O Captain! My Captain!
Turn into Maungatapu Rd at Pelorus bridge, and follow that for 13km
until you can turn left on Mt Richmond Road. Follow that until you
see the obvious parking area and DOC info sign.
The terrain rating reflects access from the Mt Richmond Rd end,
where it is rated as an easy 4 hour tramp. For the first 45 minutes
it is a fairly level river side walk, but after the Emerald Pools
you'll go up and sidle the hills between 150-250m until you come
back down to the river about 3.5km later.
A reasonable variety of terrain and flora, with lots of small
streams to hop - nothing that will get your feet wet however.
You can make this cache a day trip and walk back out, but if you
want to, the site below the cache site has a DOC hut with 4 bunks.
At that stage, all the usual advice about back country tramping
comes into force.
Middy Hut (and its cache!) is another easy 2.5 hours further on
from here. Please note that Captain's Creek about 400m up from the
Hut will require crossing - and during/after rain it swells to the
point where you will have to turn back.
If you do go as far as this hut, please bring all the right
things: sturdy footwear, extra food, warm clothing, rain gear, etc.
However, if you make it this far with the intention of staying for
the night, you may as well push on to Middy Hut (6 bunks). From
there you can turn back the next day, or go up to Rocks Hut and
come out at The Brook, or continue on to the Hacket. Or if you're
really serious, you can go on to Mt Fell.
Cache is a camoed film cannister with a bagged log and a pencil.
Please do not puncture the plastic bag with the pencil (leave it
out of it), and just your name please - thanks! Ensure the lid is
on properly.