Col du Ga Wivael/Roches de Linderalique

Distance: 9.3 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 12/283/628 m.

Difficulty: 7.7/10.  Scenic: 9.3/10

A "real" hike and one that could have been spectacular (had it been sunny).  Click the "Brooding Hen" (Poule Couveuse en francais) for pics; geotrack here.

There are two hikes in this region and, as they join at one point, I did both of them thus making two 7 km hikes into a single 10 kmm hike with a good amount of elevation change.  The views from the two peaks are spectacular, though less impressive against a cloudy sky.  These hikes are above the town of Hienghene and the rock formations are known as the Sphynx and the Brooding Hen.  The black limestone Roches de Linderalique are also fabulous - and I camped one evening near the base of the limestone rocks.  Great hike.

Sentier de Marais Sainat

Distance: 3.07 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 11/46/82 m.

Difficulty: 3.0/10.  Scenic: 6.5/10 (it was foggy)

A simple stroll, it's significance is that it's located at the far northern extreme of "Grande Terre", the main island of New Caledonia - a spot not often visited by tourists.  Pics by clicking above, geotrack here.

The first of just two hikes I could do on my walkabout (the caves didn't really count as a hike) but this was nice given its location.  I loved the signs explaining how the Kanaks view nature and the resident animals.  Had a nice picnic during a drizzle break.  Would love to return when the sky was blue.  And also to tear down the stupid cell phone tower that's erected at essentially the northernmost point of Grand Terre.

Grottes de Koumac (Caves of Koumac)

Distance: ~ 700 m.  Elevation low/high/total: 15/15/0 m.

Difficulty: 8.5/10 (scary/bats).  Scenic: 1.0/10 (pitch black)

Not so much a hike a as a dare, I explored these caves despite the dire warning not to do so by myself.  Small set of pictures can be seen by clicking above, location of cave area here.

This is a bit of fun.  If you like dark places, filled with bats, and the potential for being "gassed".  Took me three tries to find the right way in and then I got lost (thanks, random punks that paint "wrong way out" arrows all over the place) briefly before finally finding an exit about 80m from where I entered.  Can't wait to show this place to Ildiko.

On the road to the Northern Province

Distance: ~1500 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 0/588/5610 m.

Difficulty: 7.8/10.  Scenic: 9.1/10

Everyone else had enjoyed a nice vacation recently but it had been nearly a year since i got away so ... I got away. Picture album by clicking on the Frog above, geotrack here

I've been living in New Caledonia for about 16 months now.  And, while I've done a goodly amount of hiking and exploring, the northern half of this country - of Grand Terre - was Terra Incognito (Unexplored) to me.  So I carved out a week, prepped the Land Rover ("Frog"), gathered my camping gear, did some research and early on a July 2015 Sunday morning set out for parts unknown.

The trip was great and just what the doctor ordered.  I saw new things, went places few have ever been and got to camp out for a week, an activity I love.  That all said, man ... the freakin' rain ... basically 5 of 7 days I had to take shelter from the storm(s).  Thus my pictures are mostly gray.  That hardly mattered when I was cave explorin' but it seriously cut down on hikin'/fishin'/beachcombin'.

I took five cameras (three dedicated, 2 on cell phones) and amazingly they all survived.  Maybe next year I can rally a couple of fellow explorers and we can check out places I never got to, or would like to see again.

I managed three hikes on the trip:

Les Grottes de Koumac (Caves of Koumac)
Sentier de Marais Sainat
Col de Wivaek/Roches de Linderalique

Hiking the GR1 - Stages 4 and 5

Distance: 30.1 km.  Elevation low/high/total: 155/532/1181 m.

Difficulty: 9.1/10.  Scenic: 7.8/10

And so we finished off the GR1 with a two day 30 km hike through the western end of the Parc de la Riviere Blue.
Click picture for photo album, the geotrack is here.

And now the GR1 full traverse has been accomplished.  My daughter, Kincso, and I (and, on various Stages accompaniment from Ildiko, Paul and Simon) made several treks over many months to hike the length of the hugely impressive GR1 put together by the tourism/park folks here in New Caledonia.  And, while we did hike it from beginning to end, we shortcutted the middle section as Stage 4B is an abbreviated section connecting Stages 3 and 6.  This weekend, my friend Paul and I completed the "skipped" sections, i.e., Stages 4 and 5.  We had hiked the six other sections in the generally intended direction, from east to west.  For logistical reasons (and doing the GR1 requires a LOT of logistical planning), we decided to start our hike at the "end" of Stage 5 and hike west to east, finishing at the "start" of Stage 4.  Because of the remoteness of the endpoints, much like Stages 6 and 7, we decided to do the two stages back to back and overnight at the Refuge offered between Stages 4 and 5.  

Weather, always an issue up in the mountains across this part of New Caledonia, could have been better but at least we didn't deal with a Category 1 cyclone like the last time we did a back-to-back stretch (Stages 6 and 7).  We set out in a light rain and ended in a light rain, but the rivers and creeks were fairly easily traversed and these two stages presented much like the other stages within the Parc de la Riviere Bleu.  The only real downside was that we were both breaking in new hiking boots and we had some serious foot blister issues the last half of day 2.  As on all the other Stages, we placed geocaches along each, bring the total placed along the length of GR1 to 10 (at the beginning, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 4B, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, at the end).

A couple of final comments about this amazing outdoor resource provided for the public by the tourism bureau here.  The 130+ km trail has been meticulously cared for - from paths carved through almost impenetrable rain forest to steps built into steep slippery slopes to a multitude of constant signage pointing the way to go (and not to go).  The refuges provided in between stages (we used two of them - at Camp des Fougeres and Tristaniopsis) are extremely well built and provisioned.  At our stay at Tristaniopsis on this hike, we arrived to find a well stocked woodpile and kindling! and the shelters themselves are solid and watertight.  Somewhat puzzlingly, and sadly, on all our hikes we encountered only one other hiking group!  Whether this is a failure of advertising or a matter of indifference I can't say but on the plus side - O! the solitude!

When told of our completion, Ildiko asked so ... what's next?  Hmm, I have read that a companion set of hikes is nearly completed in the northern part of the island ....

Marmites du Diable (Devil's Cauldrons)

A scenic and relatively easy hike along a river of crystal clear water to a set of swimming holes.
Click picture to see a photo album.  The geotrack is here.

A lovely Sunday morning and Paul and I got out on the path relatively early.  Our hike today was along the north branch of the Dumbea river; we'd crossed and hiked much of the south branch several times in the past so it was time to "branch" out.

The hike is mostly flat, gaining barely 100m of altitude and the round trip to the Marmites is 12 km.  We saw more people, including two large groups of at least 20 people, on this hike than on all our other hikes combined.  Folks were "hiking" in flip flops and carrying coolers.  The highlight for most are the Marmites, or Pots (Cauldrons) which are deep swimming holes at certain stages of the river.  The river seems to flow through a canyon in several places.  At one spot, pictured above, there's a jumping off spot about 10-12 m above the water.

Paul and I went another km or so past the deep pools and found a more rewarding stretch of smaller pools, where the water is almost impossibly clear.  We enjoyed a swim, alternately in the rain and sun, then had a picnic lunch and set on our way back.  Of course, we placed a geocache to mark the outing.  A highly recommended hike, and one great for kids or those not fond of uphill hiking.

Ruisseau des Kaoris hike with Ildiko

The sign on THIS side of the crossing to the thermal springs.  Click pic for photo album. 
Geotrack of 10 km round trip hike is here.

On a sunny mid week work holiday, Ildiko and I set off on a pleasant hike.  Iris was having a playdate with a friend so it was just the two of us.  The drive to the hike spot is nearly two hours and is about 20 minutes past the turnoff to the old abandoned slave labor camp of Prony.  The hike starts at about 150 m of altitude and descends early on to be a flight hike for most of the time. However, it is slippery red mud on the way down - but we maintained our balance.  To get to the hot springs, you have to eventually cross a fairly wide river delta (which can be a lot wider after heavy rains). We considered our options and finally decided to cross the river rather than retreat out to the bay (as Jim G and I did back in February after a heavy rain storm).  No option but to wade in and deal with wet shoes/socks from then onwards.

Upon arrival at the hot springs, we found some trustafarians had set up camp obviously having been there awhile already but were polite enough to retreat for a spell so we could enjoy the warm pool.  the pool was not warm and, in fact, was a bit cool but having come this far, we had to take the plunge.  A nice lunch was had and we turned our sights upon the return and made it back a bit quicker than we had come.  This hike likely spells the end of hikes in the southern part of New Caledonia for awhile as we've done most of the listed hikes.