Today was the long day i needed after spending most of the last week hanging around in huts, and for once it was perfect weather for it. The pleasent walk continues beside the river heading downstream. Its a good track and the miles roll by quick. A new suspension bridge crosses the main river, well used by people and possums, then a single wire crosses the Merchant stream. 20 mins later is Smiths stream shelter. It's not as bad as its rep and would be ok in good weather, there's no windows or door but a good roof and walls, no mattress but a solid sleeping platform.
Carring on, the track leaves the river, following Smiths stream, a well benched track then swithbacks to puffer saddle. Whilst its not a big climb, it does cross the main devide via the low point between the Tararua's and Rimutaka's. Once at the top, mature podocarp gives way to gourse and scrub, theres occasional veiws to the Rimutaka's and the highway. A short drop down to the carpark at kiwi ranch road marks the end of my Taruarua traverse. Im not blown away by the Tararua's (not metephoricaly anyway), if you include drizzel, its rained all 11 of the full days ive spent in the range, even on the 1 fine afternoon on the tops its only a repeat of the Ruahines, just muddier.
There's not much on Kiwi ranch, a YMCA center and a few lifestyle blocks, i find my last food drop burried on the lifestyle block, with permission of course, the owners arnt in but fortunately im able to recharge my phone at the YMCA. Checking the forecast ive got a fine windows to do the difficult section of the Rimutaka's. The Rimutaka's are my last range, yet possibly the most difficult, there's no track running north-south and the ridgeline is below the bush- my traverse involves mainly rivers and saddles, it will be slow going and challenging, a slip up here could still end the trip, then id have to start again from East Cape. There's only 2 public huts in the range, and ill only pass one, so a few nights in the biv will be req.
At the end of Kiwi ranch, i turn left into Marchant rd for 2km to the SH2 ( Rimutaka Road). From here its a short but unpleasant 500m along the 2, crossing the Pakaratahi and turning left into Gilbert road. I was expecting to be able to acess the Rimutaka rail trail from here but instead it ends in private farm houses, no choice but drop into the river. It starts off open shingle, but soon becomes hemmed in by blackberry on either side, leaving the only way forward wading up the river. I can see the rail trail on the true left, i just can't get to it.
Its a slow 2.5 km upstream before i find a route through the blackberry leading up to the trail. The Rimutaka rail trail following the old path of the railway before it was tunneld right through the range. Its easy walking and popular with cyclists. Its starts off in pine and regen scrub, but eventually becomes mature bush. I pass a designated campsite, but its only 4.30, and i really need to get up the river more, to make tommorow easier. There's a short tunnel and a few bridges before the trail leaves the Pakaratahi and follows a small creek to the east, its not obvious and i missed it the first time. Its too steep to drop into the Pakaratahi itself, so i drop into the side creek and follow it through a short canyon to the main river. Theres nowhere obvious to camp heading upstream and the only place i found was a small patch of sand that required serious excavation to allow for a bivvi site, its only inches above the water so better not flood. Its a perfect evening for a night out, without a cloud or breath of wind.
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