tramping info for NZers

yes its a balancing act, Ivory lake hut was the subject of a majory american hiking magazine, will be interesting to hear what the hut usage is like there, there were lots of likes on the facebook links and people commenting they wanted to go there. thers more and more places that had low or moderate use that are arguably getting overly busy. rees dart and cascade huts are over full all through summer now, dart hut is due to become a hut requiring booking, theres a steady increase in teh no of huts needing booking because they are over full. the dar hut capacity was greatly increased in size in recent years but it still wasnt enough, they've had up to double occupancy... its a route thats had a lot of overseas publicity, cascade saddle has been highly rated on some sights as one of the best walks in the world , so has the routeburn. i wonder if its a case of needing to find new tracks with the "best" label since the milford has had that label for so long and its booked solid and access is strictly limited

If we want to conserve the tramping experience we will need to manage the facilities. How we do or don't promote places is a big part of that management. Any management strategy better start from what we can control. Ivory lake hut is currently undergoing a major 'maintenance'. In my opinion thats a lot better than the major neglect it has suffered since Trev Chin vacated the chair of geology. I wonder how long it will be before you need to book Ivory lake bunks?

In another post I talked about expectations. One expectation I NEVER have, is that I'll be sleeping in a hut. This country is so blessed to HAVE so many huts! In Oz, few trails have well-maintained huts, or any huts at all. If I get to a hut, and there's a spot free, fine. In fact, if there's only one spot free, I'll probably just move on anyway, and find somewhere to camp. A few people in a hut? Great! Like-minded people to talk to, to share stories with. A full hut? Just feels like being in town... And finding out about these out-of-the-way places is precisely why I'm here. Do I want to do the Great Walks? Sure. But I'm not so naive to believe that just because they're named that they're the best tramps in the country. When I was in Vietnam, I went to Cat Ba Island, and really wanted to rent a kayak and just disappear into the myriad of islands for a few days. A couple of adventurous young lads - who had never kayaked before - wanted to join me, so despite EVERYONE saying it couldn't be done, I made it happen. (Didn't instill a great lot of confidence when one bloke fell out of his kayak whilst still alongside the wharf)! But they soon got the hang of it, and we ended up having one of my all-time favourite adventures. I want to do the same down in Fiordland. I've kayaked in Doubtful Sound, 10 years ago, when I did the overnight trip. But I'd truly love to do a one or two week expedition, exploring the pristine waterways, camping along the shores, doing a bit of exploration on foot. That's the sort of thing I'm up for. Many people frown upon the TAT, but for me, the reason I'm doing it, is to get a TASTE of what is on offer in NZ. Get a bit more experience in different areas. Then pick the parts I really like, and go back, get off the beaten track, and just go out into the bush and see what magic happens. So, huts or no huts, tourists or no tourists, I'll still find plenty of ways to replenish the soul and connect with the land. I think tourism in this country is amazing. It is handled SO much better than in the West Island! By all means, encourage others to come! I mean hey, I work IN the tourism industry. But yeah, I'm kind of up for a group of like-minded locals who want to share the juiciest bits amongst themselves. :)

See why I do 85% of my tramping in winter.... The tracks are covered in windfall and animal sign, and you often see deer etc right on the track. At night, the mountains glow when they are covered in snow, so its surreal just sitting outside by yourself. The constellations are best in winter too, its just better.. Oh, and did I mention all the huts are empty? I better shut up now..

i just mention no's of people in huts increasing as an indication of increased track use, i can live if a hut is full. its a luxury not a necessity... the tongriro crossing is a classic case of how to ruin a track, advertise it to death, let as many shuttle buses run as you can get there... and put thousands on the track in a day... then look at opening an identical walk elsewhere and repeat... but you have a lot of these people expecting to use a hut and arent equipped for a night without a hut, lots of inexperienced people spreading into the back country. posting lots of scenic phots with minimal description is all very well to attract people here, but how prepared are they> problem now around fiordland because people turn up looking to do a great walk and dont have a booking and miss out when the tracks book out and then end up doing track they know little about and are a lot rougher that they arent prepared for... if booking comes into effect on the dart huts then the overflow will go on to other tracks. loose track of all the people i see down there with inadequate clothing, no wet weather gear , jeans. sleeping bags outside their packs. plenty of times i've been surrounded by foreigners and struggle to find another kiwi in the bush. or do the kiwis know to avoid certain places because they are inundated with high nos of people...

I am really stoked to hear that about Ivory lake hut, are they upgrading the track at all? I believe that was the main reason it was scantly visited wasn't it? I spotted a pic of it awhile back in a magazine somewhere, before the internet, and it took me awhile to suss out where it was. Nowadays pretty much everyones heard of it, and prob has been there too :)

http://remotehuts.co.nz/huts/ivory/ The one track, that more or less comes up the valley to the hut is challenging. Use is still very very low. But much more than some of the huts on remotehuts.co.

the Waitaha valley, and its 5 huts including Ivory Lake, is a very special place. I love the fact it feels so remote and has so little use. I will miss that remoteness if it ever gets more used, but it will be good thing in the long run if more people go there.

2-3 days still, yea I think I would go over the tops still. Sounds like thats the way to go from what I hear.. maybe one day :)

over the top - always the way to go!