Day 68-74 | km 1946 - 2060 | Nelson Lakes National Park

The Waiau Pass

I’d heard how amazing Mt Angelus & Sunset Saddle were, so from St Arnaud I opted to skip the trail on the eastern side of Lake Rotoiti (which I have honestly ran before) and headed west up Robert Ridge. Absolutely the best decision. This side trip has to be one of my highlights, not just because of the stunning scenery but more it was us girls doing it for ourselves, off trail, supporting one another and bonding over frosty wild camping and hard summit climbs.

Walking towards a rainbow ahead in the valley

Camping next to Hinapouri Tarn

Lake Angelus, view from the summit of Mt Angelus

The hike down through sunset saddle, named for its orange / pink rocks, was tricky and time consuming. Navigating boulder strewn terrain and snow patches via small cairns I think it took near enough 4 hours to cover 6km! Finally reaching the trail head leading down to Hopeless Hut, I turned around to look what we had just scrambled down, wow! I’m so glad we came the way we did as it looked very daunting to do it in reverse.

Part of the enjoyment of this trail is setting little mini challenges for myself. I love the feeling of my heart pounding, my feet dancing over rocks and trusting the strength of my legs…and their even increasing muscle bulk in my calves! I accepted skinny jeans were a no-go for me a long time ago. If I tried to put them on now, rather than they look ridiculous I actually think my calves would burst out like the hulks! Seeing as I can’t really see them they astheticlly don’t bother me, I giggle when people comment; I’m a physio after all so I’m all about the function, in fact I’m feeling extremely grateful for their hulk-ishness as those bad boys (girls) are boosting my ass up mountains like a Duracell bunny! I’ll keep working my butt muscles but dang my calves just keep wanting the centre of attention over those glutes…if everyone could just work fairly now…

So my challenge of the day was to get to Blue Lake from Hopeless Hut. That meant really going for it on the ups and fast pack flying. I was moving so swiftly in fact a wild pig didn’t even know I was there until I burst out the tree line into an open grassy area and gave it the fright of its life and vice verse! It snorted off through the bushes so I carried on bounding down the path... However, for whatever reason it decided to do a 90 degree turn and leapt out the bush in front of me standing motionless and staring me down. This pig was an absolute tank, it looked like it had eaten all the truffles and then some, I had no doubt it my mind it could eat me! What is the correct thing to do in a pig-tank stand off? Thoughts of what to do when meeting a black versus brown bear flew through my head. Do I make noise and act all big and scary or stand silently?? I don’t think I could of outran the piggatron. In that instance with adrenaline pumping I choose to use my hiking poles as a sword and pulled an ‘on guard’ position making something like a HiiiiYA!! Kinda noise. It worked a treat and he waved his piggly tail at me as he trotted off , for a tank that thing could move I tell ya!

Travers Saddle (1787m)

After Travers saddle I met 2 ‘NOBO’s’ (trail talk for North bounders. I’m a SOBO -South bounder) they said Blue Lake Hut was already really busy due to the extra trampers out over the long weekend because of Waitangi Day and suggested I stay in West Sabine Hut. Great intel as I hate full huts, I’d rather sleep in my little tent outside when they are that full; as much as Huts are amazing they do tend to get a little stuffy and I sleep poorly, waking everytime someone turns over on the noisy wipe clean mattresses. West Sabine it was… which actually then turned out perfectly as when I reached Blue Lake the next morning - the clearest Lake in the world - there was no one there, I had the lake and then continuing over Waiau Pass totally to myself. It was a dream! DOC had done a fantastic job at attempting to clear the trail following the floods and avalanches but there was still a lot of fallen trees, branches and new river gorges you had to navigate. The trail only reopened on January 23rd so I’m very grateful I was able to make it through - thanks DOC for your epic work.

Mini meditation at Blue Lake

The Waiau pass sits at 1870m - the second highest point of the Te Araroa trail and my biggest highlight. My heart and lungs were pounding when I reached the top and all alone up there surrounded by incredible alpine peaks I couldn’t help but have a teary eyed moment. So special.

Mornings are a lot colder in the mountains before the sun rises and the oven temperature is turned up to max heat. The water stays cold though whatever the time of day…

The final leg of this section ran through the Ada Valley and joined the St James Track. When I finally reached Boyle Village it was 31C and boiling it was! I’m thinking it was a few degrees higher back in the Valley. I couldn’t stop jumping into the rivers, I know when I’m reeeally hot and bothered and slightly heat stricken/ stroked when I’m consciously not walking in a straight line - which is still better than unconsciously walking anywhere (!). I chatted to some lovely horse packers trekking from the east to the west coast and then in an attempt to cool down I took a slightly longer lunch in Anne Hut - a lovely big new hut with fantastic views.

The intentions book - ‘I intend to eat my wrap without sweating into it, although I could use the salts so, what the heck’

Nelson Lakes was a pure joy. My soul food. I feel I’ve only touched the edge in explaining its beauty, how I felt and things I experienced. I hope you can find your way there one day. I’ll happily be your guide x