Mavora Lakes, Queens Birthday 2018

 With a great forecast and outlook for the weekend four of us set off from Goblin Woods just after 3pm on Friday, Bess driving. We had fitted the pushbike in the back ready to drop off somewhere near Kiwiburn Carpark along the way in. Only stopping off briefly in Gore for some Turkish food followed by baklava. After stopping to drop off the bike and lock it onto a fence we arrived at the Mavora Lakes Camping area at the south end of Hikurangi(Upper Mavora Lake) and set up tents for the overnight camp. We quickly found a good spot under the beech trees sheltered from the severe frost settling around us in the clear, it was going to be cold. After a boil up and cuppa’s we had a yarn to some of the other campers sitting around their blazing fire, hunters possumers and fishers. A stroll around to the lake and the surrounding snowy peaks bright as in the near full moon.

It was a chilly night in the tent but invigorated anyway, we got up at 7ish and ate packed and left by 9. No desperate rush as we should have plenty of time to get to Kiwiburn Hut for that night. Over the first swing bridge crossing the passage in between the 2 lakes, its a slow flowing river. The sign said 2.5 hrs to the next swing-bridge at the bottom of the South Mavora Lake. This is a part of Te Araroa and also the Mavora Walkway. It’s beautiful and not difficult going along beech, tussock grassy flats and more beech, a break at the next swing bridge for a snack. We carried on along a slow deep part of the Mararoa River as it flowed out of the South Mavora Lake. Heading for the last swingbridge in the vicinity of where the bike was left and the turn off to our intentioned route which was the loop track around to the Kiwiburn Hut. A minor navigational glitch when we found another junction prior to this which was named the Terrace Track but was unmarked on any map and in the end we decided not to follow this track only being able to guess where it came out.

It was 1.45 by the time we came to the junction and the turnoff for the loop was posted as 3.5 h, the direct route posted as 1.5 h and we choose the more direct track because of the shortness of the day. As it turned out we arrived at Kiwiburn Hut before 3 and it was a great location for that time of the day with full sun and relative warmth. Two others were there but away at the time, plenty of room with 10 bunks free. A potbelly klondyke on one side stacked with fresh wood all around it, a warm night was promised and delivered. Another couple arrived and the ones away returned from a hunt, a large Maori man and a tiny Norwegian woman and a young dog named Pippie. It was a busy warm night with the usual laughs and stories.

An early wake up for the hunters ensured bed by about 9. We woke up to the fire already going and the hut warmer than what we usually find. The party split here and after breakfast and packing 3 went around the loop track and 1 went back directly, crossing the last swing bridge and reunited with the push bike. Initially it was a struggle to get traction against a steady slow climb and a strong headwind as well as trying to eat a bit of early lunch. In the end the food won and the biking got easier after a brief stop and became very pleasant for the section in the forest and around the lake.

Back at the camping area and the bike was packed back into the truck and the truck then driven to pick up the 3 loop walkers. The group now reunited and ready for the next bit of the adventure. We were advised by campers to drive beyond the next carpark going north and attempt the 4WD track leading to our destination Carey’s Hut. This turned out to be bad advice and the truck had to be extradited from loose gravel only meters from the start with the help of some young noisy ones in 4WD’s and noisy quadbikes. We were grateful for their help nevertheless. The next 2 hour walk was on a very badly damaged 4WD track which has suffered much abuse and looks bad and is difficult to walk on when the ice turns to mud and the wallow holes are nearly 1 meter deep. We saw no other walkers even though this is Te Araroa, only noisy bike, quadbikes and 4WD’s and fizzboats on the lake.

We arrived at Carey’s Hut to find it occupied by a family with a boat, there were 8 there already in a 6 bunk hut with enough gear spread around the hut to fill it. We erected the one tent we’d brought and got it ready to accommodate the inevitable over flow from the hut. More 4WDers arrived and set up camp. As the afternoon turned to an icy evening there were more arrivals looking for room in the hut, some in 4WD’s, one more walking. Eventually the hut fitted most with just 4 being turned away in their truck. One slept out in the tent and the temperature fell low enough to freeze the water bottle inside the tent. An early night, with little room in the hut for all to be comfortably sitting.

After the usual activities in the morning we were walking in crispy frozen conditions for the return 3 hours to the truck, a much more enjoyable walk in the hard icy conditions compared to the previous day. The sun eventually shone on us about halfway back and we stopped for snacks and a look, arriving back at the truck at midday for a lunch and then the long drive home. This was a great early winter walk, the first part of the walk beating the second hands down due mainly to the activities of vehicle users in this conservation area which leaves a very large footprint indeed. Thanks to Bess for driving and John and Marion for coming too. Robbie