The worst track in the Tararuas?

The Bannister Crossing and the Arete sidle track

I had repeatedly heard the sidle track from Arete Forks Hut to Cow Creek Hut being called ‘the worst in the Tararuas’. A quick search online finds that common words used to describe it include horrid, notorious, non-existent and horrendous. I did however know that the track had recently been recut a few months ago, so how bad could it be… I didn’t need any more enticement to plan a trip to the Northern Tararuas. As I suspected Mat was as crazy as me, so together we devised a crossing of the range over Bannister and back via the sidle track, with the bonus of four huts to bag.

Kiriwhakapapa to Blue Range Hut

We strapped on our gaiters as a thin mist of rain fell. It was 7:30pm on a Friday and we were aiming for Blue Range Hut for the night. The track followed an old bush tramway to begin with, 5 minutes of bliss that did not last as we were suddenly confronted by the Blue Range. Powered by greasy pizza on an even greasier track we slogged our way upward at breakneck speed. I could barely breathe, sweat pouring out, shirt soaked by the cloud we were immersed in. Undeniably Type II fun. Within an hour the sign that marks the turn off to the hut emerged from the gloom. Darkness was falling, we hustled. A quick sidle and then a slip and slide…