The group: Catherine, Hazel, Christine, Colin and Judy.
After a night at Haast, and the aid of the motel owner taking us in his car allowed us to leave our vehicle at the southern end of the Paringa Cattle Track, we started walking up the Moeraki Valley mid-morning.
It was a lovely sunny West Coast day. The Moeraki Valley is a very pretty valley with the
river cascading over boulders. Being a Sunday we passed a number of people coming down
valley, 5 running the track (3 groups) who had been at Blowfly Hut and 3 trampers coming
from Horseshoe Flat Hut. There were some muddy patches but the track was well defined.
We arrived at Horseshoe Flat mid afternoon and sat outside in the sun, watching numerous tui and kereru. Sandflies did not bother us.
Next day we day walked, heading further up the valley to Mid Head Hut, for lunch. Rain
started and with a number of river crossings where we did not want higher water we
decided against going further upstream to a rock bivvy we returned to Horseshoe Flat.
Day 3 was overcast. We headed down the valley, across the swingbridge to Blowfly Hut,
now back on the Cattle Track. The hut was built in 1908 and done up in 1980. It was a quaint hut, with a informative book on the history of the Paringa Cattle track. It was constructed in 1875 to allow cattle to be driven to Whataroa sale yards, and used for this purpose until 1861. It was also the primary route for access to Haast.
Day 4 was up to Maori Saddle Hut. It was a relatively consistant uphill track, but unlike other tracks was designed for horses but not drays. The gradient was only changed where slips had taken out the track. A slip early 2024 was well marked but had a steep descent on loose ground, across a creek that looked worse than it was and back up to the track. It was
another good day but the views were scarce. Maori Hut was a lockwood hut built in 1980
that will be difficult to maintain and dark inside. The side trip to Lake Law was pleasant and the lake pretty but difficult to get complete views.
Day 5. The tops were in the cloud so it was not worth a day trip up. We headed over Maori Saddle and downhill. The Paringa Cattle Track has always been hard to maintain. This day showed how hard. At many creek crossing the track was gone and there were descents to cross the creek and step ascents back to the track. We stopped and lunched near Robinsons Slip which was active prior to 1905. It’s face was probably 1km long but we only had to cross about 20m. The trail was gone, so we looked for a route while eating. Light rain started so it was on with our jackets. We followed the track to its disappearance then started climbing. Track markers were spotted not too far away, Hazel spotted a route across and directed us to a small but secure crossing only 5m above the markers. Once across we were immediately in a roadmans camp with a camp oven and bath remaining. What a tough life those men had. In the next 2 hours we trailblazed 2 more slips, descending down to flats. The last 30 minutes was 4WD track and then paddocks grazed by cattle. Two hunters were just leaving the hut. We expected an untidy hut but it was the cleanest of all the huts. We were entertained by the hunters who drove into a mud hole and after 3 hours left on the quad to get help to get the ute out.
November FMC had a promotion “love our huts” Catherine had registered. Catherine, Hazel and Christine cleaned windows, ceilings, walls and swept floors. Colin and I ensured there was firewood for the next people. Catherine studied the hut book filling in details of hut use. It was great the fifth hut needed no cleaning and had a good supply of fire wood
Day 6. Although it had not rained all night it was wet by 7am . We had 2 hours down river to travel in uninteresting scenery. By 10am the rain intensity increased and when arriving at the car it was impossible to change and stay dry. We had heard vehicles and hoped that the recovery of the stuck ute was underway.
We decided to head for home. The rain was intense, with a waterfall dumping on the centre of one bridge, and spectacular waterfalls all along the road.
We had a great trip and got out at the start of a 450mm rain event. The road was closed in
the area we had parked. Colin and I are unsure but suspect that our ute would have been, a
best, surrounded by water 24 hours later.
Typical Catherine who seems to pick the best weather for her trips.