The Dusky 22/25 Feb - 01/04 March

aluzaite_kristina@yahoo(dot)com

I'ld go but I already have plans. Awesome track, you'll have a hard but fantastic time.

Hey Yarmoss, which side is it better to do it from to have a lower chance of getting trapped in the end?

Hi Kristina, it is much better to start at the Lake Hauroko end and end at the Lake Manapori end as there are far more ferries across Manapori then Hauroko. http://www.duskytrack.co.nz/ Will pick you up from Tuatapere or meet the bus coming South from Te Anau and take you across Hauroko to the start of the Dusky for roughly $80. Hope that helps.

and how about rivers that can possibly flood and become impassible? do you think It's reasonable to think to finish it in a week? and thanks:) in case you decide you change your plans, let me know! cheers

To be honest, while there are 7 hut nights on the Dusky (2 nights at Loch Maree) I think anyone is being optomistic in thinking they will complete it in 8 days. The problem is the Seaforth river which you have to cross to reach Loch Maree from Lake Roe, and which you spend 2 days beside going down to Supper Cove and a day beside going to Kintail hut. If you get 4+ hours of rain on any of these days (or nights), and it doesnt have to be heavy rain... just steady... then the Seaforth will flood as it has a huge catchment area. And if the Seaforth floods then you are much safer not going anywhere. The river rises so quickly that it backfills all the unbridged side streams that the Dusky crosses, many of them in deep "U" shaped guts, and turns them into basically castle moats which you would have to swim across. There is a 3 wire brisge across the Seaforth at Loch Maree for when approaching from Lake Roe, but I have seen the flooded Seaforth go waaaaay past the approach to the bridge and read entries in the Loch Maree hut book of people seeing water going through the bridge! I got stuck at Loch Maree for an extra day due to about 5 hours of rain during the night. Theres an insane amount of water which goes down that river when its in flood, never underestimate it. The rest of the rivers/streams arent too bad. They shouldnt trap you unless you strike very heavy rain. The rivers come down very fast too, so dont sweat about having to lose a day in a hut. If you can get the same number of hours of no rain as you did rain well the rivers will go back to normal.

Thanks Yarmoss!! Can't wait to finally go there! cheers:)