At Bush Stream track carpark we came across two gentlemen prodding the matagouri bushes with sticks. They had hidden their keys in a bush and then promptly forgot where they had stashed the keys. We helped them in their search but had no luck. I suspect it was like looking for a needle in a haystack (there is a tramp where you can look for a needle in a haystack!)
The route up Bush Stream follows a section of the Te Araroa Trail. As we followed the valley, occasionally crossing Bush Stream, we met a couple of thru-hikers. We eventually found a perfect camp on a high river terrace. Surrounded by delightful tiny toadstools like from a fairytale and plenty of dead beech for a fire, we boiled the billy and toasted marshmallows as the sun dipped.
As we climbed a steep ridge to bypass a gorge in Bush Stream the next day, the clag started to roll in. We arrived at Crooked Spur Hut in a blanket of mist. It was a surprise to find the hut so tidy despite how busy it had been over the Te Araroa season.
As we climbed up to Brabazon Saddle in the clag, we occasionally got glimpses of the large, glaciated valley. Once at Brabazon Saddle it was a fun descent down scree to Black Birch Creek.
We were pleasantly surprised by Dog Kennel Bivvy. Tony had described it as derelict on his last visit. Clearly it has since been refurbished and even featured four camp chairs. Perfect for our group!
Tony promised us that the next day the clag would be gone, and be replaced by sun. Initially it looked like his prediction was completely wrong but as we climbed to Inkerman Saddle the cloud started to clear. We now had views right across to Brabazon Saddle where we had climbed through the previous day. It truly was spectacular country. The big valleys with towering peaks made me feel so small and awestruck by it. Tony described it as “like the Raglan Range on steroids.” (like the Lees-Hellfire Circuit, Silverstream-Bull Paddock Loop & Leatham Circuit).
The descent into Alma Stream was a battle through thick tussock and prickly spaniards while finding some mountain ribbonwood trees still with their beautiful white flowers.
The bush in Alma Stream was dense and almost impenetrable, so we had to camp out in the open on the stream bank. During the night a kea had a great deal of fun with all our gear, dragging away inner soles from all our boots.
Leaving Anne and Tony to take a shorter and more relaxed route, Matt and I pushed on toward Alma Col (2,139m). The final climb to the col was hard work with moveable boulders and scree.
Reaching the Col at 2,139m was the highlight of the trip, offering panoramic views west towards Aoraki/Mt Cook and Mt Sibbald; and east towards the Rangitata River.
During the descent down Trojan Stream we spent the afternoon identifying peaks, cols and basins with names from Greek mythology related to the Trojan War: Achilles, Cassandra, Iliad, Odyssey, Priam, Ajax, Tantalus, Athene and Electra.
We found a good campsite in North East Gorge Stream just under 1km from the confluence of Trojan and North East Gorge Streams. It was lovely watching the last of the sunlight on Stag Saddle ridge that the Te Araroa follows and hearing the kea.
Our final challenge was Balaclava Saddle. We got an early start knowing the wind was picking up to gale-force winds later in the day. There were a number of moveable rocks in the stream and first part of the climb so we had to be careful of our lines. The climb itself was grueling—two steps up, one slide back down.
The descent down the Growler Stream was easy travel until we came to a gorge 2km before the confluence of the Growler with the Havelock River. Luckily, we found a few rock cairns that guided us through a foot trail that climbed up and around the gorge.
We arrived at Growler Hut to find it busy with hunters for Easter weekend. With high winds and dust storms, we decided to push on all the way back to the car. It was going to be a very long walk along a 4WD road. Luckily, a ute passed us near Black Hut and kindly offered us a lift.
We eventually reunited with Anne and Tony, who were safely tucked away under the poplar trees back at the start of the Bush Stream Track. In the morning we woke up to a fiery sunrise and the forecasted rain started just as we got back to the car.
Trip completed in March/April 2026
Day 1:Bush Stream Track to campsite – 7.1km, 2hr, 198m elevation
Day 2: Bush Stream Campsite to Dog Kennel Biv via Brabazon Saddle – 13.3km, 6-8hr, 1,438m elevation
Day 3: Dog Kennel Biv to Alma Stream via Inkerman Saddle – 8.7km, 5-6hr, 761m elevation
Day 4: Alma Stream to North East Gorge Stream via Alma Col – 10.3km, 7hr, 1,198m elevation
Day 5: North East Gorge Stream, over Balaclava Saddle to just before Black Mountain Hut where picked up by ute – 19k, 7-8hr, 900m elevation
Full version of trip report: Two Thumb Range: The Dog Kennel, Kea’s Loot & Trojan War – Sarah Tramps NZ