There are such a lot of walks and tramps in New Zealand on my checklist that I haven’t had an opportunity to take a look at. And regardless of how a lot I get out and deal with them, the checklist solely grows longer. Humorous how that occurs.
However there may be one observe I’ve been desirous to do endlessly, the Heaphy Monitor. New Zealand has ten Nice Walks, together with the Heaphy, and I’ve principally carried out all of them, some even a couple of occasions. Nice Walks have higher infrastructure than our regular backcountry tramps – additionally they include greater worth tags and e-book out quick. Larger, fancier huts with wardens. Some even have flushing bogs (!!!). Extensive and better-maintained trails, and for a few of them, you’ll be able to select guided choices.
Whereas kiwis pleasure themselves on being powerful and low-cost in terms of tramping (no arguing), there’s something nice about simpler tracks. I’ve carried out my fair proportion of slogging by way of frigid rivers, climbing tree roots and scrambling up dodgy rocks, and even strolling in knee-deep mud (f*ck that). I’m fairly certain the motto right here is, “Why construct a pleasant switchback path when you’ll be able to simply climb straight up the mountain?”
However I’m gonna be sincere: I really like an opportunity NOT to make use of my palms when tramping, hanging on for expensive life, and praying to no matter god is on the market that torture ends quickly. I actually don’t care about being hardcore.
When you received’t see many kiwis on the favored Nice Walks, it was all locals once I did the Heaphy Monitor in Could this yr. From Could 1st, our autumn, the observe opens to mountain bikers. At an 84-kilometer tramp, it’s the longest Nice Stroll (minus canoeing the Whanganui River), and I’ll argue it’s the most effective.
So why did I put it off for thus lengthy? As a result of the beginning and end of the observe are a seven-hour drive aside. I couldn’t work out the logistics, particularly as I want to tramp alone. The beginning on the West Coast is a ten-hour drive from Wānaka, too. It’s fairly a dedication, and it could be almost $500 to relocate my automobile, on high of gas: it presently prices me $175 to refill my little automobile right here. NOPE.
However then I discussed to a buddy that I used to be eager to deal with the Heaphy this yr, they usually informed me about Golden Bay Air as the most effective logistics possibility. Seems to be left to proper, how did I not find out about this? You’ll be able to fly in between the beginning and end, they usually do numerous shuttles. They’ve streamlined the method of organizing the tramp, and it’s reasonably priced. It’ll prevent 450 kilometers of driving. Depend. Me. In.
How I organized my logistics with Golden Bay Air:
- I drove from Wanaka to Westport in a day and stayed in a motel that evening
- The subsequent morning, I drove north, and I dropped a bag of unpolluted garments and toiletries on the tiny airport in Karamea
- Then I drove quarter-hour to the beginning of the observe on the West Coast facet
- I parked my automobile on the Kōhaihai campsite, which is the place the observe begins
- Over the following 4 days, I walked the Heaphy Monitor
- I stayed in these huts so as:
- Day 1 – Heaphy Hut
- Day 2 – James Mackay Hut
- Day 3 – Perry Saddle Hut
- I met the Golden Bay Air automobile shuttle pick-up on the finish of the observe at Brown Hut to move to Takaka airport
- I grabbed my rent automobile and my different bag from the Takaka airport
- I stayed in Takaka for 3 nights to discover Golden Bay
- I returned to the Takaka airport to return the rent automobile and catch my brief flight again to the Karamea airport
- Then, the shuttle introduced us again to the beginning of the observe at Kōhaihai, the place I left my automobile
- Then drove again to Wanaka
**This seems like rather a lot, however principally, once you e-book with Golden Bay Air, they cowl all of those companies, so the method is streamlined, and the timings all line up, so that you don’t have to attend round. And for these of you studying from abroad, the Karamea and Takaka airports are tiny, the dimensions of a room; they’re extra like an airstrip, not for bigger industrial jets. There’s no queuing or something.
I made a decision to stroll the Heaphy Monitor from the Karamea/West Coast facet north to Takaka. Most individuals do it the opposite method, however it doesn’t matter. I don’t assume it’s more durable in both course. Karamea is simply nearer to me to drive to than Takaka.
My GPS informed me that the observe was 84 kilometers lengthy, and it was principally evenly cut up over the 4 days, normally 16-25 kilometers per day. For me, it actually wasn’t that onerous. I assumed the times could be for much longer than I assumed – every day took me round 4 to 5 hours. The very best half, although, is the observe feels flat. If you happen to take a look at DOC’s elevation profile, it seems daunting. You’re climbing to 1,000 meters however over 20 kilometers. It’s so gradual you don’t discover the incline a lot.
I observed my again was a little bit extra sore than regular as a result of I had a heavier pack, bringing my digicam and extra meals than on shorter tramps. So don’t be delay by the 20-kilometer days—they had been simple, the observe appears flat, there are not any steps besides onto bridges (bear in mind folks bike it), and it’s properly maintained. It’s also possible to make it longer by staying at a few of the smaller huts.
You’ll be able to drink the water alongside the observe too – it’s stained brown from tannins from leaf matter. It’s completely nice to drink and tastes higher than my faucet water.
I made a decision to deal with the Heaphy Monitor within the autumn. It doesn’t have the avalanche hazard that the extra mountainous Nice Walks have, making it a observe you may deal with all yr lengthy. Although I think about it could possibly be disagreeable and chilly in winter, I reckon you’d most likely have the observe all to your self!
Additionally, I’m conscious that many individuals assume it’s bizarre that I really like tramping alone and that I discover the thought of being the one one on the observe AMAZING. I’m an introvert. I usually hate folks. I can’t assist it.
I’ll use this chance to emphasise simply how vital it’s to put together accordingly and carry a Private Locator Beacon (PLB), which you’ll hire should you don’t personal one. That is what you set off in case you have a life-threatening harm or are at risk of great harm or lack of life. Belief me, Search and Rescue would fairly come and discover you along with your GPS location from the PLB than have to start out looking for our bodies.
There may be additionally the chance of flooding, which suggests you may need to remain longer on the observe. There are a lot of huts and several other emergency shelters. Carry additional meals. I all the time deliver additional meals.
The biodiversity struck me as the most effective a part of the Heaphy Monitor. It’s unbelievable, and I’d even say it’s a few of the greatest I’ve seen tramping. The landscapes are unbelievable and assorted. The West Coast is inexperienced and humid, the path meandering alongside the rugged shoreline shrouded in nikau palms. You then head by way of some unbelievable forest earlier than climbing up into purple tussock nation. It was colourful. It was stunning.
I noticed kiwi, tūī, bellbirds, a fernbird (!!), whio, weka, kererū, robins, riflemen and so many extra. You’ll be able to inform there was a lot predator management within the space to guard it; the birdlife was wonderful. It’s additionally the place you will discover the biggest carnivorous snails—Powelliphanta snails. What the heck? I vaguely knew this, however name me intrigued. I looked for them so exhausting, however I solely discovered three shells. One of many DOC rangers informed me it’s exhausting to seek out them alive.
And the queen of birds to see alongside the Heaphy Monitor: the takahē. And I didn’t see one; cue tears. It wasn’t like I didn’t strive guys. Takahē can poo as much as 9 meters per day. You wager your ass I adopted these poo trails all by way of the bush across the observe for ages. However nada. Different folks did see them, which makes me glad. Whereas I used to be there, some had been hanging round Saxon Hut at sundown.
I’ve been privileged to have seen takahē many occasions in ecosanctuaries and at their breeding facility, however by no means within the wild. I assume that simply means I’ve to return.
Takahē are a badass, huge, hefty blue hen that was as soon as declared extinct for 50 years. Not many creatures can boast about getting back from the lifeless.
Geoffrey Orbell, a doctor, discovered a wild inhabitants of takahē within the Murchison Mountains by Te Anau in 1948. These days, with numerous exhausting work in conservation, there are about 500 takahē in New Zealand. Many are in predator-free ecosanctuaries and islands (checklist right here). There nonetheless is a inhabitants within the Murchisons, however it’s probably not accessible to the general public. I’ve been making an attempt to weasel my method up there for years unsuccessfully, pun meant. I do know it ruins a joke to elucidate it, however weasels are mustelids, like stoats, that are one of many worst launched predators in New Zealand. The truth is, in 2007, stoats managed to kill half the takahē there. Furry monsters.
However what made Kahurangi Nationwide Park significantly particular was the discharge of the second wild inhabitants of takahē in 2018. This large milestone brings us one step nearer to restoring our land, birds, and different creatures to what it as soon as was like.
Many due to Golden Bay Air for organizing all the logistics to make this potential. As all the time, I’m retaining it actual—all opinions are my very own, as should you may anticipate much less from me.
