- we summited Bob's Peak on the Ben Lommond Trail over Queenstown on Christmas Day
- we did the Grand Traverse -- hiking hut-to-hut on the Greenstone and Routeburn Trails for 6 days, weathering only two days of solid rain (my first hut trip!)
- we watched fireworks to bring in the New Year over Lake Wanaka in Queenstown with new friends from our hut trip
- we cruised Milford Sound and went out to the Tasman Sea in the Mariner, both in the afternoon and again in the morning
- we kayaked on Milford Sound
- we hiked to Rob Roy Glacier and watched several avalanches (the snowfall looked like a huge waterfall from the distance)
- we visited 4 wineries in the Otago region (pinot noir and sauvignon blanc are their standouts)
The Greenstone Track
Day 1 - 11.2 miles/ ~1500' elevation gain to Steele Creek Lodge
Met at 7:45am in Queenstown and drove to Glenorchy for a scone and tea. Eight of us plus two guides, Kath and James, started the trail at 10:30. First part of path is a stately beech forest. We followed the Greenstone River running through a deep chasm for several hours; it was so clear and green. Enticing for a swim but entirely too cold. Saw bush robins and Paradise ducks. Views of Mt. Christina as we walked the last hour to the lodge over river flats. Several sections of "braided" river here. Lunch at Slip Flat, including hot tea and milo (hot malted chocolate), plus "lemon and barley" drink. Developed major foot problems with pinched pinky toes and a right heel blister. Dinner of Fettucine Bolognese and onion soup with brandied fruit for dessert. To bed early (9:30pm) with a hot water bottle to ward off the cold. Silk sheet is a great cocoon!
Day 2 - 9.9 miles / ~860' elevation gain to McKellar Lodge
Continued along Greenstone River (on left) for entire walk. Constant views of the Livingstone Mountains to the left. From lodge walked short distance to a LONG swingbridge, the Steele Creek bridge, which can only accommodate the weight of one person at a time. It was not only long (about 200 feet), but it was also very high, with Steele Creek FAR below. I was terrified when I was only 1/4 of the way across and stupidly looked down. I hung on to the wire on both sides for dear life; John got it all on video. I smiled for the camera to disguise my terror. But I made it across. Everyone did.
We walked for two hours (5.1 miles) to our lunch spot. It rained constantly during that walk, whose highlight feature was the vast "rocky slip" or rocky slide. Rocks left over from the glacial period, falling off a nearby cliff, defined the path for nearly a mile. We reached the lunch spot just as the skies opened up. Drank hot orange tang. Yummy!
3 miles from the lunch spot we saw the last view of the Greenstone Valley, shrouded in clouds. We then walked through a lush rain forest, with moss, lichens and ferns everywhere. Green on all silver beech tree trunks. Very Lord of the Rings-like.
It was very wet (rainy) and cold for the last half of the hike. By the time we got to McKellar Lodge, we were so wet and cold that I had great difficulty using my fingers to untie my shoes, take off my socks, and pinch clothespins to hang up my wet clothes. Thank God for the hot shower!
Second Skin on right heel and both pinky toes worked fairly well!
Day 3 - 4.5 miles / ~2,100' elevation gain, nearly to the summit of (Mt.) 1538 (meters)
We set out at 9:40am for the "lookout", or saddle of Mt. 1538, making it after an hour of enchanted forest and another 1/2 hour above "bush" (tree) line. Nice and sunny today, but our boots were still wet from yesterday's rain. Steady climb up from 690 meters to 1000 meters (bush line) and lookout (1100 meters), through a gnarled tangle of tree roots.
We lost the trail from the lookout up for a while, stepping across and through tussocks to ascend. It was tough going, and I felt a bit panicky when I realized I'd lost the trail. A few moments of terror, led to me proclaiming that I wasn't going any further. Annette and JC convinced me that it would get easier, and they were right. I kept worrying about the difficult and steep descent that awaited me at the end of the day, and decided to stop at a large rock ~155 meters from the summit. I took cover behind the huge boulder, added several layers, a wool hat and mittens, then ate lunch and took a nap. James, JC, John, Thomas and Annette returned in an hour and ate lunch there before we began our descent. Fortunately, James lent me his poles, which eased the descent considerably.
Note to self: trails in the White Mountains of NH are much better maintained than this track up to 1538. I found this trail to be quite challenging, especially in the descent. I walked at a much slower pace than most of the group.
Those in our group who didn't hike with us that day took a boat out on the river, and we could see them rowing in their boat from the saddle of 1538!
The Routeburn Track
Day 4 - 8.1 miles / ~1,000' elevation gain to Lake Mackenzie Lodge
We walked through more enchanted forest along the western shore of Lake McKellar for two hours. Then we walked through a boggy part at the head of the lake. Then we emerged at Lake Howden, the junction of the Routeburn and Greenstone Tracks. This is where we met up with the 12 hikers, including three teenagers, who joined us to do only the Routeburn Track.
After lunch at Lake Howden, I climbed gradually through a silver beech forest to the spectacular Earland Falls. It is impossible to capture the magnitude of those falls on film; I needed 2 separate landscape photos to stitch together. They are 147 meters high! The track passes by the base pool, where you get wet from the falls.
After leaving the falls, there are some nice views of the Darran Mountains to the west, and Hollyford Valley to the north. (We'll be tramping to the east of the valley tomorrow, on Day 5 of the Grand Traverse (Day 2 of the Routeburn Track).)
Near one bridge crossing is a rock and moss formation called Myrtle the turtle It looks like a turtle!
After Earland Falls is the Orchard, created by a winter snow avalanche. The lodge is another 45 minutes.
My favorite day so far. No pressure to keep up with the group, and plenty of time to "stop and stare" and take photographs. Plus the track was very well graded, and I found it easy to ascend and descend.
Day 5 - 9.2 miles/~2,000' elevation gain to Routeburn Falls Lodge
Highest point 1355 meters (~4,065 feet)
We climbed via 2 zigzags above Lake Mackenzie into an alpine world overlooking Hollyford Valley. It rained on us all day, and I discovered that my GoreTex raincoat is not waterproof! After 1-1/2 hours, we had our morning chocolate break underneath some dry rocks and added another layer in anticipation of the walk across the Hollyford face.
Two hours later we stopped for lunch at a shelter at Harris Saddle. Hot milo was a treat for my rain-soaked self!
After lunch, the Routeburn Track climbs around Lake Harris before dropping into the upper Routeburn Valley. Mt. Cook Lilies -- actually the world's largest buttercup, named a lily only because of the water lily-like leaves -- grow surprisingly tall in the alpine vegetation. The white flower apparently stands out among insects and moths which only see the world in black and white.
You see nice views of the Routeburn Valley before beginning the descent to Routeburn Falls Lodge. The trail for 2 hours was a gushing stream of water -- impossible to avoid and causing mini waterfalls at nearly every turn. We very quickly gave up trying to avoid the water -- our boots were already soaked through and I was sloshing in mine!
Descent was over beautiful purple and red rocks -- unlike rocks in NH's White Mountains, they were not slippery when wet. A very pleasant walk, despite heavy rain and flooding. A hot shower and dry clothes were a welcome end to the day.
Another fantastic meal and pancakes for dessert, which we each to line up and catch with our plates when the guides threw them backwards over their shoulders!
Day 6 - 6.1 miles to Routeburn Road end
Breakfast with sausages. And oatmeal (porridge) again. A "fine" day -- a bit cloudy but no rain in sight.
We walked one hour downhill to an Ultimate Hikes shelter with milo and toffee/chocolate cookies. Then another hour of descent with abnormally wide and easy paths to the lunch spot -- Forge Flat, named because a smith used to operate a forge there. Forge Flat is a lovely rocky beach along the Routeburn River.
The forest here is not as Lord of the Rings-y, in that it's not as lush with moss, lichen and ferns as along the Greenstone Track. Most of the trees are red beech. Because the roots of these trees typically lace together, they are subject to avalanches during heavy rainfall. This actually occurred above the Routeburn Flats hut, creating a whole section of "slip" (slide) in January 1994.
On the walk from Forge Flat to road end, we saw a group of Green Hooded Orchids, which have a "trap door" to snag insects. We actually coaxed the "tongue" to open and close.
The bus picked us up and drove us to Glenorchy, where we had beer, wedgies, fries and 2 group photos. Then about a 45 minute drive along the lake back to Queenstown, for a celebration dinner at the Novitel Hotel.
Salmon and pavlova for dinner. Walked around the lake front, listening to a DJ and a band. Drinks at Monty's with Kath, Bridie, James and Sadow, then fireworks at midnight with JC, John, Claudia, Michael, Thomas and Mandy. A renegade fireworks seared a handful of hair off of Claudia's head. Lots of partying after fireworks (by those in Queenstown, not by us!)
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