What to do with the Otira River?

One of the TaT Sections I will be tramping this summer is Harpers Pass from near Otira to Windy Point at Lewis Pass. I am walking this one NOBO to take advantage of better public transport links over Arthurs Pass. One of the decision i need to make is how to deal with the Otira River, potentially a difficult river crossing.

I thought my processing of the problem might be of interest to others.

Aickens Corner-Otira Flood track-Morrison Bridge

 Every Te Araroa tramper will need to deal with the Otira river in some fashion or another. You need to either cross it or circumvent it regardless of your ultimate destination.

You basically have three options:

• cross the Otira river at the end of the Taramakau Valley, this is called Aickens Corner
• closely follow the course of the river to the Morrison footbridge or Deception river route
• use the flood track between the Taramakau and Morrison footbridge

Crossing the Otira at Aickens

The Otira is a medium sized braided river, at the height of summer it is usually easy to cross if care is taken. There are clear instructions in the TA track notes detailing this option. However, because of the topography of the river catchment ANY rain will swell it considerably. If you find the river impossible to cross you need to use the Morrison footbridge option. 

The Morrison footbridge over the Otira River where the Otira and Deception rivers merge

You can see from the photos above and below that the Otira while not overly wide can be very deep in places. I would estimate the maximum depth on this day to be about waist deep on me or approximately 1-1.3 meters. Doesn't sound like much but it would be enough to knock me off my feet.

Obviously, late in summer it will be a lot lower than now but any crossing would still need to be carefully considered. More than one tramper has been swept away at Aickens so be aware of the danger there. 

View from bridge over Otira river

The Morrison foot bridge options

The Morrison footbridge is the start point for the Mingha-Deception track as well as the end point of the Otira Flood track to the Taramakau. It provides a safe all weather crossing point of the Otira River if required. 

The first option for accessing the bridge is by following the course of the Otira river along its banks. This will take about 1.5-2 hours. There is no formed track and at several points you would need to cross the river to avoid bluffs. If the river is running high then this is not a possibility. 

The second option is the Otira flood track between Aickens Corner and the Deception river. This climbs above the bluffs and sidles across the side of the hills. Going on current information it appears this track is rough, with some slips and windfall. Times quoted range from 2-4 hours to complete, it is difficult to narrow this down. It is a longer option but definitely the safest. I would love more information about track conditions if you have them.  

Flood track runs along side of range

You can see how dense the bush is on the western side of the Southern Alps, there is a track there, you just cant see it. The track runs between 20 and 40 meters above the level of the river. 

View of track area moving West

After sidling the hills it eventually drops down to the river flats at the confluence of the Taramakau and Otira rivers. From there it is a hard right turn and the start of the slog towards Harpers Pass. 

View West towards Taramakau-Otira confluence

Personally, I would be inclined to take the safer option and cross on the bridge, the Otira is probably the most difficult of the three rivers you need to cross at the start of this track. Note that the Otira flood track is also the recognised route suggested on the TaT trail notes and website. On the day, the decision is yours to make, but hopefully this post has given you good information about the options available. 

Who will I encounter when tramping in New Zealand

You are likely to encounter a wide variety of people as you make your way along Te Araroa, not all of whom will be tramping the trail. Few of the tracks, trails and routes you will be following are Te Araroa specific. They are part of the much wider trail network we have in NZ, most of which you will probably never visit.

Here are some groups of people you are likely to meet in your travels.

No-one, that's right buddy just you!

Yep, you could quite conceivably go days on end without coming across another soul. Less likely now the trail is growing in popularity, but at least 50% of the time I find myself alone in huts. So will you.You should remember that New Zealand is 30% larger than the UK with about a tenth of the population.

Its empty (relatively speaking) out here.

This is fine if you don't mind being by yourself and you are a capable tramper. If that does not sound like you, then brother, you got problems....

Squirt, the Old Man and Stinky Pete: Te Araroa hikers

You will most likely encounter other folk walking the trail either as through or section hikers. This is especially likely if you are walking north bound as most TA hikers go from North to South and need to cross your path. There will be some sections where you will only encounter other TA trampers, the tracks are just not used by anyone else. Examples of this would be the sections between the Rakaia and Wanaka, almost all of these trails are only walked by TA hikers with the very occasional Kiwi being the other small group.

Gerald, Kiwiscout and James, TA 2014 from; Kiwiscout Walks Aotearoa

If you are lucky, you will meet other TA trampers who will be happy to continue the trail with you as a group, the biggest group I've struck so far was 12 all moving together.More common are groups of 2-5 walking together.

Look for other TA trampers in the rest towns like Wanganui, St Arnauld, Hanmer, Arthurs Pass, Wanaka etc. they stand out like a sore thumb.

Sven, Yuki, Greta, Jakob and Robbo the Aussie...

Wilkommen, Bienvenue, Yōkoso...Welcome, come on in....

New Zealand is an overseas visitors paradise, especially for those interested in the outdoors. There would hardly be a spot anywhere in the country that some backpacker has not visited.  I have spent time in huts with people from 27 different countries at one time or another. Language may be a problem but make sure you talk to people from other countries, you would be surprised how similar we all are under that cultural baggage we carry around...

The outdoor "weekend warrior"

This group comprises everyday Kiwi trampers/climbers out for a day or multi day tramp/ascent. You will probably not encounter too many of these folks. No offence to you, but they generally visit places where people are not;  for the most part; hard arsed bush on the West Coast of the South Island, the Kaimais, Ruahines, Kaimaniwas, Southern Alps and Fiordland.

A typical group of kiwi trampers from the WTMC

Kiwi trampers can sometimes seem a bit standoffish at first, don't be offended, it is just our nature.  We will eventually warm up and you will find most of us interesting and generous to a fault.I make a point of talking to anyone I see on the trail or at a hut because you never know what excellent advice, information or story they might have to pass on. You should do the same.

We will often give you a ride to civilisation if our paths cross at the right time. Don't be afraid to ask.

Hunters and Collectors

New Zealand has a long history of hunting, trapping and fishing so you are quite likely to meet Kiwi hunters and anglers on the Trail. I do the odd spot of fishing myself. There is a strained relationship between trampers and hunters in NZ but some of the most interesting people I have meet while tramping have been hunters.

Its all about the person, not the sport they engage in.

Not just men hunting in New Zealand...

Just show a bit of understanding for each other and you will have no problems. And you might just score a whiskey, tasty trout (best cooked in a bit of tin foil with a sprinkle of salt and squeeze of lemon) or venison back steak for your troubles...

We do this for a job...

You will almost certainly encounter workers from the Department of Conservation, or DOC as we refer to them in NZ. They can be New Zealanders or volunteers from other countries depending on the role. Most are really cool and totally passionate about the environment. You are most likely to encounter them at the various DOC offices, as hut wardens and occasionally in the field.

Some can seem overly officious, especially if they believe you are doing something wrong. Hey, I might be slightly peeved if I turn up at a hut (which is also my home) and find mud, food and wet gear all over the place, you would too! These women and men work hard at their jobs, and it is not always an easy job, so again show them some respect.

DOC Ranger at work

Just take them as you find them and remember, they will most likely be the first people coming to look for you if you get into difficulties.

For a happy life, pay your hut fees!

No, I mean it, pay your hut fees!

There is nothing more likely to get a DOC hut warden (or a kiwi tramper) riled up than turning up, using and abusing a hut and then not paying for it. A six month DOC Hut pass is $90, that is nothing compared to the $600 pack and $2-3000 worth of other gear you are carrying.
Pay up.

Some thoughts on food for the Te Araroa Trail

Trail food as fuel or a source of enjoyment?

I have seen some TA trekkers eating truly horrible food and I cannot understand why. Sure there are issues with weight and the availability of suitable ingredients in remote locations, but this doesn't mean you need to eat like a savage.  Personally, I want to enjoy my trail food, so I take meals that are going to be tasty, nutritious and enjoyable.

Typical hikers gruel; rice, porridge.....who knows?

With a bit of thought and good pre-planning you can both eat well and still be light weight. 

Eat well to maintain condition

You need to eat properly when on a long distance tramp, this means including all of the basic elements of a "off trail" diet to maintain peak condition.

A quick bit of lunch on the trail...

I use 24 hour rations utilising whole foods, dried foods and freeze dried meals. What I am looking for in my tramping food is:

• high calorific density, a lot of calories per weight
• light weight ingredients, small compact size
• has taste variety, and
• easy to prepare. 

The calories you consume should be around 15% proteins, 50%-65% carbohydrates, and 20%-35% fats. You also require a complex mix of minerals and vitamins. While you can take supplements, these should primarily come from your food. Trace elements become even more important when trekking for any period as you are slowly depleting the reserves of these in your body.

Weight is important, too much food weight = hiking failure. This tends to limit your food choices to dried items, salted/cured meats, powdered items and small packets of ingredients.

A days worth of meals... 

Here is a look at my typical daily tramping diet; this provides me with the sustenance I need to keep me walking for 6-8 hours per day. I have three meals a day: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, dinner is often my only hot meal of the day.

Breakfast

A good breakfast is especially important when doing a multiday tramp. You need the energy of the food you consume to keep you going for the first 3-4 hours of the day. 

Days meal for the St James Trip in February 2015

Typically I have:

• Cereal: Not breakfast cereals,  instead think of porridge (I like Uncle Toby's instant oats), cream of wheat, muesli (all with sugar, dried fruits and reconstituted milk powder). I have also started eating rice porridge, which is very nice. These all contain the classic trinity: carbohydrates/protein/fats all in one.

Cream of wheat is good!

• Sometimes I have baked items: breakfast biscuits or fruit digestives with jam (in the army we used to layer them with raspberry jam and condensed milk, messy but good). Crossiants/bagels/sandwiches also feature. Toaster pastries are a good choice as a quick no cook breakfast option. 

Pop tarts for breakfast...I like cherry flavour!

• Freeze dried single serves: if I will be having a long or hard day a single serve of a freeze dried meal goes down a treat. Freeze dried dessert items are also excellent breakfast options. Just need hot water and no mess to clean up as you just eat it right from the bag.

A Backcountry single serve meal

• Protein: a few slices of salami, some beef jerky, a cheese wedge/slice (Babybel are very nice), bacon slice etc.

Babybel cheese wedges

• Drinks: Lots of people don't brew up in the morning but I need a big mug of tea to get going. I always drink black Earl Grey with a sugar substitute. Very occasionally a coffee with a big dollop of sweetened condensed milk in it, it is a valued kiwi tramping tradition and so delicious. I also hydrate with at least a litre of water if possible.

Having a brew on the QCT, February 2015

Lunch

Some people can get by with a muesli bar and a swig of water for lunch, but if you are walking for 6-8 hours this is not going to provide you with the calories you need. Generally I will be eating my lunch sitting on a rock/log somewhere so it needs to be portable. 

Tuna and crackers are a stable of my tramping meals

My lunch tends to consist of:

• Carbohydrates: Bread, crackers, bagels, wraps, tortillas, Tararua biscuits, instant noodles if it is cold and I'm in a hut/tent
•  Protein: Salami, sliced meat, smoked chicken, tuna, cheese, pate, peanut butter, smoked fish
• Extras: An occasional treat like olives, sun-dried tomatoes, spreads/dips/pesto etc.

A standard lunch would be 4-5 crackers with a slice of cheese, salami or peanut butter on them. If I have chocolate then lunchtime is when I will eat it. My current favorite is spinach wraps with tuna/salami, sliced tomato and cheese.

My favourite brand and type or lunch wrap: Farrahs Spinach

I have found a source of small tins of shelf stable pate that weigh only 47 gms each, I keep these for the end of a tramp.

One of the Henaff range of French Pate's

I try lots of other things but this is what I always come back too:

Tuna again, on the trail between Christopher and Anne Hut, 2014

I normally drink water at lunchtime but will also occasionally have a powdered Iced Tea or fruit drink.

Snacks

You need a few snacks during the day to keep you going, or as an energy boost if you start flagging. I tend to be quite pedestrian in this area as there are only a few things I like to snack on.

 My main go to snacks would be:

• peanut M & M's/fruit and nut chocolate/LCM bars
• jerky/salami sticks/salami strips
• small packets of olives (oh so good, multiple varieties now)
• Raisins or dried apricots/pineapple/apple/dates etc
• Nuts (they must be salted) including peanuts, cashews, brazils or pecans

My favorite snack- Raisins!

I have been taking individual packets but you end up with a lot of waste paper & packaging. I will be carrying these items in bulk from now on. 

Dinner

Some people have their main meal at lunchtime but I prefer to have a hearty meal at the end of the day, almost as a reward for completing that days journey. Generally my meals are home-made freezer bag meals, easy packet meals or freeze dried items.

I'm assuming you are a through hiker from another country you don't have a food dehydrator and aren't able to bring food items into the country with you.

But first.....

...Start with soup 

I always start my dinner meal with some soup; it is quick, nourishing and delicious. When I am long trail walking I will carry packets of dried Cup of Soup. If I was tramping I would still take soup, but it would be a dried variety that needs 5 minutes of simmering.

Either a Cup of Soup, or...

...a dried Simmer soup

Miso Soup paste is something I also enjoy...it is great for replacing salt lost during the day and I find it to be quite soothing on the stomach.

Then have your main....

 Below are a variety of dinner meal ideas you could try including freezer bag, commercial freeze dried and packet meals. I have included the percentage of each I nominally carry.

1. Freezer Bag meals (60% of the time)

I like to make my own "freezer bag" meals, they contain dried ingredients inside a freezer bag hence the name. These can be eaten in the bag or from your pot.

A selection of freezer bag meals

If you own a food dehydrator you can go bananas and dehydrate anything: pork, lamb, beef, vegetables, fish heads, whole meals - go for it.

Some blanched cabbage going into the food dehydrator...

Feel like a Dolphin fritter with an Herbe vegetable medley - yuck, ya sick bastard, but if you must...

All meals will include the following elements: carbohydrates, protein and flavoring.

 Firstly the Carbohydrates:

Into a sandwich sized freezer bag add:

• pasta (only 3 minute quick cook varieties)
• noodles (instant/soba/udon/rice noodles)
• instant rice (freeze dried variety, just add water)
• cous-cous, tabbouleh, falafel etc.
• cracked wheat, quinoa (or some other easy cook grain)
• or instant potato (Maggi is good so are Idahoan if you can find it).

To these I add some form of protein:

• tuna/salmon/smoked fish ( I really like kippers and tinned herring),
• salami chunks, smoked chicken, sausage, bacon
• dehydrated pork/lamb/venison/beef pieces
• reconstituted jerky 
• Texture Vegetable Protein (TVP, this is usually soya based)
• cheese (hard cheeses last a lot longer than the soft variety
• and freeze dried mince.

Then some vegetables for vitamins, such as:

 Surprise brand peas/beans, freeze dried mix veges, dehydrated corn/cabbage/capsicum, mushrooms, dried onions and fresh garlic/ginger/carrot shavings.

Freeze dried Surprise Peas

For flavour I add:

 Dried soup powder, cheese sauce powder, low MSG bouillon, dried shallots, olive oil, spices and herbs to taste. 

A really excellent book on this method is by Sarah Svien Kirkconnell, Freezer Bag cooking: trail food made simple, there is also a website.

Freezer bag cooking, Sarah Svien's book

Have a look on-line, there are a lot of sites showing you how to make these kind of meals.

2. Packet meals (20%)

I eat these occasionally, this group includes Continental/Maggi pasta packs, rice sides, Diamond/Kraft Mac and Cheese, Italian inspired pasta meals and Asian style pre-packaged noodle meals. I also occasionally use the Indian boil in bag offerings from MTR, they are tasty.

Paneer Butter Masala: one of the MTR ready meal range

Because these all require simmering I usually only take one of these meals on a trip longer than 4 days. Again I will chuck some salami, tuna, chicken and vegetables in with them.  

Continental Pasta sides

Leave all the packaging behind and just chuck them in a ziplock bag with any required instructions.

3. Freeze dried meals (20-60% depending on trip length)

Back Country Cuisine (BCC) are a New Zealand company who make a wide variety of freeze dried meals and they are delicious, lightweight and just need hot water.

Some of the BCC freeze dried range

They are expensive ($10-$17 NZD each), and most people find that they require a 2 person serve to feel full.  If I am using Backcountry I will only use the single serve packs as I just cannot finish a whole larger serving by myself. 

A large serve of Jamaican Goat Curry....she's a spicy...!!!!

  I occasionally take these freeze dried meals with me, usually one per 5-7 day trip.

My favorite ones are:

• Honey Soy Chicken
• Spaghetti Bolognaise, go a bit short on the water or it is very soupy
• Roast Lamb with vege's & mashed spud (damn fine)
• Lamb Fettuccine
• Chicken, Tomato Alfredo
• Moroccan Lamb (more like a cous-cous Tagine and really tasty...)
• Smoked Fish Pie
• Cooked Breakfast...I like it but most people do not!

Eating a BCC meal in Hawdon Hut 2014

BCC also make freeze dried mixed vegetables, instant spuds, minced beef and instant rice which are all really useful as additives to your own meals. They also have a range of instant soups which with bread or crackers make for an excellent lunch.

BCC Chicken, corn and noodle soup at Black Rocks Shelter, QCT in 2015

Another freeze dried company here in New Zealand are Outdoor Gourmet Company and Real Meals, these are not as easy to find as they are much smaller businesses.  The Outdoor Gourmet meals are much nicer than Backcountry Cuisine but they cost more...if you can find them cheap buy them.

Chowing down on an Outdoor gourmet meal and Dutch Curry Soup, Abel Tasman Coast Track

The Real Meals is a newer company based in Nelson and their entrees are available in a variety of stores across the country. Their Cheesy Mash is gorgeous as is their Wilderness Stew, both are recommended. Real Meal desserts make great breakfasts I especially like the Apples with Rice Pudding.

Some of the Real Meals range

You can also bring your own from your country of origin but check with NZ Customs to make sure you are allowed to bring them into the country.

Drinks

I always finish my meal with a brew; usually black tea with sugar substitute plus a powdered fruit drink or an Iced Tea mix. 

A complete meal: Miso soup, BCC Roast Lamb and fruit drink

Powdered fruit drinks are great as you will soon get sick of drinking multiple liters of plain water each day. I tend to use ones with artificial sweeteners as they are lighter. Brand names include Raro, Vitafresh, and Nestle. 

One of the flavors in the Vitafresh range

Flavored electrolyte powders are also available in New Zealand, the main brand is Vitasport.

An example from my own journeys...

Here is five days worth of food laid out ready for the food bag. As you can see I like to carry my meals as a 24 hour ration, a hold over from my army days.  This is from my 2015 hike of the St James Walkway, part of which is on the Te Araroa.

Meals for 5 days tramping packed

 Have a look at the article about this menu on my general tramping blog.

A days ration laid out prior to a tramp...

A days food or "ration" is in its own plastic bag, containing everything I will need food wise on that day. The average of these meals is 650 gms which is within the accepted weight range for roughly 2500 calories a day.

  Other considerations

 Here are a couple of other things to consider when planning trail food. 

Salt/Pepper

This is slightly controversial but you need to salt your food when you hike long distances. Salt contains a variety of trace elements your body needs to work, if you do your normal thing and skimp on the salt you are going to get muscle cramps, muscle spasms, headaches and nausea.

Salt/pepper catering sachets

 Don't go crazy, just a sprinkle will do, I take those little sachets of salt you get from fast food restaurants. If you do start having salt induced problems take about 150ml of water and add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar as an electrolyte fix. 

Pepper is good on everything, as is hot sauce, Worchester sauce, chilli and olive oil!

Fresh Vegetables

A selection of sliced vegetables

Yes, of course take fresh fruit and vegetables but bear in mind they are much heavier than the dried varieties. I recommend apples, oranges, onions, capsicum, garlic, chillies, carrots and ginger all of which survive well in a pack.

Some further ideas...

I have included a link to the Gustofrenzy site which has a great article on the actual foods this couple used while walking the Te Araroa Trail.

Great article about TA food from the Gustofrenzy website

And here is another trampers interpretation of these same guidelines, this is from fastforwardlife.

Fastforwardlife interpretation of these food guideline

So there you go, a few ideas for meals while you are walking the TA.