Duke of Ed Gold Expedition - Dusky Track
By Richard Roe | Posted: Wednesday April 10, 2024
To round out Term 1, members of our Duke of Edinburgh group have just completed a 6-day expedition to walk the Dusky Track for their Gold expedition.
Billed as New Zealand’s toughest tramp, the journey from the North end of Lake Hauroko to the West Arm of Lake Manapouri, covers 55km of Fiordland’s finest forest. (And yes, for those who do the Maths, that averages less than 10km per day – a mere couple of hours if strolling the flat of South D!) Battling through lush rain forest, energy sapping bogs, near vertical slopes, slippery tree roots and boulders carrying 8 days worth of supplies on one of the country’s longest obstacle courses, all the while being attacked by squadrons of winged vampires - why would 5 totally sane young men choose to do it?
Our first night was spent in the bustling metropolis of Tuatapere, ready for our boat transfer across Lake Hauroko at first light next morning. After a calm crossing, the realisation set in that we were now on our own for up to 8 days with just what we were carrying on our backs. The track started off gently enough, but it wasn’t long before the reason behind the formidable track times became clear - vertical ladders of knotted tree roots, knee deep bogs and track conditions favourably described as “rough”. After 6 hours we reached Halfway Hut which was a very welcome sight through the light rain.
The next morning, as with each of the next 5 days, we started out with the character-building experience of fitting wet socks and boots, before setting out to tackle the obstacles between us and our next destination. On Day 2, this included a 550m climb to the bush line at the head of the Hauroko Burn valley, with the destination being the Lake Roe Hut. A further vertical 100m above the hut was Lake Roe itself (no ancestral link established at this stage), looking very sombre with low mist obscuring the surrounding mountain tops. The huge attraction of a night above the bushline was an evening and morning without the hordes of sandflies who appeared to have a voracious appetite for our blood.
On Day 3 the rain and mist cleared away just in time for stunning views as we climbed to 1100m and traversed the tops of the Pleasant Range. Lake Horizon and several tarns made for some great photo stops, before we were able to get views to the West straight out to the sea at Dusky Sound. We enjoyed lunch with the views on the tops, before plunging 800m down over a distance of just 2km to Loch Maree Hut. We were treated to up-close sightings of kaka and kea as we descended through the forest. That night we came across the only other humans we would see for 6 full days – a pair of hunters who had been helicoptered in with their supplies.
After some robust debate we abandoned our original ambitious plan of trying to fit in a day return trip from Loch Maree to Supper Cove in Dusky Sound, and instead decided to proceed onwards to Kintail Hut on Day 4. This was our longest day distance wise, but also relatively flat as we followed the Seaforth River upstream. One extremely gnarly section leading up to Gair Loch had us questioning the definition of “flat”, and even the track guide description of “rough”. All of us braved the refreshing waters of the Seaforth River that night to have a wash and so the aroma in the hut was much more pleasant that evening.
Day 5 was our shortest day by distance but arguably the toughest. It started with an 800m vertical climb to reach Centre Pass, and for much of it the use of 4LD (4 limb drive) wasn’t just an option but a necessity to clamber up very steep faces. We had a leisurely lunch on the top, as low cloud cleared to great views back down the Seaforth Valley, and ahead into the Spey Valley. The drop of 600m down to Upper Spey Hut wasn’t quite as demanding as the climb, but still requiring of 4LD at times as well. The sandflies must have sensed this was our last night on the track and attacked with an intensity not previously seen. Fortunately, none of the smaller lads were carried off by them, and once it had gotten dark we were able to enjoy being outside again with an inquisitive weka and fantastic evening sky providing the entertainment.
With our boat booked for 2:30pm, we were on the track early at 7:40am to make sure we would be in plenty of time. The going was much easier for most of the route with a reasonably gentle gradient following the Spey River downstream. One of the Day 6 obstacles thrown in our path was a very large tree which had completely destroyed one of the walkwire bridges. Fortunately, after 3 clear days (a Fiordland drought) the river level was low and fording the river was an easy option. We made it out to the Deep Cove road around 12:30pm, but sought the sanctuary of the West Arm Hut for our lunch so we wouldn’t be eaten before we had the chance to eat ourselves. Our boat transfer was right on time, we had a smooth crossing back to Manapouri, arriving back in Dunedin at 8pm.
So, to answer my earlier question – comradeship, getting back to nature, appreciating the simple things in life, testing our limits, views earned and experiences shared, plus a massive sense of accomplishment – that’s why we do it!!
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