Remote Huts say; "A fit, experienced party needs to allow 2-3 days for the journey," (to Ivory Lake). Would it be helpful to give these routes a difficulty rating like DOC uses?
This post has been edited by the author on 22 March 2015 at 15:18.
Or would DoC be better off using Andrew Buglass's approach to ratings.
(uh oh. I sense a major branch looming) :-)
Hugh, I am absolutely, 100% totally ignorant of who that is. I shall await the replies with interest....
Andrew enters every word on remotehuts.co.nz and almost all from his own experience.
This post has been edited by the author on 22 March 2015 at 22:38.
Heavens no, no criticism intended towards Remote Huts - it's a fantastic resource and a credit to all involved.
What I really meant is for anyone wanting to visit Ivory Lake (especially from overseas after recent promotion) - would they understand that when the word 'experienced' is used, it's likely to be aimed at trampers experienced in New Zealand terrain? Worlds apart from say, UK terrain.
DOC could indeed be more specific about routes and what to expect along the way. User-notes are invaluable.
I only meant there are many opinions out there on the value and usefulness of various 'rating systems' for tracks. I didn't read any criticism in your suggestion.
From my experience .... people need experience before they can know what a rating means on the ground, and experienced people with a topo map don't need the systems.
Personally I strongly favour Andrew's approach.
This post has been edited by the author on 22 March 2015 at 16:40.
Doc also creates problems when they market tracks and then can't meet the demand for peole wanting to walk those tracks. the milford track has always booked out months ahead of time for freedom walkers. the routeburn is booking out for more of the year, the kepler is also booking out for more of the year, more people are missing out on doing the tracks they saw advertised and more people are then spilling onto other tracks with no booking system and overloading those tracks... the hollyford, grenstone, caples, rees dart, welcom flat... the rest of the great walks.... the future might be 80 person huts like they have in the coromandel to cope with demand.
Hugh it's not true that "Andrew writes every word on remotehuts.co.nz ..." though that would have been true in the very early days.
Various people have contributed the hut profiles, route info, photographs etc that are up on the website. Andrew as site founder and editor is certainly the one in control. It's a great source of info and mainly tailored for like minded individuals. I prefer the "Remote Huts route info" to the DOC stuff. [I understand DOC link to the "Remote Huts" site for info on some areas now so they are making use Andrew's approach in some areas.]
Wayno regarding Westland info I'd prefer to contribute via the Permolat Remote Huts website or personal contact rather than through a "private" Facebook group.
This post has been edited by the author on 22 March 2015 at 17:41.
Pinnacles hut (Coromandel version). Oath !. Does it book out ?.
Re
"For instance Holdsworth is now a booking only hut. One weekend evening my partner and I finished up squashed on the veranda of Totara Flats Hut with about 20 others perched there and another 50 or so inside. Too many.
Tramping clubs typically understand this issue and usually ensure that the number of people on a trip is not likely to overwhelm the capacity of the huts or facilities. For many decades our own internal culture sort of managed this - we go to the hills for the wilderness experience and it was important to us that out own massed presence did not overly compromise this. "
That whole area is done to death now. A few fridays ago our arrival at Mitre Flats made the tally 28 We didnt even try to enter the hut and set up a fly outside. No non NZers there either. First time I went to Totora flats when it was still under 3 months old we counted 45 inside. Ive been there since with a count of under 10. Tramping clubs do try and control the numbers they take to certain huts but still they dont coordinate between clubs. Im not sure how they can though as its often not all local clubs. In the case of Mitre flats above I think 5 clubs were represented in the tally plus 2 fishermen a hunter and 2 family groups. If a club from say Auckland was coming down this way they might contact the local club but The Masterton tramping club wouldnt have any idea what the 4 main Wellington or the Palmerston north clubs were doing.
As for experiance levels Whatever system must be consistent prefereably to an international standard. Of course a system in the UK would rate our experianced as Are you sure and our difficult would be Oh ssst
