Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Day 3: Christopher Hut to Anne Hut
4-5 HOURS, 13KM
This day is spent almost entirely on open river flats, which means lots of sun and very little
shade in summer.
Leaving Christopher Hut, you cut across grassy flats along the true right bank of the Ada
River for almost 2km, without getting close to any trees. Moving into some scrub you fol-
low the river closely around Federation Corner as it heads for its confluence with the
Waiau
River
. It takes 1½ hours (4km) to round the corner. Much of the time you're skirting the
base of
Mt Federation
(1612m), occasionally climbing into the bush to avoid slips and steep
drop-offs. Halfway around you can see the privately owned
Ada Homestead
complex on
the opposite side of the river. This used to be St James Station's operational base.
Once in Henry Valley, you cross grassy terraces for the next 4km, at times following a
4WD track. The track keeps to the lower slopes of Mt Federation, through matagouri thick-
ets, and eventually sidles up a bush-clad terrace before descending to a long swing bridge
across the
Henry River
. Once on the true right (south) bank, the track merges again with the
4WD track and gently climbs to
Irishman Flats
, a long grassy terrace, and the site of Anne
Hut (20 bunks). From the flats, there are excellent views up the Henry Valley and into an
amphitheatre in the
Spenser Mountains
. The best viewing spot is the top of a grassy knoll,
which the track passes five minutes beyond the hut. Another herd of wild horses is often
present in this area.
Day 4: Anne Hut to Boyle Flat Hut
6-7 HOURS, 17KM
The longest day of the walkway is split between tramping over grassy flats and climbing
through beech forest. The day begins with a descent along a 4WD track to a footbridge
across the
Anne River
. Crossing grassy flats, the track climbs a bush-clad spur to a second
footbridge across Anne River, 4km from the hut. On the true right (east) side you return to
more grassy meadows and follow the valley as it swings west towards Anne Saddle.
The climb to the saddle is remarkably mild, with only a steep pitch through the forest at
the very end. Two to three hours (8km) from Anne Hut you reach
Anne Saddle
(1136m),
which despite being the highest point of the tramp is a spot with no views. The 30-minute
descent from the saddle is steep, dropping 210m over almost 2km. You bottom out at the
Boyle River
in a steep wooded valley. Follow Boyle River for the next 3.5km, remaining on
its true left (east) side. At several points the track climbs high above the river to avoid flood
