Four trampers were up to an overnighter in the darkest month of the year. Starting at about 09:00, we went up the fence line of the Brook sanctuary in good weather: not too cold, half sunny and half overcast, not too windy.
Team of 4 setting off
After a slow and steady climb of 560m we reached the 3rd house shelter in 2 hours and had a short breather. There we picked up the Coppermine MTB trail and climbed through the forest on the pleasantly gradual old rail trail towards Coppermine saddle (about 200m altitude gain). About 1.5 km before the saddle we emerged from the forest into the stunted growth of the mineral belt and a more exposed alpine environment. Windy point lived up to its name and reminded us that it is winter. We arrived at Coppermine saddle at 13:05 and had a short 15-minute lunch while more or less sheltering from the wind. A handy sign pointed us to one of the (well-signposted!) tracks connecting to the Dun mountain saddle. Note: The NZ topomap does not show any of at least 2 connecting tracks between the Coppermine MBT and the walking track going from Dun mountain down to Dun mountain saddle and Rocks hut.
Into the mineral belt
We arrived at Rocks hut at 14:45 and immediately proceeded to collect firewood. Both Graeme and I (Maaike) had brought foldable saws as we had heard that the hut-saw was blunt. Kari started the fire (she had brought fire starters). G&M found dead kanuka further back up the track that would provide good firewood. G was effectively jumping on the trunks while M was – less effectively - sawing at them when 2 more ladies arrived with their small warmly-dressed doggies. They seemed to be disappointed that there were other trampers in the hut. One did assist in sawing the firewood. (As we were to find out, she planned to keep the fire going all night)! They made a lot of points about their doggies not catching birds etc, and were pleasant as persons. We didn’t want to make an issue of their doggies and have our happy weekend marred by fuss (in any case we couldn’t have turned them away). But dogs in a hut?
Rocks hut view
The rest of the evening went well – I’d say very well after Graeme provided us with mulled wine! There was plenty of noise as N&M tried to solve a crossword puzzle from the New Yorker magazine. This drew one of the other women into the effort. Once solved, it was off to bed early. The other two women slept in front of the fire (one seemed to only have a few light clothes!). Doggies were well wrapped up in their pink blankies. During the night they stoked the fire – unnecessarily so, in my opinion: It was hot and I had to sleep half out of my sleeping bag. The crashing and banging of the fire-door also ensured disrupted sleep for everyone else!
We heard rain showers during the night and on Sunday morning it was overcast and showery. We got up a bit earlier than expected when the doggy-ladies got up and were on the trail by 08:30. Forty minutes later we were on the MBT below Dun saddle where I fiddled with my InReach mini (I had forgotten my phone at home) and with Naomi’s help sent a message to my husband to pick us up at the Maitai dam 1.5 hours earlier than planned. The weather wasn’t terrible but neither was it conducive to dawdling, or to take the much longer route back via Dew lakes. We arrived at the dam at 13:00 where Terry was waiting.
View from Copper Mine Saddle
Participants: Maaike (leader & scribe), Graeme and visitors Kari & Naomi.