Start: Manuka Hut
Finish: Comyns Hut
Distance: 21km
Long story short, today was another shit day.
It started alright with an easy walk along the valley to the Double Hut Junction.
From here we knew it was a long, hard climb up to Client Hills Saddle at 1480m, and the climb seemed to go on forever. Although some of the views on the way were pretty cool.
Eventually we reached the top and stopped for some lunch out of the wind.
After a short descent through the tussock the fun really began. The track followed rivers all the way to the hut and there were 2 options. The first involved making your own path along the banks through dense prickly bush, and I’ve got the scratches on my arms and legs to prove that we tried that first.
The second was to pick your way down the riverbed. We quickly chose this option and while it was fun for the first KM it quickly turned into absolute hell.
We were crossing the river every 100m and while the crossings themselves weren’t bad or scary, it was tediously slow and with both of us sporting new blisters from yesterday we quickly got grumpy.
For 7km we walked in silence, talking only when we needed to until eventually, at 6pm, we got to the hut.
For the second night in a row I collapsed onto my bunk, barely having the energy to cook dinner before another early night.
Everyone really talked up this section, and while I agree that some of the views have been pretty cool, it has not delivered on the enjoyability, but maybe tomorrow will be different.
