So, we are back from the Kahurangi Ranges.
We've left on Tuesday (1.1.2013), heading into the Anatoki Valley - not really hang over from New Year celebration at the Mussle Inn, but late enough. Craig was so friendly driving us (Paul, Ivan and me) from Hangdog Camp to the (correct!) road end. We've lifted our heavy backpacks and got aware of our first mishap: The new bottle of gin was broken and made my backpack sticky and smelly. So, we decided to replace it an official VUWTC first aid kit (to complete the collection of three small first aid kits we already had) and left the broken empty bottle with Craig.
The afternoon tramp sidled along the steep valley slopes of the Anatoki river. It was 7 hours of very walkable pack track and dodgy climbs over rock faces or through creeks, all in all fun (maybe a bit long for an afternoon tramp). Anatoki Forks Hut is unique, it has a solid steel door looking like a preparation for doomsday and a hot shower inside (we didn't use it 
). It is a very welcoming and tidy hut on one of those historic gold rush sites in the south island.
On the next morning, the weather didn't look reliable - we decided to go along the Anatoki/Waingaro Circuit (no Dragon Teeth this time!). The track was moderately difficult, but not steep - what looked like a 6 hour day, became a 9 hour trip (DOC time 7-10 hours). At the eastern end of lake Stanley there used to be a hut, which would have cut the second day down to a more moderate tramp. The area there is rugged with a lot of land slides, rock fields and a river (violently) cutting into the valley. To make it more dramatic, the thunder storms around us became audible and visible - we had luck, only an hour of heavy rainfall and a bit of hail - just in the middle of an exposed rock field 
.
Waingaro Forks hut is rewarding (at least for Ivan and me) - it is pretty old, made of wood slabs, has an awesome fireplace - just like a cottage in a heritage museum. The wood shed was well filled! Just the right place to survive heavy thundery rain falls over night (the ones, which drowned Fjordland). Next morning (Tursday) the weather was significantly better, the bush was soaking wet and the rivers were torrents: Good conditions to finish the circuit with a lunch break at Riordans Hut (another very cosy heritage hut) in bright sun shine. The track is mountain-bikable, easy walking! The views over Takaka valley from the east end of the Locket Range were rewarding. We walked a never ending series of switchbacks into the valley - the track builders were not at all concerned to make the track actually going down.
On the same evening Ivan and I hitch-hiked to Upper Takaka and tried to get a lift into Cobb Valley (a hopeless try). We've lost Paul to civilization - he went to Nelson. After a night in a pine tree plantation, we got a lift with a Massey University Geology excursion - thanks for that! The day was sunny, we enjoyed the views over Kahurangi National Park, first walking over the ridge south of the reservoir, later enjoying the 360° view from Mount Peel. Ivan and I jumped into Lake Peel afterwards, just for hygienic reasons of course... 
. The day was finished off by beyond perfection by having two deserts (after a solid dinner!) in Baloon hut.
On Saturday morning we spent time exploring the 'tableland' Karst landscape around Salisbury Hut and tried out the rock shelters along the valley walk to Flora Hut. I especially liked the swinging seat at Upper Gridiron Hut/Rock Shelter, which is suspended from the overhanging rock. Flora Stream valley is a refreshing place to be on a gloomy day. A brisk one hour walk brought us from Flora Hut up to Mount Arthur hut, which was already pretty crowded in the afternoon. We had an early dinner and set out for the sunset at Mount Arthur - rewarding!
The last day of our tramp was dedicated to the Horseshoe Basin NE of Mount Arthur. We walked around a lot of sink holes, explored (little) caves, found a large cavity under a massive rock face (sadly inaccessible without rope) and climbed up a ridge back to the top. Lunch time - to fill up the water bottles, I set out to fill my billy with snow - carefully down-climbing to a small snow patch. - And of course it happened, I dropped the billy while digging into the snow with the lid. The ringing and rattling sound of a 'steel bell' was audible for several seconds and echoed through the basin. Well, I had to melt the snow with the lid only. 
. So we had an excuse for another excursion into the crags under the top. Ivan finally discovered the billy a bit less than 100 meter below - it is still usable. Some other snow patches invited for glissading: Ivan loved it!
On Sunday evening we had the hut for ourselves, emptied our backpacks and got the last dinner going. Monday morning we departed early, walked down to the Motueka River (the wrong time of day for a lift out of a recreational area). A foot bridge near by allowed us a dry river crossing to get to the Motueka Valley Highway - I guess, Ivan thought this was cheating.