|
by Pamela Blalock
 I
came off the Wangapeka Track
with a severely swollen knee and pretty limited range of motion. I took
it easy for a while, and the swelling went down, but the range of motion
wasn't returning and any hikes with steep downhills (quite common around
here) were very painful. I finally went to see a doctor who referred
me to a knee specialist and a physiotherapist. I still haven't heard
back from the knee specialist, but I did see the physio. Using old-school
techniques, he did actually increase my range of motion, but the pain
still comes back on descents, as does the swelling. A second physio
theorised that ultimately I would need surgery, but suggested full dosages
of anti-inflammatory drugs for the duration of the hike. Both thought
hiking poles would be beneficial but the knee support wouldn't do much.
So I started the hike taking 2400 mg of ibuprofen, as
well as using a knee support and walking poles. I also decided to go
with a hiking sneaker rather than my boots. The Heaphy is one of the
easier walks in the country, with gradual climbs and descents, and no
scrambles. The footing is very good, so I decided to forego ankle support
in favour of more comfortable toes. My hiking boots cramp my little
toes in a way that leaves me fantasising about a toe-ectomy. I decided
that the extra stability of poles would more than offset any ankle support
from the toe torture device boots. In my hiking around Nelson, I had
found the knee support helpful, so I decided to take it as well (in
spite of what the physio said).
Fortunately Susan wasn't panicked that she was heading
out in the wilderness with a crippled person who might fall apart at
any moment. Last year, John and I did a couple of hikes (The
Kepler and Caples-Greenstone)
with Susan when she came to New Zealand for a visit. These were just
warm-ups for her climb up Mt Aspiring. My knee had given me some grief
on these hikes as well. But she enjoyed her trip here enough that she
decided to come back and do more tramping (and force us off our bikes
for a few weeks). Her friend, Maureen would join us after the first
week. Then we'd all do a tramp together on the Queen Charlotte Track,
before the two of them set off for an 8 day tramp over Rabbit Pass.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. First John, Susan and I would hike
the Heaphy.
 The
Heaphy is a well known Great Walk in New Zealand. Great Walks vary a
bit, but tend to be the more popular and well known walks, often with
easier terrain, great scenery, and very nice huts. The huts standards
do vary a bit. Most great walks have a reservation system in the high
season, and bunks are guaranteed, but the Heaphy is an exception. The
huts are very nice and have bunks with mattresses, as well as gas cookers,
running water and even flush toilets. But since numbers aren't limited
on the Heaphy, it is advisable to bring a tent and sleeping mat during
the busy season, in case all the bunks are taken.
Trying to eliminate additional stress on my knee, John
carried both our tent and stove. Otherwise, I did carry all my own gear,
sleeping bag, mat, and a fair amount of the food. John is bigger and
stronger afterall - he should carry more!
Anyway, we set off from Nelson, early in the morning on
a bus up to the start. It's about a 4 hour bus ride, so we got to the
beginning of the track around 11AM. After lathering up with sunscreen
and taking the obligatory starting pictures, we signed in and began
the long climb up to Perry Saddle. When signing in, we made note of
a party of 8 ahead of us. That would help fill the hut!
The first part of the track is quite wide and smooth,
and a steady but gentle climb. Ever since coming to New Zealand, we'd
heard how we should ride our bikes on the Heaphy - since it is such
an epic adventure, and so rideable. Only problem is that it was recently
made part of a National Park, and biking is not allowed in National
Parks, except on roads. Well it's been a hot topic amoung cyclists in
the area, and folks are trying to get the policy changed, so that cyclists
can at least use the track in the low season. It is an old stock route
and is quite rideable. It does seem a shame that DOC excludes cyclists
from their target users of parkland. Our next planned hike, on the Queen
Charlotte Track, is a great example of a track that is shared by trampers
and cyclists, with part of the track restricted to hikers only during
the high season. It would seem a similar arrangement would serve all
quite well for this track. It is currently under review, and could well
change, but not before we leave NZ, so we'll just have to be content
with walking for now.
 Anyway,
we started the steady climb up to the saddle. After an hour or so, we
came to a nice bench and took a short break for snacks, and to rest
or feet and shoulders (as we were being reminded that we hadn't been
carry heavy loads up hills for a while). While stopped several groups
of hikers passed. There are 24 bunks at Perry Saddle Hut. I mentally
subtracted off bunks for the party of 8, and each of the groups that
passed. We did have tent and stove and such, so it wouldn't be a big
deal to camp if we had to.
Of course, after we restarted from our break, we'd then
pass each of the groups that had passed us. Power of suggestion must
have led them to take breaks too.
It was unusually humid for this time of year, and even
though the climb wasn't steep, we were working up a good sweat. Our
breaks were welcome, and the hut would be as well.
After a few hours, we came to a shelter. Many of the folks
we had to-ed and fro-ed with stopped for lunch here. We'd had our lunch
a bit earlier, so we made a brief stop to top off water bottles and
pressed on for the saddle.
The viewing spot at the saddle is a bit off track, so
we dumped our backpacks and headed up to take it all in. It was here
that I discovered that I'd forgotten to recharge my camera battery,
as well as my spare. So I had a pretty limited number of shots! Fortunately
John had his camera with slide film, and Susan had hers, so we would
still get lots of pictures.
The view was pretty impressive. After walking uphill through
bush all afternoon, it was very nice to get a wide open view from up
high. We started down toward to hut, and notice what seemed like tracks
from a big piece of machinery. After a while, we were passed by a 4
wheeled motorized cycle. I joked about asking for a lift for my pack,
but to be fair, it wasn't that heavy.
 A
short while later, we saw another ranger heading back down on the quad,
this time towing a trailer, containing many items, including a kitchen
sink! I suppose if you are going to carry that much, you need more than
a simple backpack!
This fellow warned us that there was some work going on
at the hut. I'd read a notice at the DOC office in Nelson, about toilets
being upgraded, and some potential minor inconvenience. It had mentioned
that a couple of bunks might be used by contractors. Apparently they
were using more than a couple of bunks. The ranger asked if we
had tents.We said we did, but had read we couldn't camp at this hut.
He said, it would be OK to camp now. I mentioned the 8 other hikers
behind us...
A few minutes later, we started hearing heavy machinery
and the buzz of a generator. When we arrived at the hut, we were greeted
by deisel fumes from the generator, and a small digger, as well as the
sound of lots of saws and hammers and such. So much for relaxing at
the hut after a long hike. But what was more frustrating was that half
of the hut, a bunkroom with 12 bunks, was reserved for the contractors.
Additionally their stuff was scattered everywhere. I couldn't even sit
on a bench to remove my shoes because it was cluttered with drills and
such that had just been left haphazardly everywhere. When we went inside,
a large part of the common area was filled with coolers, and boxes of
food. They even had a toaster. I didn't actually realize they had a
generator for powering all sorts of mod-cons yet!
 The
8 folks who had signed in ahead of us, had claimed their 8 bunks in
the bunkroom not reserved for the contractors, so we claimed 3 remaining
ones for ourselves, and tried to find a spot to put our packs. I went
back outside to enjoy the sound of native birds, uh I mean buzz of machinery,
and joined a conversation with one of the other hikers, a ranger and
a fellow in a DOC uniform who seemed to be with the contractors. In
response to a question about why they were doing this work at such a
busy time, the DOC uniformed fellow replied that he wasn't in PR and
if we didn't like crowded huts, we shouldn't be hiking at a busy time.
I said I didn't mind competing for bunks with folks who brought it in
our their backs, but asked if they could helicopter all this equipment
up, why couldn't they bring tents and cots for the workers. (I did not
know at the time that they also had two freezers and a fridge filled
with ice cream, beer, wine and steaks, as well as a couple of grills.)
All the equipment, supplies and workers had been flown in - although
the digger was driven up the track. His response was that these guys
work long hours and deserve a good bed. I guess I hadn't worked hard
at all, walking up with everything on my back! He also said, we had
been warned by DOC, which strictly speaking wasn't the case. We certainly
were told nothing when we booked the trip back in October, and the notice
on the board a day or two before said a couple of bunks would
be used, not twelve, and the slight inconevience I had in mind wasn't
the co-opting of my wilderness experience with the smell of deisel.
Oh well, we'd be out of here the next morning.
This DOC fellow then decided to have some fun with us
and said if we wanted to cook, we better get started, since once these
guys stopped work for the day, they would take over the cooking area
as well. So we all had our dinner early, only to find out that they
set up their grills at the rangers hut, so at least they didn't flaunt
their steaks in front of us!
I will mention that the DOC hut warden seemed quite embarassed
by the other DOC fellow and later commented that it wasn't right that
they were taking up hut space.
And what work was taking place? They were replacing two
toilets. Sad to say, at this 24 bunk hut, they'd only brought in one
port-a-loo to use while the all other toilets were out of service. And
it was pretty well full - must have been all that steak and ice cream.
But the best part of the story is that they were finishing
up the next morning and moving on to the Mackay hut, our destination
in two days time. And they would be there at least a week! With this
bit of knowledge, we readjusted our plans so we would skip over the
next construction site, by doing a shorter walk the second day, and
a longer walk on the third. I don't mean to be a complainer, but it
really was frustrating that they were doing this at the height of the
season!
|
Hiking
the 