Day 6: Martin's hut to Merriview hut

The day began in the historic Martin's hut. Happy to report that our packs, and food bags were intact and that we had not been visited by any rats in the night.

Getting ready for the day, began our hike around 09:30.

The day began with a gruelling, and muddy climb up some 3–400 m where we would set our current record for slowest km travelled at 35 minutes. The mud was rarely less than ankle deep and often approaching mid-calf.

We got out to the tops of the hills at around 750 m, and were greeted by howling westerlies of 50–60 km/h with the odd sprinkle mixed in. Though we made fast progress as the terrain was less muddy up here.

But it was not free of mud completely. Emma got complacent with the lack of mud and found herself a nice bog to take a knee deep paddle in. Later on in the day, knee deep mud would become routine and we were thankful for the parts where it was only mid-calf.

7 km of lightly undulating trail along the tops in the tussocks down into sparse bush and back up again we would reach a long decent down to the quarry. Here the trees rubbed against one another in the caring winds and they would talk. There was several occasions a chorus of them in all directions chattering, sounding quite alike small furry critters.

350 m of slippery decent over about 1.5 km brought us down to the quarry, featuring the corroded remnants of a car at its center.

We decided after 9.5 km and 4.5 hours that it were time for a lunch break. A surprisingly tasty arrangement of Nutella and  banana chips, on a tortilla will likely feature again in future.

Then it was time for a fairly steep 400 m climb along a service road to reach the top of Bald hill with its various radio towers.

On the other side the fog and cloud cleared out and we could make out the snowy Southern Alps in the background. We'd shortly begin our last decent down through the mud and bush for the day.

Around 17:30 we broke into a clearing with an access 4wd track. Pouring one out for my man H who was presently enjoying his 30th back home.

All the miserable weather of the day cleared off as we pushed through 7 odd km of 4wd and gravel roads to reach our accomodation for the night.

Finally it appeared. Merriview hut at last, at around 19:00. We spent the night with a lovely French girl completing her last years SOBO.

A challenging day, for those familiar it was like Pirongia turned up to 11. One of many we're sure, but the biggest one yet. My watch clocked me in at 6,000 kcal expended for the day. Legs are holding together, the bodies innate ability to adapt in such short time spans when stressed is quite amazing.

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