4- 6 October 2024
On the Thursday evening (3 Oct) Murry and Robyn went to Waipawa Forks hut for the night. The next day ,Simon, Mark and John met them at the river track to this hut and all proceeded up river.
This is the first time in there since cyclone Gabrielle and what a mess it is now, massive gravel/rock heaps, the creek bed scouring deep into the eastern edge tearing down several metres below the old river level. Some of the useful bits of side tracks are torn away so it is a real rock bash trip in. We investigated some parts for trimming on the way down and in doing so took about 6 hours in. As there were only about two feet deep beech leaves in the woodshed, it was all hands on deck to clean it all out and then gather wood from far and wide. Some other jobs were done before getting food prepared for dinner. Paul also came in but he stayed at Waipawa Forks Friday night and arrived in about 1pm Saturday.
Mattresses were cleaned and tears repaired with duct tape, gutters and tank were cleaned, the bait station was rebaited and firewood collected. As well, the rear of the hut was scrubbed and toilet exterior and the windows were painted, and axes sharpened., painted toilet exterior. The toilet, the 8 sided classic, is now sparkling in its new paint job, a beacon in the wilderness.
The storm left the fireplace of the original hut exposed in the river bed so we could see where it once had been. We departed Sunday at 9am for the rocky road out in quite cold conditions, four layers on, and the breeze at the saddle was around the 100km mark too.
Team: John M, Simon W, Mark H, Murry A, Robyn W and Paul D.