Looking for a partner for Dusky track

that could be hit and miss for mid september, there could be a pile of snow on the track in mid sept... massive snow storms blow through at this time of year

I'am also looking for a partner to tramp the Duky, but not until February 2014. Actually I intend to start on Thursday 13.02 from Hauroko and take about 7-10 days, depending on weather & trail conditions. I don't have much flexibility in my schedule, as I will only be in NZ for 3 weeks unfortunately. I will have all necessary gear such as emergency tent, stove, cooking gear, PLB, First aid kit. Let me know if you are interested.

If you can't pre-arrange a partner for the Dusky and you're concerned about soloing, contact Trips and Tramps (who you will more than likely use anyway for your Lake Hauroko connections) and ask about upcoming booking numbers. Val ferries hikers across Lake Hauroko only twice weekly so hikers tend to be concentrated at the start of the Dusky. I began the day alone and finished at Halfway Hut with eight others. Of course different speeds and plans spread the group out over the next few days, but there's a good chance of falling in with some like minds if you so wish. The main thing about the Dusky is having enough food to wait out flooding, especially if you go all the way to Dusky Sound (which adds two full hiking days to your tramp and significantly ups your overall exposure to rain delay). Long days in summer in the deep south mean that if you're fit and start early you can leapfrog a hut in a day if the weather behaves. Flooding aside, I found the Dusky pretty cruisy really. The mud is extreme but there's almost always a way around it or wood placed to act as stepping stones.

Craigo, Thanks for the information. I will be using Trips & Tramps and Vals boat shuttle to get me there and back. The main reason why I’am looking for a tramping partner is to share carrying some gear, such as cooking utensils and safety equipment. I’am yet undecided if I should take my big 80+l Tatonka pack or my smaller 50l Deuter alpine pack. Since I will be taking only a Tarp for emergencies and no tent, the smaller pack might just about be sufficient ( even though I need to pack about 9 days of food ) . I generally prefer the smaller pack when it comes to down-climbing muddy slopes, wading through high water or crawling under/over fallen trees etc. , which I understand are common features of the Dusky . If I get stuck at Loch Maree due to flooding, I might skip the Supper cove section or do it as a long day trip with small weight.

I found the Dusky a good track (easy to follow for the most part cos of the wet ground being well blazed) but I sat out a day at Lock Maree cos of heavy overnight rain, then got through the most flood-prone Seaforth section quite easily. I then read in the Kintail Hut log book of the harrowing time my ex-hut mates had the day before trying to stay on track (orange triangles can be quite far apart) while slogging through flooded swamp. If you do Dusky Cove with a day pack be aware that an hour or two of heavy rain could strand you somewhere. The passes were surprising easy (I never had to tackle one in poor wx though) with the 1000m drop down to Lock Maree full of roots which make for good downclimbing. A couple of places have chains installed but I found them too slick to help much and got by without them.

Mmhh, I guess I should pack a snorkel and some flippers as well.