North West Circuit Jan 2011

I think its justified not bringing it. The huts area all at least 12 bunkers (Martins Bay, and the 2 on Rakiura which you may use are about 20 bunkers) and the NWer is remore enough that you are unlikely to strike full huts. Unless you are skipping huts you arent likely to be walking for more then 7 hours per day. It was only getting dark about 830-9pm when I was there in Janurary 2009. If you're doing it anticlockwise watch out for the Ruggedy Stream about 15 minutes from the East Ruggedy hut. I got here from Long Harry after spending the intire day walking in a thunderstorm and the stream which is apparently ankle deep and half a metre across was waist deep and 30 metres across. If ever you wished you had a tent, that would be the place. It would have been a long 6 hours turning around to walk back to Long Harry (I got across but it was pretty unpleasant)! The track from Freshwater Hut (actually, once you are past the Rocky Mount turnoff) to North Arm is simply diabolical. Worst day of the whole trip, thouroughly unrewarding and did not enjoy it in the slightest. I used to think people were nuts catching the watertaxi to or from Freshwater but I now completely recommend it. By all means, climb Rocky Mount... the views up there are fantastic... but dont bother walking to North Arm. Not worth it, especially after 8-9 days allready. The beach at Hellfire Pass is amazing if the tide is out. Well worth the 30 minute climb down (and hour long climb back!). Great place to spend an evening watching the sun set.

Yup, I agree with the comments above regarding the times/points of interest and stuff you can skip. I've done the NWC 6 times and we always get the water taxi out from Freshwater! However, I do recommend carrying some form of emergency shelter in case someone breaks a leg or whatever on any tramp that is done. It doesn't have to be much, just some sort of fly sheet to stave off hypothermia. It does rain there a lot after all and as Yarmoss says, it has been known for rivers to come up although this particular river has never been a problem for us but any of the streams would in the heavy rainfall he experienced. Yarmoss means Masons Bay when he writes Martins Bay. Do yourself a favour and don't carry too much food. You should be able to carry under a kg a day each of completely dry food. I carry 500g per day on the NWC but then again this is in the hunting season when they are leaving perishable food behind at the huts that they brought in by boat or helicopter e.g carrots, pumpkins and apples. I think if you want to eat gourmet with plenty of fresh veges then stay home! I've seen a lot of groups carry crazy stuff e.g. a 1kg jar of Dolmios pasta sauce. I would have made sure I 'dropped' it on the first day if someone gave me that to carry! The Continental Vegifull rich tomato soup is a damn good tasty substitute as a pasta sauce. A little family of teenagers just ate Back Country Cuisine and did nicely while a bunch of Otago Phys Ed students on the same trip were blowing knees and being choppered out by carrying too heavy gear e.g. Olympus tents! Lucky they had a sat phone to call in the chopper...

Thanks for that, we aren't exactly gourmet travellors...porridge and rice is our staples. We intend getting the watertaxi from Freshwater. Now it's just a matter of waiting for the new booking system to kick in on 4 Oct so we can get our tickets.

out of curiosity, how is the route done in 9 days? what huts do you skip?

Yankee River hut can be missed. It is only about 3 hours further to go on to Long Harry if you are going anti-clockwise. You can also take the water taxi out at Freshwater if you want to cut a day off. Mason Bay to Freshwater is not particularly rewarding. I did meet someone who did it in 5 days. All he was carrying was cheese. By East Ruggedy he smelled like a sewage treatment plant and was quite insane.

Yankee River or Long Harry would be the 2 easiest huts to skip (but not both at the same time). I wouldn't reccomend skipping either though as both huts are in lovely locations and its well worth spening the night at both spots to explore the area. If you dont climb Mt Anglem then that saves an extra night at Christmas Viallage hut. Or else have good weather, climb the mountain in the morning and then press on to Yankee River straight away. Taking the Watertaxi to/from Freeshwater saves at least 1 day, or 2 if you were to stay at Freshwaterhut and climb Rocky Mount. The Rocky Mount climb is well worth it, fantastic views over the centre of the Island. Or you can do as 1 party did that I met and to charter a flight into Mason Bay and walk clockwise from there which'l save several days, although Mason Bay is stunning and not staying there is a shame.

Yes, it's very flexible especially if you do carry a lightweight tarp. I've love to know how you got on. We flew into Mason's Bay last time and did an 11 day figure 8 of the southern and then the northern circuit. I stashed a food drop at the old Homestead Hunters Hut so only had first 3, then 8 days food to carry. It's a wonderful place and I can't wait to go back for my 12th trip there.