Whats everyone got planned?

You where right about Kahui bloody cold though had a good night at Waiaua gorge great fire and a spectacular view of the munga the next morning all capped in snow.

Well, I hear everyone winging (isn't that the Pom's job) about the weather, but I couldn't have asked for better. 6 days in the Tararuas with just a morning of rain. 2 days in the Haurangis with wind battering the coast, but still and warm in the valleys. An overnighter in the Gwavas/Wakararas with 20 mins of drizzle on the way on, but a clear day with sunrise over Hawkes Bay. A trip down the Waioweka - the one day of warm rain only cutting down on the need to jump in the river to cool down quite so often. And a traverse of the Tangihua Range when some rain / cloud / wind / anything would have been welcome to cool the day.

Couldn't ask for better: what are you all complaining about?!

did queen charlotte walk, staying at luxury accomodation... had a hot day between punga cove and the portage. went through two and a half litres of water.
had a lazy time at luxmore hut on the kepler, sitting out the rain for a day
one person had to be carried to iris burn shelter, immobilised with hypothermia in strong wind and rain.
not sure if thats what caused a number of people to abandon their packs on the ridge to high tail it down to iris burn hut

they person with hypothermia got helicoptered off the following day

the people climbed back up the following day to retrieve their packs...

by comparison it was a tame trip on the routeburn, in cloud across the top, mountains sitting above the cloud at harris saddle.. then a stinking hot day and a half in the routeburn valley

Upper Matakuhia Hut Friday and Saturday an easy weekend ahead or so i hope

What was condition of the track like Big Paul? See any animals?

Many Thanks

Easy in some areas overgrown in others some track markers but a very quick walk 2hrs in and the same out. No deer sign however some pig rooting down close to the river. Not much in the way of bird life but did see one blue duck.

Sparrowhawk Biv across the tops and down colenso spur over the next two days. have a feeling its going to be hot

Planning for chilling out at some place where nobody can disturb me....!!!

Upper Te Hoe because i haven't been there next week

have to get out for a walk next weekend, am having a knee op next month so have not been doing much at all for a fair while, but after i am fixed up will be back into it