Camped outside hut. Moderate winds

DoC have put in place 2 rat bait traps and replaced the mattress covers. They are planning to do some track cutting in the summer of 2019.

As of 9 June 2019, the hut is in good condition except there is some rising dampness on the floor against the uphill wall under the bunks. On the left as you enter. The hut is now enclosed on two and a half sides by shading vegetation and rank grass. Hence the moisture. Work needed would be dig out all rank grass clumps around the bottom barge board, clear back all the vegetation 5 m from the hut. Coming from the Orongorongo River side, via Papatahi spot height, is clear enough except for the last 2 hours to the hut where it descends down a face rather than a spur. The track isn't just overgrown, it has literally disappeared under fresh growth of mahoe, kie-kie, suatepple jack and nettle. It is unfollowable particularly the last hour. I'd rate it very hard going. The west side of the track up from/down to the Orongorongo River is clear enough and has 20 or so Goodnature traps all marked with the pink triangles. My time from Catchpool road end was 10 hours. 8:45 a.m. to 6:45p.m.

Awesome track in. Plenty of use.

Snowy's a wonderful place on a sunny day. Beware of onga onga hanging around the hut and nearby areas. I thought the river was in low flow, but we certainly still required a short pack-float (or swim) in a gorgey bit *just* downstream of the confluence between the East and West Waiotauru. I've heard informally that there are some old logging tracks around which might make it possible to avoid this section... particularly on the true right of the river. We didn't see any obvious way up the side for anything like that, but also weren't looking too hard.