rees dart track in oct?

yeah but to hollyford walks let people use the boat and plane if they arent booked in on their guided walks, which are around $400 per day?

yes. plenty of independent walkers take tge boat in or use it to bypass the demon trail

When I walked the Hollyford/Pyke route a couple of years ago I popped into the Guided Walks hut at the foot of Lake McKerrow to ask for a weather forcast, and while I was there I enquired about the jetboat. The lady there said the jetboats only run when they have a party of guided walkers to take up the lake, which is usually 2 times a week (maybe 3 times a week in peak season). I cant remember which days of the week that was but she said they were happy to take independent walkers as well if they have room. Pick up is on the final stretch of the Hollyford river between Lake McKerrow and the Martins Bay hut early in the morning and they drop you off just up from the Hollyford/Pyke river confluence.

The Pyke route runs from Big Bay (the next bay up the coast from Martins Bay) and heads East to the Pyke river before following the Pyke South around Lake Wilmot and then around Lake Alabaster, ending at the Alabaster hut which is one of the Hollyford Track huts. As Madpom said, you spend a day walking from Martins Bay hut to Big Bay hut. Its then a 3-4 hour walk to Pyke Crossing which is the best spot to camp between Big Bay and Olivine hut. Its a 6-8 hour slog from Pyke Crossing to Olivine hut which is South of Lake Wilmot. Then its another 6-7 hours to Alabaster hut. Much of the route follows the banks of the Pyke river, which after years of erosian and river changes of coarse has destroyed the former marked tracked, so routefinding skills are essential. You cant really get lost (just follow the river!), but it makes travel slow and frustrating. I forget what the route is like around Lake Wilmot but I remember bush bashing and lots of Bush Lawyer. To get around Lake Alabaster involves quite literally 2-3 hours of wading in the lake (varies from ankle deep to waste deep). If the lakes up then you will have to either swim in places or bush bash through dense steeply sloped bush (more Bush Lawyer, yay!) which will blow out your time to the hut. This section was hard! All in all though its a sweet trip. Hell of a good feeling ariving at Alabaster hut at the end of it!

Track was very well marked from Lake Alabaster to Lake Wilmot, and a good distance back from the river in '08. A marker on every tree. Almost. Then only tough bit was a brief section beside Lake Wilmot which was on steep slopes and had windfall. Passing Lake Alabaster you just walk along the shingle lakeshore - often in the water. Anyone been there more recently?

Hmm... so is there a good chance Rees/Dart would still be a no-go by November 1st this year? Or is it way too early to have a good idea yet?

should be able to do the rees dart then, there could be snow on top, just depends on how much it has snowed closer to the time. still doable in teh snow if you're experienced, there are places you need to take care, there are some steep drops on the pass. good chance it will be free of snow by then,not a lot of snow this winter so far but can still get snow in spring here...

What about Snowy Creek Bridge? Is that not likely to be put in unless the snow has melted off completely? Also, how difficult is the terrain on the Dart side of the route to Cascade Saddle? I'd like to do a dayhike to the saddle area from Dart Hut, and was wondering if there are any class 3 or worse sections on that route, or if it's just class 1 & 2 hiking/scrambling. The DOC page for Cascade Saddle makes it sound like the worst of it is on the side between it and the West Matukituki valley, but that photo of the schist slab from the Cascade Saddle page here makes it look kind of dicey if there is any kind of snow. Also, how are the sandflies in November? Would you recommend headnets and long-sleeves? (can't stand wearing DEET for the mosquitos in the US)

at that time of teh year the snow if it's there at all will only be there temporarily, the bridge is likely to be in place by then, the stream is crossable anywayas long as thre isnt heavy rain. the track up to the cascade saddle goes up a scree slope, it's rough but its not overly steep or dangerous if you are used to walking on scree slopes with loose stones underfoot. just be wary of the odd false trail in places, you have to negotiate some steep banks at teh streams and there is the odd obstaacle to negotiate on the climb, might mean you have to get down on all fours at worst, it is dangerous in heavy rain because the side streams and river can flash flood, i am not familiar with your class definitions of tracks. the only serious accidents on that side of teh pass happen in heavy rain. the pass is cliimbed regularly without incident doesnt require any climbing skill. i wouldnt advise going to cascade if there is a lot of slushy snow around. sandflies will be out, if you're tenting you'll need to be prepared for them, i've never bothered about head nets. the sandflies normally go for your leg area or the lower foot or so off the ground so just have your legs covered when you stop at teh end of the day, the higher you go the less sandflies, i dont recall any at dart hut. if you're in the huts you won't have problems with the sandflies. yo'll get a few but not massive numbers. probably only need long sleeves for certain when you stop at th end of the day.

the only problem with the matutikuti side is it is more slippery in the wet with the snowgrass. it's fine in the dry, easiest going up, it's just a steep walk. no vertical areas. no loose rock on that side,