Te Araroa Trail – Part 8

HAVELOCK – ST ARNAUD

Section Distance = 164.5 km

Total Distance = 882.5 km

The Richmond Ranges are said to be one of the longest and hardest sections on the Te Araroa Trail and that was certainly true for me!

11 days from Havelock to St Arnaud, climbing to elevations of 1500m (usually more) on a daily basis, countless river crossings, paths made of little more than a tangle of tree roots and the ever hidden views shrouded in cloud…

This was both a physically and mentally challenging section especially for me carrying so many days worth of food and fighting gravity up the STEEP slopes (with more giant sized steps required). There were many rest stops in which I would have to convince myself to pick up the pack again…

The weather, as always when traversing alpine environments threw me every season along the way. From a lovely warm hike along the Pelorus River to an entire day holed up in a hut with the fire on waiting out torrential rain 🌧🌧🌧 and clouds!!! I still haven’t seen more of Mt Rintoul than snow poles despite summiting its peak 🤦‍♀️⛰

The terrain along the way changed dramatically from river valleys and beech forest, to the open treeless rock of the mineral belts and red hills!!!

Despite these challenges this section was also full of more stunning forest, mist shrouded ridgelines, the satisfaction of reaching the top of another peak, cozy hut evenings eating dinner by the fire after an exhausting day and the comradery of teaming up with other hikers for the more challenging river crossings (I would have had to turn back many times without their help due to the deeper, swift flowing sections being unsafe for me to cross alone!!!)

A day holed up in a hut waiting out bad weather and a several shorter days to avoid bad weather means it took me 11 days to complete this section, although there were 2 people running it in a mere 4 days!!!

For anyone interested;

Havelock – Pelorus Bridge Camp 21km Pelorus Bridge – Captains Creek Hut 22km Captains Creek Hut – Browning Hut 21km Browning Hut – Slaty Hut 14km Slaty Hut – Old Man Hut 8.5km. Old Man Hut (Hut day due to rain) 0km Old Man Hut – Mt Rintoul Hut 5.5km. Mt Rintoul Hut – Mid Wairoa Hut 14.5km. Mid Wairoa Hut – Hunters Hut 17.5km Hunters Hut – Red Hills Hut 19.5km. Red Hills Hut – St Arnaud 21km

This was an unforgettable section for both its challenging nature and beautifully varied environments (but I will be very glad to see a section of flat hiking for a change 😅) and I can’t wait to continue my journey south.

Have you taken on the Richmond Ranges??? I would love to hear about your own adventure…and see any photos 📷 of your views from the tops as I saw mostly cloud and snow poles 🤣