Ok, here comes the weekend thing:
The trip to Carkeek will be pretty much a copy of my last Carkeek weekend, we will do a maintenance trip to one of "our" huts. - But this time, we can take advantage of cleaned mattresses (thanks, Beth and Francis), clean walls, a big frying pan and heaps of firewood (thanks to all)... AND the track & marking has improved a lot (thanks, Kieran)! That will make the tramp easier!
In deed, Carkeek hut is in the very middle of the Tararuas, depending on the fitness, one needs 6 to 12 hours to get there.
On Friday (24.1.2014, leave at 5:30PM from Hunter Car Park), we will walk in from Holdsworth Lodge to Jumbo hut (that will safe us an uphill-slog on Saturday).
On Saturday we tramp to McGregor and drop (nearly literally) down into the Waiohine river. As we go we do some work on the track. For a change we splash along the river till we reach Park Forks. Then we climb up the Carkeek ridge, till we arrive at the very hut!
On Sunday we do the same backwards and finally rolling down the hill and along the Atiwhakatu river... Fish and Chips on the way back!!!
Recommended for medium (sore legs on Monday, but happy) or fitter people (no problem...)