Anatoki - Boulder Lake route

@bernieq: my brother and a few pals did this trip a few months ago. I'll make enquiries for you and get back to you in case he knows anything about it. A good contact for information about this area is Paul Kilgour. If you want, I can email him too and ask him to contact you. cheers, Honora

That would be great, Honora. The plan is for two 7-day tramps to cover the Douglas and Lockett ranges. The 1st is from Takaka to Anatoki Forks, up to Boulder Lake and Clara then across to Adelaide Tarn and back down via Yuletide to the Forks and out to Takaka - with a day each at Clara and Adelaide exploring (or huddled out of the weather, whichever is more appropriate :) The 2nd 7-day is from Cobb dam past Sylvester Lakes onto the Lockett range then Douglas range to Lonely Lake with a side trip from there to Anatoki Peak. Then back to Fenella hut and explore Xenicus and Gibbs Peaks and out down the Cobb to Trilobite hut. We get a good look at the Dragons Teeth from both ends (perhaps a future high traverse), lots of tops travel and brilliant country - with plenty of time for peak-bagging, weather permitting.

Yes, Paul Kilgour is a walking encyclopedia of all that country (and a bit of a legend around here! lol )

So, the tramps are done and everyone had a great time (except one). About an hour adrift of the plan, we headed up the Anatoki, encountering a few wash-aways and treefall, arriving at Anatoki Forks hut on dusk. One of the group was finding the going a bit tough, having rolled his ankle and, oddly, sweating profusely. We decided that pushing up North Creek and around to Boulder Lake was beyond him so, instead, climbed up over Yuletide and across to Adelaide Tarn (he made it but pulled a tendon under his patella). After a rest day (we did a circuit up to the Needle - nice climb), he wasn't much better so, taking quite a lot of his load, we headed down and out the way we'd come. Needless to say, he pulled out of the second tramp (Lockett & Douglas Ranges). After consulting the medical professionals, he needs an op on the knee and the sweating ..... was shingles ! and he was the youngest at 42 ! BTW : there is (goodish) mobile coverage (both major carriers) at Yuletide, The Needle as well as Kakapo Peak and the peak south of Anatoki Peak (SH1563) - presumably at Anatoki Peak as well.

Good effort especially by the afflicted one. Shingles is nasty, poor fella. So have you done the Lockett/Dougles Range trip yet?

Yep, done. We had one day between the two trips for resupply. That all went well with continuing good weather (as noted in another thread) other than a short sidle from the ridgeline to Ruby Lake. It looked good on the map (cutting out a couple of 100m climbs) but ran us into Spaniard grass and boggy holes - took longer that expected - along with the only rain we had for both trips. The Lockett Range (heading North) is a very pleasant stroll with some great views and a fun scree slide. The second night camp was just past the tarn above Fenella Hut in a lovely hanging valley (buy very very cold on sunrise) below Waingaro Peak. I'm uploading some photos now but I'll do a few more in the next couple of days. Thanks for your input previously, Honora, and your link to PK - even though we didn't make it up North Creek.

.... and, yes, rest is the recommendation for shingles - he didn't get a lot of that !