Two huts, one gorge
Eastern Hutt Hut, Hutt Water Collection Area
I’ve made a habit recently of complaining about the weather. This made it all the stranger that it was a beautifully sunny Waitangi weekend and I was not out in the hills. Clearly something had to be rectified. Scrolling over the topomap my eyes fixed on Eastern Hutt Hut; a day of river, what better way to spend a summer’s day?
Before setting off, I had a cursory glance over various trip reports — most of this information passing in one ear and out the other. The air was cool when I stepped out of my car at the foot of Norbert Creek. The track disappeared into the bush and I set off after it, following a winding array of orange discs. The track began by climbing as it sidled above the creek. Half a kilometre later the climb kicked up a gear, ascending steeply up a spur. The upper part of this spur had been burnt over some time ago and was covered with dense scrub and emerging trees. Sweating buckets, I emerged on the 4WD road. I took the opportunity for a quick drink before beginning the long squiggly descent to Hutt Forks.
Tall beech trees offered shelter from the sun as I skidded my way down. I dreamt of having a…
