Party: Anna, Lesley
Maphttp://nztramper.com/upper-huia-dam-track-christies-track-upper-nihotupu-walk-waitakere-ranges/
Distance: 16.5 kms
Elevation: Not sure
Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Notes:
For a number of reasons, we have not headed out West for what seems like an age. So even as the clouds gathered ominously, and the country headed to higher ground after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake off the East Coast, we cheerily drove off for an extended visit to the West. The Te Atatu motorway exit has become such familiar territory, as have Lincoln Road, the railway underpass, and the left-hand turn at the Gull service station, where you can relax after spotting the Piha sign. So it's almost unimaginable that we still have to give it serious thought before we commit to the off-ramp! (Perhaps our insistence on ignoring the GPS lady has something to do with it...) The walk Anna had chosen was one we have not previously done, which is pretty strange, given the territory that we have covered over the years. We decided to do only a part of it today, as a recce - to go as far as we felt like and then turn back. We'll do the longer walk shown in the map when Elizabeth is available. One of the things we have come to realise is that if there is a sign at the start of a Waitakere track saying 'experienced trampers only' you are guaranteed mud, tree roots, stream crossings, steep terrain, narrow paths, splendid isolation, and a full-body workout. So no surprises about five minutes into the track when we were fully concentrating on our foot placements between tree roots, and sliding (ok, and squealing) down the rest of the track. In the rain. But what a beautiful track! Fantastic bush, with several stream crossings, and water rushing along the gullies. Mossy banks, a lovely pool and a man-made cave, before there were peeks of dam, and great stretches of still water. We walked the length of the dam to check the track at that end - still closed due to Kauri die-back - and getting pretty overgrown. We descended to the Watercare buildings, and strolled on to find a spot for morning tea. Enter a white Watercare car. Exit a Watercare car. Followed about 20 minutes later by a Park Ranger and a passenger. Turns out they were looking for a suitable environment for Hochstetter frogs, who need still water, a shingle riverbed, and things to hide under. That got our curiosity going and we spent a bit of time as we walked considering suitable places for them. There was a tunnel a little further along the track to the Lower Huia Dam, which of course we had to investigate. A sign warned us that we needed industrial-strength safety helmets before we could dare enter the Beast. We ignored this (naughty) and found we didn't even need the torches we had carefully packed. No glow worms either. I did like the warning about soil and rocks 'frittering' into the tunnel though. Like they had nothing better to do. We reached the Lower dam after one of those boring forestry roads that mess with your mind - they just leave nothing to the imagination in terms of interest or destination. This dam is one we have visited before, and is full of reeds, probably eels, and is lovely in the sunlight. (Yes! thank you Auckland weather!) We had lunch back at the Watercare buildings, in the sun, and ANOTHER Watercare vehicle drove up...this time to test the water. Given the recent problem in Hawke's Bay, it was reassuring to hear that the water here is tested every two weeks for greeblies. Having consumed our lunches, we steadied ourselves for the ascent into the mud, CSI Meadowbank tracking the Ranger's passenger (who we decided must be a global expert on Hochstetter frogs) as we went.
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