The Reclamation of the Cross-Island Track

On Thursday morning, we found ourselves once again about to take on the Cross-Island Track, this time after accepting an invitation to accompany representatives of the Air New Zealand Green Team and the National Environment Service (NES). There was, however, one major difference from the first time we faced the track: the Green Team volunteers had finished clearing and marking the trail just the night before.
As hardy bush-walkers, we were eager to return to the new-look trail to determine if it was now a little less daunting. A little less confusing. A little less dangerous.
Several volunteers had originally put their hands up to join us, but that was before the torrential rain took its toll, reducing our party of intrepid adventurers to six.
The first thing we noticed was the large sign welcoming hikers to the trail, offering safety advice and a visible guide to the trail route. The sign was well-placed and we immediately spotted one of the new bright orange arrow markers in the distance. These markers are a vast improvement over the previous system, which consisted of dark green aluminium markers placed on the track many years ago by the police. At the time, they had no other material available but green markers on green foliage was always going to be problematic.
To further ensure the way is unquestionably clear, further on in the trek there are large orange triangles and double orange triangles stationed at those junctions where you’re most tempted to choose the wrong path, a mistake we certainly would have made if the markers had not been in place.
During the walk, we encountered several visitors already making use of the newly-refurbished trail. When we inquired as to how they were finding the track, the response was overwhelmingly positive, with all agreeing that it was now easier to find the way, a stark contrast to the lost tourists we met on our first attempt to penetrate the Rarotongan jungle.
There are many other improvements aside from the markers.
Steps have been cut into some of the more slippery rock faces, making them easier to scale. Large obstructions on the path, including tree trunks, have been cut so you can pass more easily. The brush has been cut down and cleared to make the correct route more visible, and ropes have been installed in the near vertical sections that require a little helping hand.
Even with these improvements, the track is still potentially hazardous and continues to offer a challenge to those who are looking for a more advanced tramp. We were informed that, during an assessment walk to determine necessary improvements, the placing of ropes and bridges throughout the track was considered, but it was determined that to make the track too easy would dilute the experience of crossing the island on foot. The purpose of the new aids is to increase safety, not to increase the ease of the walk.
After barely surviving our earlier attempt to traverse the Cross-Island Track, we heard reports that some of the original markers and aids had been removed on purpose, either as acts of vandalism or, more likely, in an attempt to make the trek more difficult, thus necessitating the hiring of a professional guide.
On our first foray across the island, we took the wrong path, even though that path appeared very clear to us at the time. This path, it turned out, was in fact a guide’s path and is consequently a more challenging walk. The new orange arrows thus negate the need to hire a guide as you are almost sure not to stray from the intended track.
We can only hope these markers don’t somehow mysteriously disappear, as someone could be badly hurt staggering around in the jungle looking for the correct route out.
We spoke with Environment Officer Deyna Marsh during the trek and raised several of the issues we’d remarked on in our story in Wednesday’s Cook Islands Herald (‘Rarotonga’s vanishing trails’). Principal among these was the issue of track maintenance and with whom the responsibility for this lies.
According to Marsh, “no one is actually in charge. Maintenance is usually up to the landowners”.
She also mentioned that no one had cleared the track on this scale for 20 years and that this was the first time the NES had been linked with the track, via its contact details and logo appearing on the new signs.
When asked if there were future plans to clear any of the other trails, she said, “Definitely. This was the first attempt, and there’s already some interest from the Tourism Board to clear the tracks.”
However, she went on to say, “We (NES) lack the funds to put up signs and markers ourselves and thank Air New Zealand for all its help.”
This confluence of Tourism Board interest, corporate sponsorship and environment agency action could possibly lead to a viable solution to the maintenance problem. Referring specifically to the Green Team’s possible future involvement, we were told this was a one-off project, but that hopefully a locally-based voluntary Green Team could be formed to at least keep the track clear and possibly ensure the signs are installed and maintained.
Air New Zealand also provided the NES with a leaflet concerning walking in the rugged interior of Rarotonga and that literature is available from the offices of NES, Cook Islands Tourism and Air New Zealand.
The Cross-Island Track is now no less of a challenge but the worry of getting lost has been dramatically lessened. That plans are afoot to clear some of the other trails is encouraging, and hopefully with a dose of political will and a small monetary investment, all the trails will be preserved for future generations of locals and visitors alike.

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