3RY Update Part:

6

Date:

12th March ‘19

Day:

49

Title:

Poor Mans Milford

KM Mark Start:

2126

Start Location:

Kiwi Hut

KM Mark Finish:

2118

Finish Location:

Locke Stream Hut.

Actual KM today:

9

Weather:

Raining off and on, overcast

General:

A really short day as a result of the extra KM’s I did yesterday in an effort to beat the bad weather and potentially end up getting stuck on the wrong side of Taramakau River.

I heard it raining all night, so started to think I’d missed my opportunity but it turned out to be all good. Most of the trail avoided the larger river crossings.

The Taramakau Saddle (Harper Pass) was originally a route Ngai Tahu used to collect Pounamu from Tai Poutini (Westland) to then transport back to their main pa in Kaiapoi. This route was later used for stock and transport, to and from the Goldfields, until in 1866 Arthur’s Pass Road was opened and the Harper Pass route was abandoned. In the late 1930’s the government reopened Harper Pass in an attempt to Rival the Milford Track. The plan included five huts. Due to the isolated location, Locke Stream Hut (where I will be for the night) was built using local native timber, that was felled, transported to site (using horse and sledge) and then hand shaped in the winter of 1940 by George Bolton, a bushman and Harry Scott, a deer culler. The hut itself was built the following spring by Sam Burrows and a companion.

The Harper Pass never rivalled the Milford Track and the Locke Stream Hut remains as a reminder of the building techniques of the past. The hand-hewn timber can still be seen in all of the framing and door slabs.

Body/Health:

Daaaaamn Daniel! Little infection in my toe. Not bad, have cleaned and disinfected.

Outlook:

Loving it – really keen to see a

Kiwi.

Tune of the Day:

Sandstorm – Darude

Day 49 Images: