Arahura Harman Crawford Styx Rivers

Our annual trip, our being Anthony and I,  that last year and this year focused on the remote huts on the West Coast of South island.

The whisky for this trip was the Limited Edition 8 year old Lagavulin; a very fine dram it turned out to be. I much prefer it to the older 16 year old.

Lagavulin 8yo

Photos by both of us, mine with a 72dpi HTC OPJA10 mobile phone and Anthony's with a 300dpi Nikon Cool-pix AW130.
 
Monday 06/03/2017
Anthony picked me up from Motueka and we then drove to Hokitika and where brunching in the same cafe as last year at ten o'clock.

Arriving at the road end, went thru a gate and on up a gravel road to start on the Arahura Valley track.

Anthony and vehicle

DOCware for the access

Headed off along the farm track and could see the ridge I wanted to go up, was a very interesting looking ridge.

Looking to our destination, ridge to left of big slip

Was not far to the swing bridge across the wash pool,

Chains for the slippery bit

Our first swing bridge across the Arahura

View towards the route to Brown?

Washpool

Checked out the idea I had and it was a failure, could go, not today. The failure to go up the route I wanted to... so off to Lower Arahura Hut, this turned out for the best, as it allowed Anthony to come up with a side wander that defined the whole trip more of this later.

Anthony at the happy

The river valley

More some valley

And on up we went in that drizzle stuff heading for our first hut.

Anthony cruising

Turning to a valley

Anthony

Our destination for the first day

My own failure, got to Jade Creek, such a slippery place didn't get onto the ridge for Lower Olderog bivouac. On the way back bashed thru the scrub to an unnamed hut on the map.

Heading up

Is a great wee valley

Missed it this trip, sure I just wanted to be back there checking out that eight year old Lagavulin.

6th March 2017

Tuesday 07/03/2017

We went from Lower Arahura hut with a visit to Newton Creek hut for lunch, then to Mudflats hut for the night. The day was drizzle with some rain until 2.00pm when it became sunny.

Heading up the Arahura

Heading up the side creek away from the river

Crossing the Arahura to Newton Creek hut track

Swing bridge across Arahura to Newton Creek hut

Track along the Arahura

Then up it goes, with the drizzle and cloud no views where had. From the top a short wander down to the hut for lunch.

At the top before descending to Newton Creek hut

Anthony at lunch

Ian at lunch

By the time we had finished lunch the sun was out, our cloths where drying and the day picked up.

Newton Creek Hut

When we left it was with views.

Looking South up the Arahura, earlier no view...

View South up the Arahura

View from the swing bridge

This could be the mud flats?

Headed on and the sun grew warm late in the day and we got towards the swing to the hut. The flats where nice and grassy.

Anthony crossing the swing to Mudflats hut

Mudflats hut was nice and clean apart from a tray of old eggs, bit chilly of a night, could have had a fire.

Tuesday 7th March 2017

 Wednesday 08/03/2017
The first two days where just walks in the drizzle. This day the sun came out and we had a diff trip, with me bagging Campbell bivouac on the way to Harman hut, and Anthony taking the direct route.

Off on the way to

Thursday 09/03/2017
Well this was Anthony's rabbit trick and a mighty fine one it turned out to be, and the top  speed of 46.9km/h is a significant error.

Want to propose a name for the pass, Needle Pass, has this sticking up.

Needle Pass

Friday 10/03/2017
Another most awesome day, with heat.


Saturday 11/03/2017
Home day and its all about getting out quickly

Jog time.... picked up by the farmer.

Map of Trip


Times
Monday 06/03/2017
0610 Anthony picked me up from Motueka for our drive to Hokitika
1004 Hokitika and brunching on food
1128 At the Styx Road end
1200 Off up our ridge, fail, back...
1515 At Lower Arahura Hut
1615 Off to Lower Olderog Bivouac
1731 Turned back as decided I would be too slow
1840 Back at Lower Arahura hut
Tuesday 07/03/2016
0833 Left Lower Arahura Hut
Swing Bridge
Newton Creek Hut
1427 Left Newton Creek Hut
1545 At track junction with "2 Hour" sign
1657 At swing before hut
1704 At Mudflats hut
Wednesday 08/03/2017
0925 Left Mudflats hut
1009 Into the river hopping bit
1020 Up side creek
1320 Campbell Bivouac
1423 Left Campbell Bivouac
1659 Into and across the river
1712 On the track
1741 Track junction
1853 Harman Hut
Thursday 09/03/2017
0928 Left Harman Hut
1200'ish Into the creek for lunch
1300 Heading up the gut to the prominent needle
1746 At Top Crawford Hut
Friday 10/03/2017
Left Top Crawford Hut

Saturday 11/03/2017
Left Grassy Flats Hut