3 Minutes on the Rees Dart

We did the Rees Dart with a side trip to Cascade Saddle over 4 days in January 2023.
We are currently training for two long-distance hikes overseas, so are choosing tracks with a good standard underfoot and where we can do some 25-30km days.
Day 1: Muddy Creek car park to Shelter Rock Hut 19km. A great walk through Rees Valley Station and into Aspiring National Park. The alpine area approaching the hut was fantastic. This is an avalanche zone so not possible in winter.
Day 2: Shelter Rock Hut to Dart Hut. A short day of 10km. The original plan was to continue on to camp at the Cascade Saddle campsite, however, stories of kea destroying tents up there made us decide to stay at dart Hut for two nights instead and do a day trip to the saddle.
Day 3: 20km day return to Cascade Saddle. Wow! How come we've never been up here in 20 years of living in Wanaka? It was very strange looking down on the Matukituki Valley after having driven over the hill to Queenstown and walked for 3 days. Dart Glacier was awesome and the clouds cleared through the day so we could see Tititea/Aspiring from the Saddle.
Day 4: 34km in 12 hours from Dart Hut to the Chinaman's Bluff car park. Most of the track is great underfoot and we made good time. There is a section before, during and after Sandy Bluff where the river has eroded the track and it's hard going and a bit of a scramble. Eventually you get past this and suddenly onto a newly made section of track using the modern technique of diggers, drainage channels and boxed in gravel. This was welcome after 10 hours of walking.
Logistics: we drove to Muddy Creek Road End and left our vehicle there. Our son picked us up from Chinaman's Bluff Road End and we drove back to get the other car. While we were packing at Muddy Creek, a car relocation lady showed up to swap vehicles, so this is an option too.
Camera gear: Sony A7C, Sony FE 24mm lens, Sony ECM B-10 shotgun microphone, additional footage (particularly when raining) iPhone 12
Apologies: this video was one of 4 trips shot with dust on the camera's sensor. Lesson learned - check your footage after every trip and clean the camera.