Days 115-121: Arthurs Pass to Rakaia Gorge.

After a great few days in West Melton I rejoined the trail from the Cass end of the Cass Lagoon Saddle track rather than from Bealey. Late afternoon I set off to the cass saddle hut, the first part of the track was non existant after flooding over the past few years but straight up the river valley so any route was possible. It was a great wee hut that had recently been restored by the Backcountry Hut Trust, then onto the Hamilton Hilton before following the Harper river through to the top of Lake Coleridge. Then it was a long walk in extreme heat and wind with a hitch down to the Rakaia gorge then into Methvan to wait out the expected rain. The Rakaia river is an impassable section of the trail and all walkers have to find a ride for the 80km down then back up the river to rejoin the Trail, luckily there were plenty of weekend boaties and fishermen heading back to Christchurch on a sunday afternoon to assist. With the Wild Weather in the South Island at the moment there’s going to be a large number of us heading off for the walk through to the Rangitata in the next few days after an unscheduled few days living it up in the metropolis of Methvan. The next 7 day section should see us all reach Tekapo weather permitting.