2023 Hollyford

Trip Report

After a few “fits and starts” about where to head this year after our planned Heaphy Tramp was not able to happen, the the votes were cast and overwhelmingly it was thought the Hollyford Valley was the place. Despite this we had some issues finding enough people to make it work but at the last minute were able to pull together 10 keen trampers to head back to the Hollyford.

Sunday

Sunday afternoon we all meet in Te Anau to stay in a holiday home (Thanks Sarah and Robbie!) before an early drive through to the Hollyford Road end to catch the helicopter down to Martin’s Bay. Fish and Chips and Pizza was the evening meal …. then an early night. Up at 6.30am to get to the Hollyford Road end by 9am (I might have scheduled our wake-up a bit early but you never know the delays.

Monday

The sky was clear and the first chopper load was ride on time. Whilst we were waiting for the second load down another helicopter landed just as some folk from the Pyke Lodge rocked up to head in for 9 days adding ensuites onto the lodge. An invitation to call for a cuppa on our way through was extended before they departed moments before our helicopter returned for us.

The flight down was spectacular with sunny skies and low mist hanging on the valley floor breaking from time to time giving us glimpses of the river below.

After landing the girls in the first load had lit the fire in Martin’s Bay Hut which we hoped would get the sun at some stage during the day (but it didn’t … the sun instead just hugging the otherside of the ridge behind the hut). After a quick drink the first order of the day was to explore the sand spit. The river used to exit to the sea right in front of the Martin’s Bay Hut however in the 2020 storm the river blew out the sand spit and now the sand spit was accessible by walking right from the hut to the mouth about 1km or so down the beach. Fascinating as the mouth had been in the same position for as long as living memory so it was worth a look.

After lunch we headed around the rough and muddy track towards Big Bay. The seal colony was a good side trip to see the seal pups. The track towards Big Bay is rough and muddy but gives some good glimpses of the rugged coast line.

Martin’s Bay Hut was hard to get warm but by dark we managed to get some heat through the dining room.

Tuesday

Overcast skies greeted us on our departure and cool temps. The forecast was late afternoon drizzle starting. The track to Hokuri Hut was a relatively easy one and well marked. Jerusalem Creek was well shingled after the 2020 floods with markers and signs only just showing above the shingle.

The teenage girls were convinced there was a canoe they could use to boat up the lake from Jamestown however it turned out to be wooden and with a big hole in it.

A quick break beside Lake Mckerrow before the sandflies arrived and moved us on was had. The lake was quite silty in colour from a slip up the Pyke River (as the helicopter pilot told us). We tramped along the side of the lake towards our lunch stop of “Charlies Place”. Knowing the original builder Charlie meant we were keen to have a look at the house. The screened rear porch allowed us to have a longer lunchbreak outside of the reach of the sandflies.

Onwards towards Hokuri Hut had some of party crossing their first 3-wire bridge across a smaller creek before the mega 3-wire across the Hokuri creek was reached. The 80m crossing was made shorter by starting our crossing halfway at the island in the middle of Hokuri creek.

A taste of the demon trail was had in the final hour or so through to the Hokuri Hut. Hokuri Hut was in full sun and a great place to stay the night. Exploring the lake shore yielded some good dry firewood

Wednesday

Light drizzle welcomed us on Wednesday morning with the forecast for rain increasing around 10am. The demon trail was continued along with a number of 3-wire walk bridges. The Mt Webb Creek crossing without a bridge was easy in the light drizzle (although the rocks slippery). DoC were working on replacing the bridge as we passed by. The demon trail was fairly relentless and then the drizzle turned to light rain which in turn turned heavy. The demon trail is not recommended in rain due to the slipperiness of the rocks. I think it is safe to say we all agree with this statement. Wednesday was a long day and very very wet.

Arriving at Demon Trail Hut we knew that DoC had pulled the fire out but the fact we were all very wet made this night a miserable one where we all changed into dry clothes but still struggled to keep warm. An early night with none of us looking forward to getting into wet tramping clothes the next morning. Why DoC pull fires out of huts for maintenance in the winter is anybody’s guess … surely it would be smarter to do it in the summer period when it is warmer!

Thursday

Thursday dawned crisp and cool but with clear skies. But the rain had continued overnight til about 4am so we knew the creeks would be up and we were not entirely sure of the state of the 2nd crossing with no bridge. It was good to see that the minor creeks had dropped in level as we tramped the final hour of the demon trail towards the junction with McKerrow Island hut. The unbridged stream was just before the end of the lake and we certainly wouldn’t have wanted it much higher.

Past this creek the track eased to more flat conditions. I was not surprised to see a good flow of dirty water down the flood channel which would have prevented any access to McKerrow Island hut had we decided to push for there. About the junction the sun came out. Beyond this the track was fairly flat but there were quite a few tree falls until we hit the real flats between McKerrow Island and Lake Alabaster. A sunny spot for lunch was quite pleasant. The track was surprisingly good until the final 2km underneath the bluffs above the Pyke confluence til the biggest swingbridge in Fiordland. The Pyke was quite high and silty.

A hop, skip and jump and we were at Lake Alabaster hut … a 5 star hotel compared to the Demon Trail Hut of the night before. And kudos to the jetboaters who had been in before us (from Methven) for leaving the hut so spic and span.

Friday

Friday dawned nice again but with some late afternoon drizzle forecast we didn’t dawdle. We stopped at the Pyke Lodge for that promised cuppa but forwent it due to us having far to tramp this day. However we chatted with Em (the cook) and she showed us the levels the 2020 flood got to in the lodge before people were evacuated out.

A fast pace had us pass the usual scenic stops of Little Homer Falls and the viewpoint for the Donne Glacier quickly. A lunchstop at Sunshine Hut porch was short lived as the sandflies found us quickly. Hidden Falls Creek (and falls) were in good flow. We pushed on and reached the end of the track about 2.30pm.

Driving through to Te Anau for some showers and a meal out together rounded out the trip. A group headed home to Queenstown whilst the rest of us stayed another night in Te Anau before heading home.

All in all another May epic ticked off. And we broke the “curse” of incidents with no serious injuries or post trip illnesses!