Day 7.  Less Mud!    11/9/15

25 km.
Km 173.5 to 198.5

If there is heavy rain this section has to be road walked. But it didn’t rain so we got to walk through Mangapukahukahu Stream for 2.5 km and it was fun and something different. Plus it helped wash most of the mud out of my shoes.

Nathan. It never got over our knees.

Then we climbed up into the forest and it wasn’t very muddy. Shocking. And nice.

Smooth and dry trail.

By 3pm Nathan, Brett and I got to the Puketi Hut. It is run by DOC (dept of conservation) but not covered by the hut pass because it’s not a backcountry hut. There are cars here.  It’s still worth the $18 to sleep here. It has a gas stove, refrigerator  (useless to us), toaster, hot water kettle and plugs for recharging. Pretty amazing and perfect place to relax after 3 hard days. It’s part of a campground with a cold shower….. worth every goosebumb. There are a bunch more TA walkers sleeping outside.