There was plenty of enthusiasm to check out the new Waiotauru hut that was recently built by ARAC (Akatarawa Recreational Access Committee). The new hut is still fairly basic, not a destination to match Waitewaewae or Mangahao Flats, but a fair place to stay on an overnight trip up the valley. Another group, on their way out from Elder Hut, lunched with us at the hut, and Nurse Marian got to strut her stuff bandaging up one of their wounded knees. Rain set in while this was going on and by the time we got to Owen’s horrible slip the Waiotauru river had come up enough to make tackling the slip more appealing than the couple of river crossings and it turned out to be quite straightforward.