The Haast Pass Track

Cromwell Argus, 30 September 1929, Page 6

The Haast Pass Track

TO THE FOX AND FRANZ JOSEF GLACIERS FROM THE GREAT SOUTHERN LAKES. (By Eric James;. Though boasting many scenic wonders tiuoughout its 170 miles length, the route is still almost unlieard or amongst many of our travelling - public. Tourist companies have done much (luring the last two years to alter the siate of affairs and to-day the starting point for the splendid trip can be readied from Christchurch in thirteen hours, and from Dunedin about eleven Hours. It may also be reached by railway to Cromwell, thence service car to Pembroke at the foot of the lake. From there a frequent launch service is maintained to the head (38 miles). Pembroke is nicely situated and a dry bracing climate. From the Makarora wharf travellers are conveyed by bus to the accommodation houses six miles up the valley. A vehicle road from Lake Hawea via the Neck to Makarora is under construction and is the first stage of the great Otago-Westland motor road destined to become one of the most famous motor tours in the Southern Hemisphere. This new road now under construction follows the southern shores of Lake Hawea then crossing to the northern shores of Lake Wanaka at the narrow strip of land at the Neck. At Makarora fishing enthusiasts will find much to occupy the time. There is now a White Star Service operating from Makarora supplying guides', horses and equipment for th< Jong and interesting journey to tb Glaciers, occupying at least five days. This company makes all necessary arrangements for provisions in the huts on the journey and for accommodation at the farm houses en route. The guides are qualified men who will point out every place of interest on the journey and these are many. The horsss are quiet and well trained. fa' 'oast Pass track offers perhaps the largest variety of vegetation and scenic attractions to be found on any oae tourist track in the Dominion. It is now lapid.y becoming known and correspondingly popular, especially aino.'ig VnOS-3 accustomed to riding-. The io-i-g CiStance. many unbridged rivers, a,iu tack of habitation en route will no doubt prevent it from becoming a popular walking trip other than by the more energetn type. Tourists are advised not to mak< this trip without a guide unless thes have had previous experience of tbt back country, then only should it bcattempted with a fund of. particulars and a good map. Many have started out without a guide and many accidents and delays have marred their whole trip. FIRST STAGE. After leaving Makarora, the trail Is a well formed road, but soon bush covered hills take the place of the bleak fern hills. The sweet scent of the forest and the song of many birds gieets the traveller on every side. An early start should be made if the Clarke Hut is to be the destination, 37 miles. Soon this stage will be shortened as the Government are erecting a good two roomed hut near the junction of the Bourke and Haast Rivers. a beautiful mountainous spot, seven miles shorter, which is to be recommended for the day. Xne Makarora Valley road is foliowerf till an old sawmill site will be -eon. There the track enters the bush and only emerges at intervals while crossing turf flats and rumbling creeks. On the far side of the river several narrow valleys wCII be seen, chief of which is the Wilkin, Young and Blue Rivers. Both the Wilkin and Young offer magnificent scenery, and a week spent 111 each valley, camping, would be lull of interesting experience. A few miles east of the Pas.- the river is crossed by a good ford, and after crossing the uppermost flat (Davis Flat), the track commences to climb through the bush. Shortly the Fish River is crossed just above its junction with the Makarora. The latter stream emerges from the mouth of a canyon. This is the last seen of these rivers at close quarters. The track now commences to rise in earnest and riders might benefit themselves and steeds were they to dismount and walk for half a mile. While ascending an occasional view of the valley behind and below may be had. In ; twenty minutes the wooded Haast Pass will be reached. The exact spot is indicated by an iron peg on the left side of the track, just after passing a large fallen tre«*. This points the boundary between Otago and Westland provinces. Though this low pass was named after Sir Julius Von Haast who made the first official crossing, Charles Cameron was the first to cross the Pass in 1862. Dr Haast crossed months after Cameron returned. Mr G. M. Massing, of \parinvi, Southland, with the late Mr H. S. Thompson, were the first white irt-t to reach Makarora in June, iSCp. These explorers rowed up the ' ake in a dingy. Mr Hassing who died recently, possessed a remarkable memory, recollecting vividly his early explorations at the ripe old age of 92. The trail now descends gradually into Mule Valley, so named on account of it being used for grazing oi mules during- Von Haast's racial exploration trip in 1863. The river (now the Haast) tins to be forded many times but contains little water here, in the upper rutJies On the right towers Mt. lirewaier, always snow-capped. It is over 8000 feet and possesses a large glacier, but little of,it Is seen from the track. A glimpse may be seen just before the Brewster Creek, the outlet, is reached and in suitable weather it is a wonderful sight. The Haast is noted for Paradise Duck and Native pigeon, in fact these may be seen in numbers throughout the journey. Unfortunatelv the poachers get a free passage in these remote regions and hundreds of these beautiful birds fall to the •'sportsmen'' who inhabit this back countrv. A few- miles down Mule Valley the river narrows into a gorge, and here the track enters the hush on the left and passes through huge rocks while the river roars and foams over and under enormous boulders below. At Dan's ford where the track crosses to the right bank, riders would find it interesting were they to dismount and walk up the river a few yards and photograph the river rushing from under these enormous rocks. The track, now well defined and formed, passes down a long gorge where the Wills river enters the Haast from the left and is crossed by a wooden bridge. Most travellers stop here to take a few photographs. A few yards below the blue waters) of the river will pass from view on account of the track passimr overhead. Another mile and the "Gates of the Haast" will be passed and huge black

perpendicular cliffs tower many feet up on either side. The undergrowth now becomes thicker and the first tree ferns are seen. Another twenty minutes and the Burke Huts will appear amidst lowering- black pine trees and a few yards from the spot where young brown trout fry were recently liberated. A little beyond the hut a fine grassy flat appears where the horses are turned} to graze. The Burke river enters the Haast a little above the hut. This has been described as being inaccessible and extremely wild. Deer stalkers enter each season but have to climb to a high altitude to reach its sources, where several excellent heads have been shot. , The writer was with stalkers last season in the unexplored regions southwards from the Burke head-waters.

The. Burke rises from high broken earthquake formed country, the bulk of which has never' been known to have been traversed by man, being described as inaccessible. Several lakes and numerous waterfalls are known to exist there.

The Burke passes through a huge canyon before it reaches the Flaasfc and was vividly described in Mueller's report after his exploration trip in 1889. He says the depth of this wonderful piece of nature is many hundreds of feet, varying from a chain in width to half, at the river, and narrowing to only five feet at places at the top. Even those hardy pioneer explorers shuddered at the awful chasm. Mueller urged the Liovernment to make it accessible for tourists coining through the Haast Pass; when tourist traffic in that locality was almost unknown. The writer hopes to explore such a possibility before the end of the year. SECOND STAGE. o fore departing jrom these comortable huts wood should be <>ft ; the huts for the next comers, who v iless you, should they arrive on a day. .-,.

. Half a mile from the huts tho riveis crossed and the track enters llv high forest, A larg-e grassy flat is crossed, and the river is again forded to a similar flat and continues for about a mile, when a third crossing is made back to the left bank, where L a\V acl i Vl 1 be si *hted climbinground Mount Clarke Bluff. On flie rug-ged slopes of this bluff moa bones were discovered by an early surveyor. Hereford cattle graze on the flats, and ui occasional herd of deer may/ be ocen, as this is the heart of the fiamoas ttestland Red Deer forest, which is visited by many keen sportsmen each season, many of whom are overseas visitors making- a special trip for a good st tg. Seldom are thev disap•poiiilul, >.:,., many repeat the'ir visit. Lui ' i "''-' "03 an iueal place for ang-icrs a ksvv years hence, with its splendid usaug streams with forest Dackg-ruuiiU. Endeavours have been maae co Government sanction to stock bao valley with the best varieties of opossums on a larg-e scale, but so far tiiis lias peen unsuccessful. Ihe most outstanding- feature duringthe ride down this valley is the wonderful panorama, on a fine day, of Mount Hooker (8,644 feet) and the uooker. Glacier, climbed recently by Mr C. Turner, F.R.G.S., of Wellington, and Mr C Turner (Canterbury Colleg-e), his son—and many stop to take photographs. Charles Douglas, an early explorer and surveyor, was one of the first to visit this mag-nifi-cent spot, and so impressed was ho that he lateiv returned and made a field sketch, which, with others, may be seen m the Hokitika Museum. Landscape artists would find plentv of scope in this valley. When passinground the Clarke Bluff the trail makes an abrupt turn towards the West Coast, and the great Landsborough and Clarke rivers may be seen flowing- in from the north.' The former rises in the Alps near Mount Cook, some 70 miles distant. Mount Cook cannot be seen from the track at this stagre of the journey. A false gold rush was stag-ed in "the earlv days. up the gorgy Landsborougri, the culprit responsible narrowly ed losing his ears, so runs the story. Many lone travellers from both Last and West have erroneously fol-' lowed up the Landsborough and have endured hardships and exposure. Two men lost their lives some years ago tnroug-n maKing- this mistake, xasir bouies were never found. An© Hut is pieasamay situated Just. on hue trucK, iciciag trie giant lviouut jiaclariane (0,200 ieet). ibis is a good lined nut, ana there is good nurse-grazuig. Atter leaving- this nut me tracK passes under some hne nigtx oush, where .Native pigeons are usually plentiful. The view across the aver is not unlike a scene in \j*> Rockies. The track continues through bush, which varies as the traveller con tinues. A very fine waterfall will be noticed a little after passing- the hut. Two hours riding- brings tne rider opposite the Roaring- Billy, a cataract across the river. It can be heard long; before it appears in sigivt. The river here is narrow, deep and blue. From Here the travel takes the rider over wide river beds. A larg-e g-ap in the rang-es on the left will be seen. From here flows a creek of the same name, which is a serious obstacle in wet weather, rising- very quickly, but going- down an quickly. A g-ood lookout should be kept for soft ■ sands, especially after heavy rain. Another twenty minutes brings the rider to a point where the river sweeps into the bank. Here a track will be picked up which is cut through magnificent fern scenery and a halt might be called for photography. A paddock is eventually reached, the far end of which is usually selected for boilingthe billy. There is a creek nearby where a dip may be indulged in in warm weather. The track then passes round the Thomas Bluff. From the top some g-ood views may be had looking- up the valley. The Thomas river enters the main stream opposite, flowing- from the north Ijetween Matakitaki and Thomas Range*. Crossing flax covered flats the track climbs and winds round the BigBluff. Another flat and then a defined bush track finds the rider at the Haast Post Office, within two and a half hours of where accommodation may be had. This is the onljp occupied dwelling- here at present. The owner is also the ferryman, and puts people over hy boat when the river is unfordable, which it often is during the summer. During the latter few miles a change in the vegetation will be noticed. Here the pines predominate, while ki-ki, fern, and supplejack form the principal undergrowth. The track for some miles up the valley is practical for wheeled traffic. (To be continued). ,