Tourists

yeah i've seen that before with some couples, in one case the woman was in tears she'd never been in such a mountainous area before and she was overwhelmed by the new experience. while hubby was off climbing peaks leaving her behind like it was all a big game... in those situations, the male should be carrying almost all the gear to slow him down and give him more of a challenge...

Came out on water taxi with five different parties from Sabine Hut All were not happy about the $40 fare per head if less than four in a party .. Were you not one party 5 times as big at that stage?

@geeves: "Not many of them get that anti about it though." Just guessing but it might have been a thing about @Honora's 4th and 5th paragraphs (quite angry by themselves) offending @johan with his(?) farming background. http://www.tramper.co.nz/?5652 Not that I disagree with @Honora.

I hadnt read that before but although the comments are a little hard I see where they come from. An easement is not the same as a legal road. There will be conditions on both the owner and anyone using the easement. Most likely it will just be the owner can do what he likes as long as it doesnt block the easement or make it dangerous. The user can use as long as the rules havnt set closed times for lambing etc but really the state its in is the state its in. Even legal roads do get extensively used by adjoining land owners and as they are unmaintained can be in whatever state they are in. Adjoining land owner doesnt even have to do anything towards upkeep of the road but cant lock any gates across it. Remember a land owner does not own the legal road although some dispute this. The council owns the road and even they dont always accept this fact.

haha or possibly it was Johans cache of backcountry cuisine etc in Spurs hut... either way I laugh hard at the israeli backpacker stealing the dunny roll. I remember a story some track clearers told me a few years back, someone was working with the local dept who spoke hebrew. He tipped them off to the amount of communication going down in the hut books in regards to dodging hut wardens/fees etc, basically scamming as hard as could be. They sent a few spot wardens out to hit the huts in question, pretty sure brewster was one of them. Ah, personally I got nothing wrong with israelis they are good for a laugh and a yarn.

from what i've heard israelis dont tend to get paid a lot of money, so they dont have a lot to burn compared to tourists from some nations. they need to stretch their money further.. aparently its a reason why they flock to our back country huts.... theres a bit of a culture of dodging fees. if ou're short of money, dodging fees may proove too hard to resist when its being encouraged openly

They need to be gently reminded of the 8th commandment and hope at the same time they dont forget the 6th at the same time

I dont mind the tourists provided they pay their fees and dont make a nuisance of theirselves. What we consider boorish behaviour is just the ordinary everyday for some other cultures. Also, if you dont like the crowds stay away from the busy spots. The last three times Ive been out Ive had the huts completely to myself.

Working out the busy spots is the trick. Renata should be well used as its not a big or hard walk but one time I stopped in there it was 3 months back to the last hut entry. It may not be the nicest hut but there is nothing wrong with it. Cow Creek is meant to sleep 6 but last time there there was 5 of us and right on tea time along comes a family group of another 5 That was also the time it started to rain. That hut is cosy sleeping 10.

Long boring walk to Renata along the 4wd oddlands rd. And then when you get back to Akatatawa saddle to find someone's trashed your vehicle coz there was nothing in it worth nicking... Nice route up Ngatiawa Str to Mayorn Jn tho - but hardly for the masses.