This tramp is the same as one I did earlier in the year, except reversed the direction, which is much faster. Started from the same place, Norbett Creek track at Kaitoke Water works.
Saturday 08/11/2014
A very fine day in the Eastern Hutt River.
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| Eastern Hutt River below swing |
Meet up with a big bacon 600 meters South of Eastern Hutt hut, got a photo as it ran off.
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| Bacon |
Either not many people pass this way or they never bother to write in the hut book. Probably the later. If I had got to the hut after seven p.m. I would have stayed the night at the hut as I didn't want to be bashing around in the bush in the dark. It does say emergency stays only and my stay would not have been an emergency. Maybe I will get stuck here in a storm sometime for a stay one night as its a pretty little spot, and one of the few huts in the Tararua's that Ive never slept in.
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| Eastern Hutt Hut or Hut with No Name |
Out on the open tops at seven thirty, with a few bashes thru leatherwood.
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| Looking down into Eastern Hutt |
Had very clear weather and the views from 1308 to Alpha where spectacular.
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| Looking north to Main Range |
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| West towards Kapiti |
As it darkened I could hear the rumble of distant explosions, looking back I had a good view of the Wellington City fireworks display 50 kilometers distance.
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| Wellington fireworks |
Sunday 09/11/2014
Another good day with a small wind on the tops. Headed off early'ish with more views. Good to look North to the main range.
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| Day view of looking North to Main Range |
And this is where I was heading, down Quoin Ridge to Hutt Forks.
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| Quoin Ridge |
The ridge walk from Alpha to Quoin was mostly open tussock, very easy travel. Just a couple of spots where you pushed thru scrub and treated your legs to a natural exfoliation process.
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| The scrubby stuff |
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| Cruisy top travel |
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| Heading into the bush on Quoin |
Much easier way to go. The walk up the spur onto Quoin is easy travel with an almost constant ground trail, coming down it requires more care as its easy to wander off the sides in the flat broad areas. Much prefer going up. The same with Quoin Ridge, so much easier to walk down it.
Did not see one possum on my evening walk, that could be due to this stuff:
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| 1080 sign |
Lots of 1080 pellets on the ground ranging from ones beginning to break down in the damp places to those still firm on the open tops.
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| 1080 on the tops |
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| 1080 in the trees |
I do so agree with 1080.
Trip Times
Saturday 08/11/2014
1504 Left car at start of Norbett Creek track
1541 Onto 4WD road
1613 At the Eastern Hutt River swing bridge
1647 End of marked track and into the river
1753 Big bacon in the river
1803 Eastern Hutt Hut
1812 Left hut, heading up grid north spur to Quoin Ridge
1936 Out into the open
2116 Alpha hut
Sunday 09/11/2014
0938 Left Alpha hut
1006 Alpha
1133 Seismic station
1438 Hutt Forks, stopped for lunch
1526 HEading up 4WD
1608 Norbett Creek track
1637 Car
Map
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