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At 8.30 Nelson Lake Shuttle picked us up from the hostel and drove us our to the Upper Mount Robert car park at the start of the track passing over the source of the Buller River as it left Lake Rotoiti.
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Lake Rotoiti
from Pinchgut Track
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At 8.55 and 920m we set off up the aptly named Pinchgut Track, first of all through a wood of red, silver and mountain beech and then out into the open, zigzagging as we went up a steep incline. With the sun shining brightly we were pleased after 30 minutes to re-enter the trees for a bit of shade. In the cool of the woods and with the exertion of climbing our glasses started to mist up. But soon, 50 minutes after the start and 500m height gain we emerged above the tree line at the Bushedge Shelter.
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Rested for a quarter of an hour while we enjoyed the view over the lake and far out to the sea in the north. The climb became gentler for the most part as we walked up through sub-alpine vegetation of curly tussock, hebe, and various forms of mountain daisy, with the sun and a cooling breeze at our backs. To our right a scree slope descended down to the Speargrass Creek.
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As we gained height we overlooked a ski area in a bowl to our left and started to circle around it. Ski tows were rigged to pull skiers up to the ridge we were walking on. The ground over which we were travelling had become talus and very few plants had been able to establish themselves on the surface.
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At 10.55 we had reached Flagtop and so stopped for a slightly early elevenses and watched a small fluffy cloud float by up the valley at eye level. After only 10 minutes we were on our way again to a saddle below Julius Summit. From here the way became more difficult crossing boulders and rocks. The easiest way was to stay as much as possible on the craggy ridge. However, although difficult it was enjoyable testing out our agility, numerous crickets on the path showed us how it was done and there were sections on which we could walk normally for a few metres.
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But, soon we reached the last saddle and were looking down onto Lake Angelus and the hut. The view was well worth the effort. The only thing now between us and a seat in the hut for our lunch was a steep descent down a scree slope. Walking gently and sliding in a semi-controlled method we were soon safely at the bottom with a short walk in to the hut. Time 1.30 altitude 1640m.
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Angelus Lake
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Spent the afternoon relaxing in the sunshine on a bench outside the hut, but after a while the temperature started to cool and so we retired inside. Later as we ate our diner low cloud came over from the north.
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Set out from Angelus Hut at 8.20. The sky was perfectly clear with not a breath of wind. In the shadows frost still lay on the grass tussocks.
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Walked around the end of the mirror still lake and started our ascent that would take us gradually up the south side of a ridge over bolder fields and then talus until we reached an unnamed high peak an hour after the start. Below us, the valleys were filled with cloud. Continued on around a ridge until after another half hour we reached a rounded hill top, again unnamed and turned to head directly down a long ridge towards Mount Cedric.
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A cool wind rose up from the south pushing wisps of clouds up onto the ridge but visibility remained good. In front of us to our right Lake Rotorua came into view through the clouds. Another twenty minutes saw us at what we presumed to be Mount Cedric, the end of the ridge before it dropped down towards the lake. Its strange that quite prominent peaks go unnamed on the map but the end of a ridge is given a name.
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Dropped down from Mount Cedric to the bush line through tussocks that were so overgrown that often we could not see where on the track we were putting our feet. On reaching the tree line we sat for ten minutes in the sun before descending into the cool shade.
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For almost the next two hours we descended first through mountain beech and then red beech on a steep unrelenting path as we descended around 1000m in the space of 2km, as the crow flies, but zigzagging all the time. We could see the lake between the trees but it never seemed to get any nearer. Buzzing all around us were many wasps, but never in an swarm and they didn't seem to be bothered with us. Thankfully by 12.30 the shore and Sabine Hut appeared in front of us and with a sudden attack of sand flies we quickly shed our boots and darted inside..
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The hut was very pleasantly situated on the shore of Lake Rotorua, which was just as well as we ran our of water after the first few litres and had to use lake water from then on. The sand flies were also a bit of a nuisance, coming into the hut rather than confining themselves to the our doors.
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Left the hut at 8.10 for the longest day so far. Followed the shore of Lake Rotorua for a short distance before heading inland and starting to climb up through the beech forest to cross a stream after 30 min, contour left, climb again and cross a larger stream. The morning continued in this fashion contouring round to the left and gently climbing. The floor of the forest was mostly covered in moss, leaf mould and small beech saplings, the trunks of the trees had a fern like lichen growing on them. At 9.00 we reached what used to be a turn off on a now disused track and 20 minutes later we were passing by a couple of tarns to our right then one large one to our left, they look quite recent creations with tree stumps standing in the water. They didn't appear on our maps. After 2 hours of walking over rocks and beech roots we got a little respite when we suddenly found ourselves on a constructed track, but it only lasted for about a kilometre until we came to a swing bridge over the Cedric Stream and didn't continue on the other side.
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Continued on up gently, stopping for a 10 minute break for a snack. 11.35 brought us to an extended board walk over and into the sun where we were able to stop for a short while to over look the wet lands and stunted trees. In the distance were mountains to the south.
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Walking on we suddenly came upon a bell bird sitting on a near by branch, we stood for a couple of minutes watching it and being serenaded. And not long afterwards a pair of rifleman, without an fear, climbed the trunk of a tree only a few feet away enabling us to observe them closely.
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Finally at 12.05 we reached the Speargrass Saddle 1095m and started a moderate descent, reaching Speargrass Hut at 12.15 where stopped for lunch.
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The hut was small with 6 beds, category 3, but adequate and in a pleasant setting. We took one of the bench seats outside and sat in the sun eating our sandwiches. A more than usual number of birds flew around the speargrass meadow and nearby trees.
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At 12.50 we were off again. The leaflet said that the path was well graded, but this wasn't so for the most part. For the first 50 minutes we were clambering over the usual beech roots as we slowly descended along the Speargrass Valley. We then did get a mostly good section for half an hour before turning away from the river for a 50 minute, 200m climb up to the car park from which we started.
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All that was left was the 5km to walk back to St Arnaud. There were cars in the car park but it didn't seem that anyone was planning to leave so we walked a little way down the road and stopped to finish off the last of our snacks, hoping that during that time someone would drive our way but the sand flies defeated us and we left after five minutes. While we were walking a couple of cars came by but no lifts were offered and so after half an hour we found ourselves at a footpath that cuts off part of the road. We took it. This also had the advantage that it brought us out near the DOC Office where we were able to sign out from the walk. Then down to the petrol station for some groceries and a final plod back to the hostel.
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