Sunrise Hut, Ruahine FP, Saturday 3 July 2023
Banner Photo: The view from the verandah of Sunrise Hut
The ford approach was washed out, so we walked from there
The track out the back of the hut heads to Armstrong Saddle and beyond
We saw a few snowbows (a fairly rare phenomenon that forms when sunlight is reflected and refracted by ice crystals in the air). Otherwise, the trip was uneventful with us only crossing one Bailey bridge. Then two kilometres before Sunrise car park, the Triplex creek had washed away the approach to the ford.
So we parked up there and crossed the ford on foot, heading up the farm track. Near Triplex Hut, we noticed some snow in the centre of some puipui plants. The higher we went, the more snow was appearing on the forest floor.
A big dump of snow on the Ruahine Ranges
I was loving the fresh snow to walk in, although it slowed me down a little as it got deeper. By Sunrise, it was probably 15cm deep. And wow, the vegetation looked spectacular laden with snow.
The hut was a welcome relief from the wind which was getting wild. After lunch, we all wrapped up and headed back out into the bitterly cold weather. Everyone managed to cop a bit of snow down our backs as big gusts blew snow off the trees.
It was a great day, and a big thank you to Julian for taking us out.
Trampers: Juliet Gillick, Julian Phillips, Shona Tupe, Nelia Schulze and reporter Campbell Living
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