Tramping (Hiking) in New Zealand #20: TraversTrav-Sabine Circuit Day3

Travers-Sabine Circuit Day3 (freedom camp near John Tait hut to freedom camp near West Sabine hut )

Type: A part of loop of 80 km (49 miles)

Time Spent: 8 hours

Day2 Distance: 14.5 km (9 miles)

Elevation change: +914 m, -1097 m (approximately +3000 feet -3600 feet) 

Travers Falls

5 minutes after we started hiking in the morning we passed John Tait hut. It was in the forest and there was not much view, so we were glad we did freedom camp. After 45 minute-isa walk, there was a small side trail to the Travers Falls. The falls were massive and powerful. Also the color of pool was mysteriously pretty. Not only falls, but also the surrounding trees covered with lichens were beautiful. All together makes the scenery perfect. 

Basin before Travers Saddle

After a little more climb, Upper Travers hut appeared on the basin. It is a nice area. We found a flat spot and sat down and enjoyed the view with snack.
From here the uphill will start to the Travers Saddle. Near the hut, there is a funny sign saying, "are you ready?" This is a warning sign for trampers to be prepared. However I was thinking, if trampers come here they are ready. Indeed somebody curved on the sign "yes" after the question...That was funny. 

Travers Saddle

Travers Saddle

Then we started climbing the saddle. Despite of the warning, it was not so hard. Maybe I got used to the steepness of New Zealand track. The view was again amazing. In the right picture is the saddle where we hiked up. If you have good eyes you see red pole, which is a mark of track. Also this day nobody was on the travers saddle. We spent at the top of saddle for an hour, but a single hiker came. It was peaceful. Luckily it was not windy and sunlight came on the top. I took off shoes and even took off socks and relaxed. So good. 

Other side of the view is also good (left picture). It was hard to leave the summit, but we had to. We headed for the next hut area.
Near 5 pm, we approached to the West Sabine hut. In the evening it started drizzling. Due to that we were debating if we should stay at a hut or freedom camping. If the rain would be harder, the hut would be a better choice. We went to the hut and checked the weather forecast written on a whiteboard by a warden. The rain should be soon stopped. Also we found the hut crowded and stinky. All the half-wet boots/gears it really stinky. Besides some people were not friendly, so we decided to do freedom camp. We found a spacious established site not far from the hut, but the hut was not visible from the spot (if a hut is visible, it is considered camping at hut and need to pay 1 ticket). 

Freeze Dry food

This day was Christmas (25th), so we had a nice dinner. Freeze dry backcountry food! Roast Lamb and Vegetables. In New Zealand every grocery store has a section of freeze dry back county cuisine area. It indicates how New Zealanders are into tramping. We celebrated Christmas with lamb in the tent. Fun!

We had a cup of tea and went to sleep in quietly.....then became nightmare.
In the middle of night around 11 p.m., we saw some noise and "GAYYYOOOO" What's that noise?!
There is no predators in New Zealand. Mr.N found it a possum! Two possums were fighting over garbage we put in the vestibule of tent.
OK. Now they know we have food. If we put food in the tent they might rip the tent off. Because it was only 0.2 mile to the hut, we put food in the hut. Possums are threats for native New Zealand animals. We tried to scare them, by making noise and throwing rocks, but they didn't seem scared. They just climbed the tree. With head lamps their eyes were shining and just looking at us in some distance on the tree. After we threw some rocks to them, although they were too high to hit, we went back to sleep. Once around 4 a.m. a possum jumped on the tent! So naughty. They must know they can steal food from human. What the heck. We couldn't sleep well this night due to possums!