Routeburn Trek, Mt Aspiring Ntl Park, S Island

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Trip Start Dec 28, 2007 Previous
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  Glenorchy, South Island, New Zealand
Thursday, January 10, 2008

Here's an update from our trip.  On Monday we flew from Auckland to the South Island and landed in Queenstown.  I booked a rafting trip on the Shotover River for myself and Andrea hung out around town.  The Shotover was fantastic canyon scenery and whitewater, but the ride in on the shuttle road was the world's scariest river shuttle.  Fortunately, the shuttle van made it and the rafting was easy compared to the road.  I didn't get any pictures of the trip, but wish I would have brought my camera.

On Tuesday, we woke up early and caught a shuttle bus to the Routeburn Track.  The Routeburn Track is located in Mt. Aspiring National Park.  The nearest town to the trailhead is Glenorchy.  We stopped in Glenorchy and got some last minute provisions then drove up the Dart River, then the Routeburn River to the trailhead.

About 3 km from the road's end (trailhead), we were going past a vehicle which was traveling in the opposite direction

Queenstown

.  The driver pulled a panic move and veered to the right.  He veered too far, and we ended up slipping off the road.  The bus almost flipped but fortunately gut stuck in the soft mud at about a 45 degree angle.  It was scary, but nobody was hurt.  We then had to dig out the luggage door, remove our luggage, and walk an extra 3 km to the trailhead.  We did not get a refund. As luck would have it, the park ranger carried our bags for us in her pickup.  We asked her for a ride as well, but she said she could not take people in her vehicle.  One of our busmates from Melbourne replied "we're not people, we're trampers."

In New Zealand, "backpackers" means a hostel type accomodation.  They are found all over the country, and look and smell like normal hostels.  If you tell somebody here you are going "backpacking" they will think you are traveling around staying in hostels.  If you are treking in the "bush" with a backpack on your shoulders, you are "tramping."   

So tramping it was.  Once at the trailhead, we picked up our packs and off we went.  The Routeburn track has unbelievable scenery, just what you would envision if you have never been to New Zealand.  It is a land of lush river valleys carved by glaciers, ancient beech forests, windswept mountain ranges and very rugged terrain

The drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy

.  We hiked the first day up the Routeburn River and stayed in the Routeburn Falls Hut, a serviced hut about 11k up the trail.  The going was easy until the end of Day 1, at which time we climbed up to the Hut.  At night, we shared a bunkhouse with 24 others.  We had the misfortune of having some kid screaming in his sleep (sleep-talker) all night (not to mention the snoring).  So sleep was hard to come by. The huts are nice, but lack any privacy.  This is not the Sofitel.

Day 2 was tough.  We left the falls hut around 8:30 and climbed continuously for 2.5 hours to the "Harris Saddle" the top to the trail.  It was about 1600M height up there, cold and windy but very clear.  There were several glacial lakes, many peaks, and an emergency shelter.  We lunched at the shelter and begun the long descent to the Lake McKenzie Hut.  The hike down was brutal with steep tracks and very tough footing.  Great care had to be taken to avoid sprained ankles.  But it turned out to be more than worth it.  The McKenzie Hut was located at a beautiful lake.  We spend night 2 here.  It took us about 7 hours to get there from the other hut.  We hung out at the lake for several hours then ate "tramper" food.  Dehydrated chicken and rice and dehydrated vegies.  Hey, anything would taste good after that tough hike.  We got a good night sleep and hiked out a beautiful 4 hours to the other side.  It was a four hour bus ride back to Queenstown.  Tomorrow we leave for the north coast of the South Island.  We will spend the next 4 days at Abel Tassman National Park on another tramp.

Happy New Year to all!!  We miss you guys.

Post your own travel photos for friends and family More Pictures

Bad driver, bad driving	The Routeburn River	Another Shot from the Hike Up to Routeburn Falls	A waterfall
The Hike to Routeburn Falls Hut	Routeburn Falls Hut	Can you see the Lord of the Ring?	Andrew and Andrea on top of the world
View of Harris Lake	The valley at sunset	Another view Harris Lake	The Hike in to the MacKenzie Lake Hut
The emergency huts at the top of the pass	MacKenzie Lake from above	Lake MacKenzie	Andrew comes prepared
Andrew and Andrea and Lake MacKenzie	The view from the lake	Lake MacKenzie from another Angle	The Hut at Lake MacKenzie
Rush hour traffic at the Lake MacKenzie Hut	Day 3 of the Routeburn	Another Photo from Day 3	Day 3, Gorgeous Views from the Routeburn Track
Andrea with her pack	Earland Falls	Lake Howden. Near the end of the track.	A welcome shower and beer

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