TA Days 126 to 130: Two Thumbs Hike to the top of Stag Saddle and down to Tekapo

Greetings from Lake Tekapo where we are taking a zero. I would prefer to walk to avoid the rain tomorrow, but I keep telling myself that it is also good to have good weather to enjoy a day of rest.

After I run my errands, I hope to find a nice shady spot under a tree by the lake to hide out, paint some watercolor, and of course… get caught up in these blog posts!

I’m a little sore from the long days and torn socks. I bought new socks in Nelson a month ago, but all the sand and gravel from the river crossings have shredded them.

I’ve had wet feet since the second to last day at Nelson Lakes a couple of weeks ago, and now I’m starting to wonder if my athlete’s foot is coming back. I had it for a month or more in the North Island without knowing it. I just thought my blisters weren’t healing.

I do a good job of ventilating my feet every night. However, the recent ten to twelve hour days in wet socks and shoes certainly aren’t helping. I was lucky and bought the last tube of cream in the supermarket. Obviously, most of us are struggling with this.

My friend has to get a zero, because her feet have been absolutely destroyed by the rivers. I think there’s only one really rough section of the river left. Let’s hope we recover soon and are on a drier path.

Yesterday I was melting while walking towards Lake Tekapo. The day began with packing up my tent outside the Camp Stream cabin and leaving with friends around 7:45.

Under a clear blue sky the views were great. We passed through hills, while in the distance rose the majestic Aoraki (Mount Cook) and the brilliant blue Lake Tekapo.

It was beautiful, but no shade made it warm. After a couple of minor river crossings, I climbed and over some steep hills, before descending twelve miles to a dirt road and then walking the remaining nine miles to town.

In the heat and dust, I occasionally sought shelter under a tree to take a break. Hitting the road in the afternoon, I felt a headache due to the heat of the day.

To move forward; the music and calls with my mom, my sister and my best friend gave me a little boost. However, progress was slow and arduous.

The first thing I did in town was buy ice cream at the supermarket before heading to camp.

The main tent area is full here, so we are on a hill near the highway. A little loud and exposed, but that’s what it is.

After setting up my tent and sitting on the grass for a while, Animal Encounter and I headed down to Lake Tekapo to “swim.” I just dipped my feet in because the water (that fed my glaciers) was so cold. I’m a bit of a wimp about cold water, but even Animal Encounter was cold and she always swims!

In the evening, we headed back into town and had dinner at the Black Sky Diner (pumpkin quinoa burger; yum).

The two days before Lake Tekapo were long and exhausting. We had a minor fiasco on the ferry in Geraldine; watching our vehicle drive away early as we walked towards it.

That left us tired and cranky, but luckily we found a nice cafe to relax.

We made sure to arrive very early for the next trip a few hours later. Although, as expected, there wasn’t enough space on the ferry for everyone; leaving one girl sitting on the floor and bags on everyone’s laps.

Arriving at the Bush Stream car park, we took the track towards the hills. We knew crossing the river would be a challenge again and it was already afternoon (later than planned).

The first day consisted mainly of walking along the riverbed along Bush Stream (which was a river, not a stream). We always look for the best path to avoid crossing if possible, or at least the slowest and shallowest area when we must cross.

The river was still quite fast and deep in places. Animal Encounter did a good job testing the different areas before I got nervous.

Despite having only done the previous sections of the river without problems, these last few stints had made me more anxious. I definitely wouldn’t make them myself!

As it was, even after choosing the safest route; Animal Encounter had to hold on to me a couple of times as I continued to struggle to find my footing between large slippery rocks and a strong current. The Chokolade team had the same experience helping each other.

With river crossings, it really is a team effort to choose a route and help each other. We did some group crossings, but mostly solo.

The day also included several steep, slippery hill climbs where one wrong move could end your trail experience (or worse). I had a bit of a panic on one of the hills after sliding a bit and felt stuck before gathering my courage and choosing a different line to continue down.

The gorse was also present to scratch us left and right.

In total, it took us six grueling hours from Bush Stream to Crooked Spur Hut, just six miles away. We were thinking of going further, but it was already 6:30 p.m. and we were defeated.

The next morning, I got up early to leave at 6:30, anticipating another long day.

It was beautiful to walk through the hills at dawn and see the clouds gathering in the valley. I went up and down.

My tram members were still at camp when I set out after another group of trail friends.

I stayed with them for the river crossings to the Stone and Royal cabins. From there, I went alone while everyone took a lunch break.

I like to eat and walk, rather than long lunch breaks. Also, I tend to stop frequently to take pictures or urinate, so lots of short breaks are preferable.

When I arrived at the Royal Hut (named after an early visit by Princess Anne and Prince Charles when they were children), it was already approaching noon. I wanted to continue before it got hotter.

The road further went well. A gradual climb along the river eventually led to a steeper route to the top of Stag Saddle. Stag Saddle is the highest point on the TA at 1,925 meters (6,314 feet).

At the top of the ridge there were strong winds, but fortunately not too cold. I spent some time calling my mom (the first of several times to show her the sights) and taking care of some business while I had service.

Then I walked through the scree; enjoying the views before starting my descent. The path gradually descended the hill, with spectacular views of Aoraki, the Southern Alps, braided rivers and Lake Tekapo to the right. To the left, the majestic ridges adjoining Stag Saddle rose above a small valley.

Despite going downhill, the walk took a while. Step by step, the Camp Stream cabin got closer and closer. Finally, after eleven hours, the small cabin came into view.

At this point I was very happy to be able to set up my tent and sit on the grass to rest. Unfortunately, feeling exhausted, I forgot that there was no water source at the cabin and was unable to get some before arriving.

Luckily, I had enough water to cook dinner. After some food to replenish my energy, I made the trek down the hill in sandals to wash the dishes and filter the river water.

It was exciting to reach the highest point of the trail. In many ways a new milestone had been reached. Each day brought us closer to Bluff, and now the final stretches of Te Araroa were approaching.

Overall the long days were good. Fun camaraderie and beautiful landscapes. Now I’m looking forward to resting and having another adventure in the next section!