pole that I know will take my full weight, and allows one hand free. Yes, I am a local and have walked through there in both directions on six occasions.
This steep forested track is not twin pole country, nor is much of what you will encounter in the next few weeks. (Good for skiing!)
46-year-old Petr Cech drowned in May last year despite carrying a week of food and knowing that the weather forecast was bad. We had a deluge that day in Nelson, and it was more up there in the hills. He could have stayed in Top Wairoa Hut for a few days to let the rain sweep through, but he thought he knew better and paid the price. Those river crossings may look benign, but that can change quickly. These rivers are steep and can go up extremely quickly. They also go down quickly. He would be alive if he had accepted other people's advice and waited a day or two.
The summer before, someone was trapped in the middle of the Motueka River crossing and almost had the same fate, he just managed to alert Search and Rescue to pull him from a rapidly diminishing island in the middle.
You need to take these river crossings seriously.
I'm pleased it looks like DOC has finally widened the track there. It was perilous
Thanks for that input. I have adjusted my pole use…especially in boulder fields. The river warning is so important. At a hut in the Tararuas I watched a river rise alarmingly quick, glad to be done for the day. But the rivers also empty quickly too. I think some people get impatient when a day could make all the difference.
😢 to Ritchie, thats going to smell yummy by trails end...🤢
It already is. 🤢
Be careful on Waiau Pass. The descent over the other side starts extremely steep and is a bit of a scramble down. Definitely scary if you have a fear of heights. Beautiful though
Well that's it, I'm definitely not doing this . Vertigo is a killer
@@Lazydaisy646 if you can find a way to get up to Blue Lake Hut and Lake Constance just below Waiau Pass I highly recommend. The best scenery I've seen in New Zealand to date.
I’m not a fan of heights at all, but I have found the only place that really challenged me was the section between the two Wairoa huts.
In 2020 I shared each hut with 1 couple and walked my 8 days alone age 65 great fun
That sound great!! They really need to sort out the accomodation issues in The Richmond’s. I think the type of days you describe are going to be few and far between in the future.
Condolences on the Tuna explosion Ritchie ( I can only imagine). Would be nice to get an update on how extensive the Tuna damage was 🤣
It was pretty bad. A week on and I can still smell it if I’m too close. 🤢
@@freedom_on_the_trail 🤣🤣 oh dear
Well done. That requires a lot of concentration and the feet of a deer.
We actually talked about how much easier that would have been with four legs!
Slow down for a day or two to pace yourself, I suggest. Don't hike yourself into exhaustion or injury. You are going great guns and have plenty of food. Just a suggestion from an experienced fellow hiker of your age.
Thanks for that. We slow down, then speed up, only to slow down, so we can speed up again. 🤷🏻♂️😂
What is the music it’s so nice.
It’s a selection of free music I have found over the last couple of years on the web. Sometimes the music is listed on the video description.
Is it possible to tramp up the river/gorge rather than sidling along the track in some places?
I don’t think so. There were a lot of waterfalls in that section.
@@freedom_on_the_trail I thought so.. I skipped the Richmond Alpine route but I’m contemplating going back and completing it..
It’s definitely worth it! That one section is pretty tense but before and after it are some amazing experiences. I would do that whole section again before the Whanganui River or Tararuas.
@@freedom_on_the_trail Thanks for the encouragement 😊