I have promised Yvonne, my wife, that some day we would go tramping together in the South Island. I have tramped most of the well known tracks, usually with friends and it has been very much a male activity. The Cascade Saddle walk was one of the remaining tracks to walk. There has been much discussion over the best route, from east to west or vice versa. However an analysis of our physical fitness and the sedentary lives we lead, gave favour to the west to east approach.
Autumn normally offers a combination of good weather and fewer trampers.
Early March fitted in with our timetables. The route was along the Rees Valley to the Rees Saddle, continue to the Dart River and then walk over the Cascade saddle to Mt Aspiring Hut, and walk out to the end of the road in the Matukituki Valley. This seemed reasonable so it was decided we would go and 'tramp'. There were some conditions set out by Yvonne, like comfortable huts each night, and if her back pack became too heavy I would carry all the equipment. We were going to stay in DOC huts each night and not take a tent.