23 February 2007

A Step Up

The Greenstone Track

Day 2, Page 6

A couple of hundred metres ahead, there's a small stream crossing, and I leave the valley, and the sun, but not my foul mood, behind.

I am in fact in a sufficiently foul mood not to appreciate the coolness and the steady going such a path offers. It just goes on and on and it's as boring as all get out. I just want it over.

The only interruption is provided by a couple of avalanche fields.

I stop by one of these for a packs-off and Miranda passes, recognises the signs, and makes a charitable comment or two before continuing. Even a chocolate bar and a good drink does not improve my mood and I pick up my pack and stump on. I am buggered. This is where a bit more endurance training would have seen me home and happy.

Sensing my mood, the track throws a few rocks my way that my tired leg muscles can only curse at.

Then it's back to boring again.

Down below, through a break in the bush, I can see the old Passburn Hut on the flats.

Suddenly, in front of me there's a sign. Ten minutes. More like twenty, actually. It's steepish downhill and then an equally steepish climb up to the Greenstone.

I have a look for the two trophy trout that the fisheries ranger reckoned were in this pool below the bridge, but I can't see them.

Up the other side.

Nearly at the top, and there's a sign saying "Fragile Area" but nowhere do I see any supplementary info telling me what in particular is fragile about it and what in particular is being protected here. Even if it was just an info leaflet specific to this hut it would be of interest.

There it is. Just a little more hill to climb. The good news is that I don't have to walk anywhere tomorrow. We hang out here until Mike and Carol arrive from Steele Creek.

Fatman time 9hr 30.

I find the bunk Miranda has thoughtfully saved for me and swallow a nurophen. I am aching all over. A good lesson about training. This is not a severe track. Just a long one.

(I still think an extra hut halfway down would be an excellent idea, and certainly open the track to a wider group of people, who would find it's relatively gentle course well within their scope given a manageable length.)

An hour later I am once more fit for human company and I emerge into a fine example of DoC's new huts. All the windows are aluminium joinery, and they all have mesh covers across the ones that open.

There are small grilles in the floor to take out heavier than air toxic gases, and signs and notices wherever you look.

I think this is all designed to make office workers feel at home in the wilderness. We've certainly come a long way from rubbing a couple of sticks together for a fire.

-o0o-

At this point you can join me heading from here down the Mavora Walkway in a couple of days, or you can come with me to the Greenstone carpark and do the last leg back to front, which is what we did when we had finished the Mavora.