Got up at
4:30. Got on a school bus that I've booked yesterday heading to Glenrock where
I start today. Chris the driver said it was 3 weeks ago when he gave a ride to
TA walker last time. It matched with the stories from other TA walkers walking
up from the south and sounds I'm walking down to south all alone away from
other walkers.
Took us 70 minutes for 50 km trip driving on a very rough road, and
arrived at the start point when the beautiful morning glow started. Planned to
go over 3 passes today. When climbed the first one Turtons Saddle (1,120m), met
George & Hilary, a couple from Geraldine with 4 goats. They were training
their 7-month old kids as porters so that the goats will carry their gears when
tramping in the future. Kids were very friendly.
Track down to Comyns hut via
A-frame hut was an old farm road and easy to walk. Next section was a riverbed
walk that goes along towards upstream of Ashburton river including 51 times
river crossing as per the trail note. It was why I was forcing myself go further
to the next hut in order to pass this tricky part before the rain will come
tomorrow. In spite of the fine weather 4 days in row today, river was hip deep
in some sections and icy cold because snow melt of upper streams were flowing
in. My feet got numb quickly and it was an extra hard work to carry on like
this for 2.5 hours.
Climbed up and down Clent Hill saddle (1,480m) following a
very faint path. Dead tired when walked down Mellish saddle, the last pass of
the day.
After 10.5 hours walk, eventually arrived at Double hut at 17:30 when sun
set over the mountains. Rob, a mountain biker from Christchurch was there in
the hut and boiled some water for me. Had a coffee, felt relieved. A very old
hut and heard rats running on the roof after dark. Hung as much things as
possible on the hook at the beam, and went to bed at 23:00. Walked 10 hours, 33km.
4:30に起き、6:00に昨日予約したスクールバスに乗せてもらい、スタート地点のグレンロックへと向かう。運転手のクリスによると、前回最後にTAウォーカーを乗せたのは約3週間前とか、これは逆方向からきてこれまでであった、北上中のTAウォーカーの話とも合致し、どうやら自分は一人ポツンと遅れて南下中らしい。
途中の道は大変な悪路で約50kmの距離に70分かかって到着。ちょうど鮮やかな朝焼けが始まったところだった。今日は三つの峠を越えるが、最初のタートンズ峠 (1,120m) に登ったところで4頭の山羊を連れたジェラルディンのカップル、ジョージとヒラリーに出会う。生後7ヶ月の山羊は、将来自分達のトランピングの荷物を担がせるために訓練中とか。とても人懐こかった。
そこからAフレーム小屋を経てコミンズ小屋までは昔の農道でとても歩きやすかったが、その先は川底歩きに変わり、ルートガイドによると、アシュバートン川を上流に向かって51回も渡渉するとある。この区間を明日雨が降る前に通りたかったのが、今日無理して一つ先の小屋まで行くことに決めた理由の一つ。今日で4日連続の晴天にも関わらず、水位は時に腰下まで達し、上流の雪解け水の影響か氷のように冷たい。あっという間に足の感覚がなくなり、これを2時間半も続けるのはなかなか辛い行程だった。
その後、クレント・ヒル峠 (1,480m) への道なき道を登り、最後のメリッシュ峠を下る頃にはもうヘトヘト。
歩き始めてから10時間経った17:30、山の向こうに日が沈んだ頃、やっと今晩の宿ダブル小屋に到着できた。先客にクライストチャーチのマウンテン・バイカーのロブがいて湯を沸かしてくれ、コーヒーを飲んでやっとひと心地つけた。しかしとても古い小屋で、暗くなると屋根裏でネズミ達が走り回り賑やか。吊るせるものは全て針のフックから吊るして23:00に寝る。本日の歩行10時間、33km。
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