Anthony and Ian with a boat less trip up the Nelson Lakes to Cupola Hut, nope Hopeless Hut. The demise of the Nelson Lake water taxi means more walking and no easy out after a walk down the valley. Sounds like DOC are over the top with the requirements to take on the job of a water taxi. On one hand DOC do awesome things like maintain the historic Hopeless hut and on the other hand they have some stupid OSH stuff like the fire escape notices in huts.
Friday 27/05/2011
Left Nelson just before eight and got to the Paddys Track carpark and then headed off down to meet the track to Coldwater Hut about nine am. The lake is the highest Ive ever seen it (tramping regularly here since 1994) and there was a hundred meters or so of drowned track. Some large groups of fungi about.
Nice walk to Coldwater where we stopped for food and drink before heading on to Hopeless. Would have had wet feet if there was a water taxi as there is a few centimeters of water above the jetty.
The view across to Lakehead hut. A lot more water than normal.
Anthony spotted a stag grazing on the flats and I tried to get as close as possible for a photo.
Got to Hopeless before dark with enough time to gather firewood. It is a great the fixup that DOC have given it.
Saturday 28/05/2011
Learning how to sleep is easy at Hopeless hut, such a quiet place and not so warm.
Went for a walk up the route that gives access to Mt Hopeless. Looking down as you come out of the trees.
A minor desert of airplane billy lid.
Sunday 29/05/2011
We left the hut just as the cloud dispersed.
Map of Walk (sort of)
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| Section from BS24 Mt Robert |
2 comments:
What's the problem with the water taxi? Has DoC shut them down for some reason?
Water Taxi is up for sale however one of the requirements to run the business is a large number of hours being some sort of qualified boat driver.
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