“On a Mish” #408 The Playground in the Trees (Part One). Napoleon Hill / Ahaura. 28.6.2024. A lot of New Zealand’s history has been lost to the bush. What were big settlements have moved on and the forest has reclaimed the land, and any sign of occupation has nearly disappeared. The Napoleon Hill area used to be home to hundreds of people when gold was struck. Nowadays the old tracks have become a playground for those who have vehicles ready to take on deep ruts, steep grunts, and everything else that is found when taking a truck into the wild West Coast bush…
The many missions in my cousin Adam’s truck have been life saving for my mental health. I longed for the wild so much and thought getting amongst it was done and dusted. However, as soon as the country was realised from the multi-weeklong lockdown, together we went on a mish into the outdoors, and I gained an appreciation for 4wd vehicles. Before then I looked at outback trucks as disrupters of the peace. ‘Why don’t they just walk?’ is what I always thought, and then it became the only way to get me into the wilderness.
After a mish up the Ahuriri Valley I drove on to Christchurch for my old man’s 70’s birthday and caught up with my cousin. I knew he was heading away with his truck for the long weekend, so I was just hoping to have a quick catch up before he left. Over lunch he somehow convinced me to join him for the first part of the adventure.
There was a chill in the air when I began to drive to the West Coast. After grouping up with Adam, together we headed we on the alpine highway over Arthurs Pass. The difference between the east and west was defined by rain and drizzle. In Arthurs Pass Village there was blue sky, but once over the pass we were in the mist. It was like driving from one world into another one, one much wetter than the other.
Our wheels took us to the tiny town of Ahaura and it was here that we dropped off my non-off-road-ride, and I jumped into Adam’s Jimny. Adam’s mate Jack would be also joining us with his son, so after getting the gang together we headed to the start of the track. The Napoleon Track starts in the Ahaura Valley and then after climbing over the hill finishes in the Mawheranui Grey River / Valley. Because of this my car was stashed at the end of the track, and then we headed to the start of the track, which is hidden away in the forests above the station around Orwell Creek Road.
Most eyes just look at the forest above the station not realising there is a playground hidden away in the trees. After checking in with the station and paying our fees, we headed into the trees in search of adventure…
