Maybe My Favourite Three Day Tramp, Ever

Mount Owen via the Fyfe and Bulmer, Kahurangi National Park

It’s a bold claim. I’ve done a lot of walking. But I think this three day loop in Kahurangi National Park might just be my favourite. Period. It all started normal enough. Tess and I were looking for a tramp of around three days near Lake Rotoiti. I had always wanted to visit Mt Owen but had never found the right time. I grazed the side of it at New Years as Hugh and I were making our way from the Lookout Range to the Wangapeka. This had only reinforced my desires.

With the weather window lining up our plan was simple. We would head up the Fyfe River Route to Branch Creek Hut on Saturday night. From here we would climb up the flank of Owen, summiting before descending down the unmarked route to Lake Bulmer to camp on Sunday night. Then on Monday we would follow the caver’s track down the Bulmer Bluffs to the Owen River. Here we would meet the regular Sunrise Peak Track which would take us back to the car.

1. Out of the frying pan and into the Fyfe

Branch Creek Hut via Fyfe River Route

We were trundling up the east branch of the Owen River in the mighty Toyota Aqua when we spotted the first signs of trouble. The river frothed and foamed in a rather alarming way. Maybe it would look better higher up? When we reached the ford in the road to the Fyfe River Route we stopped dead in our tracks.

Mighty though the aqua may be, I didn’t like its chances against its namesake. Rather than risking getting Tess’s car washed away I did a u-ey and drove up the road to the Sunrise Peak carpark instead. Leaving the aqua here we battled sandflies to get our packs ready before setting off back in the direction of the ford. Gingerly I walked out into the water. It was strong to be sure, but the concrete ford provided a stable base to shuffle across. Dripping we made…