LOCALadk Magazine

25 Summer 2016 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk "Wow, I walked here," I reflected in disbelief. Blue Mountain stood mightily with its scarred southern profile jutting up- wards in the distance. Growing up in the west-central Adiron- dacks I'd seen this many times before, but never as a thru-hik- er. Standing in the Blue Ridge Wilderness at that moment, I felt a swelling appreciation for the solitude, the peacefulness, and the scale of my Northville-Placid Trail journey. I wanted more. Halfway around the world two yellow signposts stand 3,007 kilometers apart. One is beautifully situated at Cape Reinga, the collision point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The other resists the relentless winds of the Foveaux Straight at a coastal town called Bluff. Each location represents a ter- minus of a circuitous trek across New Zealand called Te Araroa. On the heels of completing the Pacific Crest Trail, Te Araroa represented my second long-distance challenge beyond the Adirondack Blue Line. Translated from the indigenous Māori language as "The Long Pathway," Te Araroa is capturing glob- al attention as one of the newest long-distance hiking trails. Spanning New Zealand's North and South Islands, this fledg- ling thru-hike takes trampers across diverse terrain, four Na- tional Parks, and two World Heritage sites. And yes, at times you even walk past iconic backdrops from The Lord of the Rings. While New Zealand's muddy bush tracks eerily resemble long day trips in the Santanoni Range, most of the thru-hike is starkly different from the Adirondacks. Desolate beaches, expansive sheep-filled farm paddocks, volcanic landscapes, haunting beech forests, entirely exposed alpine ridge walks, sprawling tussock grasslands, and waist-deep braided river crossings all surpassed my expectations. Still a young trail, 15% of the pathway is on roadways. Some- times along bustling State Highway 1! While these sections aren't usually the most spectacular pieces of Te Araroa, long road walks with friends certainly provide ample opportuni- ties for Kiwi hospitality and unexpected trail magic to reveal themselves. During my four months on trail, twelve different families offered to house my hiking companions for the night, and countless others offered tea or coffee as we tramped past their homes. As a southbound hiker, (overwhelmingly the more-traveled di- rection on the TA) I would describe the first half of the journey as a crucible. If this is your first long-distance trail, walking 90-Mile Beach at high tide, losing a boot or two in Herikino Forest mud, and getting electrocuted between the legs as you cross a cattle barrier might come as a shocking surprise. Through the initial grind, however, trail families are forged. Your hiking partners are likely to be a diverse crowd spanning multiple demographics. You'll get to know these people well after slogging along things like the monotonous Rangariri stopbanks together! There is stunning beauty in the North Island as well. From the unimaginably vacant Northland beaches, to Tongariro Alpine Crossing, to the Tararua Ranges, one gets the awe-in- spiring sensation you'd expect in New Zealand. Capsizing in the Whanganui River, speaking on behalf of my group at a pōwhiri outside of a marae, tramping up the Bream Head pre- serve, body surfing in the ocean, and glissading down Mount Ngauruhoe stand out as other top moments. Things intensify in the South Island as the thru-hike morphs into raw backpacking bliss. Resupply stretches become lon- ger, which typically involve securing a hitch to a faraway town. Birdsong fills the bush, and glaciated peaks perforate the sky. In an increasingly modernized and developed world, you just can't find places like the Richmond Ranges, Nelson Lakes, Arthur's Pass, the Motatapu Track, and Fiordland National Park anywhere. It's understandable why New Zealand's tour- ism is exploding, but thankfully Te Araroa is primarily routed through remote regions to avoid the South Island crowds. Unfortunately, you won't often find backcountry huts vacant. Bring your tent to avoid a restless night sleep due to the sand- flies! Nevertheless, purchasing a Department of Conservation 6-month Hut Pass is a prudent move for any long-term back- country visitor. Staring up at Bluff's iconic signpost, my second massive long-distance trail had come to a fitting end. A directional arrow atop the pole indicated that New York was 15,008km away. Home. I said my goodbyes to new lifelong friends, and headed to the airport. While in flight, Mount Cook appeared outside the plane window, and I couldn't help but remember my Blue Mountain revelation two years prior. "Wow, I walked here," I reflected in disbelief as New Zealand drifted away into a long white cloud. Tyler Socash is now onto Part Three of his year-long journey: The Appa- lachian Trail. Completing Georgia in 2 days, 1 hour, and 1 minute, Tyler is attempting to break the AT's fastest known time as a self-supported thru-hiker. You can follow Tyler's progress via Instagram @tylerhikes or his blog tylerhikes.blogspot.com Te Araroa Trekking the With Tyler Socash

• Cover