Milford Track!

Our long awaited trip to the South Island has come and gone. And, what an adventure we had! On December 3, our friend, Lisa, arrived from California to join Rob and me on a guided trek on the Milford Track. On the 6th we left Auckland, and flew to Queenstown for our pre-trek orientation. Queenstown lies on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, the third largest lake in NZ. Our hotel was situated up on a hill...with a very nice view of the lake, and the remarkable, Remarkable Mountain Range. The next morning at 8:25, we caught the yellow bus that stopped right in front of our hotel, and made our way to The Station where we were to catch another bus that would take us to the beginning of our trek...and the beginning of an awesome adventure. We were a bit taken back when we realized that there would be 45 other people on the guided walk, as in our minds we had thought it would be a small, intimate group. Having said that, we realized early on, that it really did not matter how many people were with our group because we all had a different tramping pace. Rob & I kept our own pace, as we stopped frequently to delight in the natural beauty that the track is so well known for. I can not begin to describe the different shades of green mosses that hung onto anything it could grow on. I had no idea that there were bright purple mushrooms, and fungus that was so bright yellow it looked for a moment to resemble cauliflower. We got pictures of this purple mushroom...so you don't need to think I have gone off flying in fairyland.

As usual...the weather has a way of making sure you know it is here in NZ. I overheard someone describing the weather, and she said...'We don't really have marked seasons, here in NZ. We just have 'weather all year round'...RIGHT! It's that 'four seasons in every day' back again! So, my trusty weather man, Rob, pointed out that we would most likely have some heavy rain the first couple days of our trek. Hmmmn...was not really too keen on tramping a a total downpour...but that wouldn't stop the trek if we had rain. There is never the wrong weather...just the wrong equiptment and clothing. Fortunately, we had prepared for this scenario.

The coach that we boarded in Queenstown took us to another location called Te Anau where we had lunch, picked up 2 more guides, and 2 more trekkers. We were then taken to a place on Lake Te Anau called Te Anau Downs, where we boarded a ferry that transported us to the beginning of the track. It was about 3:00 in the afternoon when the boat dropped us off on the jetty. Today, all we had to do was walk a very short distance to the first lodge, Glade House. At this point, the weather was still looking pretty good...a few clouds, but no precipitation. After we dropped our packs at the lodge, we had an option to take a nature walk with some of the guides. We were divided up and off we went to hear about the flora and fauna on our nature walk. That is where we saw that purple mushroom. We walked up to a waterfall that was cascading down from Dore Pass to Lake Te Anau. All the water in this region is pure, and safe to drink, as there are no sources of contamination upstream. It was so refreshing! All along the track it was safe to fill up your water bottles...such a welcome relief from having to sterilize the water before you could drink it. Back at Glade House we enjoyed a very nice dinner served by our friendly guides. We then had our 'Hello I am...and why I am here...'session,retired to our rooms before the generator turned off...and lights out. We needed our beauty rest for the next day. We were instructed to leave the light switch on in our room so the light would wake us in the morning.

Before the light came on to wake us...the rain had been beating steadily on the roof since o'dark hundred. It was not exactly the weather we had wished for...but hey, we were here to have an adventure. Starting out we had to cross a swing bridge that only two people at a time could be on. That kind of bridge always gives me the noodle knees, as I have this intense fear that the cable will snap & down to the river I will go...as long as I look ahead and not down, I seem to do better. Also...such a comical reflection...we all did our best to avoid the puddles in the center of the track...until the track became the river, and there was no dry way around any of it! Also to note...if you thought you would be drier on the side of the track when it had turned into the river track...you really got stuffed when you sank to your chest. Hmmn...I guess there was a valid reason for those trail markers on both sides of the track. Lunch was along the track at a shelter that looked out to Hirere Falls. Our friendly, generous, guides fixed us warm drinks as we arrived to the lunch shelter. We were soaked! Thank goodness for merino wool! Even if you are wet, at least you stay warm. Lunch was quickly devoured, and off to the track we went. If we thought we saw heaps of waterfalls before lunch, we saw even more after lunch. The cliff walls were wailing!

We met some DOC workers along the way and they told us that they were constructing another bridge ready for the afternoon, as it was expected to get even wetter the next day. Hmmn...as I had my clothes plastered to my body, I thought...how much wetter could one get? I already resembled the look of a drowned rat! Crikey! And the next day was going to be the big climb up and over Mackinnon Pass!

After 16 kilometers we reached Pompolona Lodge. Our host wanted to show us about the place and have nice chat...and all Gailini and I wanted to do was get out of our wet clthes, find a shower and find something dry to put on. I was praying like mad that my pack liner kept my dry clothes...dry! Somehow, I managed to lose Rob along the way as he was trying to take pictures, and all I could think of was that hot shower. So he wandered in to our room about 45 minutes later than I had arrived. He was thouroughly enjoying the massive waterfalls and the gorgeous bush, so he was in no hurry to hang out at the lodge.

Heaps of heavy, water-soaked clothes began piling up outside our door...there was a hand crank laundry water extractor that I used to get most of the water rung out of our clothes. And then there was the drying room. The drying room that we all came to love! It not only dried our clothes...but it was warm! Boy did it feel great to be clean, dry, and warm! After our dinner, and briefing to alert us of what we should expect going up and over the pass...it was time to pass out.

Rob & I both slept like bricks, and did not know when the lights had come on even though we left the light to the bathroom on with the fan, as well as the light in the bedroom. When we finally realized that the light was on...we flew into our clothes, and made it down to make our lunch as everyone else was sitting down for breakfast. This was the day they said we would need to leave early...or at least before 8am. We still had to pack our packs after breakfast...and Gailini, Charles, and Lisa were all waiting for us to show up...oops.

If we thought Tuesday was wet...well, a new meaning of wet was discovered as we trudged through more water and waterfalls on Wednesday. No matter what kind of gear you had...there was no gear that kept you 100% dry. The part up the switch backs was not really as bad as we had been led to believe...it was the wind at the top of the pass, and the 20 minutes more to Pass Hut for lunch that did me in. Sweet, Mio, another fantastic guide, greeted us at the memorial cross with hot Milo...but there was no view to behold...just bucketing, freezing rain. Wind + wet = cold...and I was getting very cold, and very grumpy. I knew I had to get to that hut, warm up, and get an attitude adjustment while eating. Thankfully, this hut had a heater, and more warm drinks. I am so grateful for that hot Milo! Our guides really had that drink down! I found my merino hat and gloves and put them on before we went back out to the whipping wind. Now we were going to go straight down the other side on the emergency track. Slowly, we made our way through raging waterfalls, and wet track as the water continued to gush out of everything. For a very brief moment, we were able to see through a break in the clouds to the valley below. Down, down, down we went. Along the way there were heaps of Mt. Cook lilies growing on the side of the track. Even though the water was overwhelming...the scenery was fabulous. It really was magical. After this very challenging day, Rob had enough energy to drop off his pack and go out to Sutherland Falls, the 5th highest waterfall in the world. Frankly, I had seen enough waterfalls the past two days...so I opted for a nap, and a shower. One thing you do well after a tramp like that...sleep like a brick!

Day four, and again we had an early start as we had 21 kilometers to cover. We also had glorious sunshine! Yay!! The bush was sparkling and glistening with the rays of the sun filtering through. The air was crisp and fresh, and the rivers and waterfalls were still raging in a torrent. Birds were singing, and all was fantastic on our last day in the bush! I had never tramped for 21 kms. in my life...so this was going to be yet another challenge for me. I was constantly stopping in amazement of the beauty that we were traveling through. The track just kept getting more and more beautiful. We passed Mackay Falls, and Bell Rock...climbed up along a cliff wall, crossed over rivers, and we were immersed in the bush full of ferns and mosses. It was exponential beauty! We had great plant identification chats with Charlotte & Lizzy, and Tom & Johanna. It was incredible what we saw! And...we were dry today! We reached Sandfly Point a little late, but the Captain waited graciously for us. Such hospitality!

You definitely would not want to wait for too long at Sandfly Point. Those little buggers pack a nasty bite...and somehow they love my skin. Once we got out to the sound, the sandflies disappered, and a pod of dolphins came up to the boat swimming along side of us. What an awesome greeting! Milford Sound was under sunny skies, waterfalls were crescending down the cliffs, and all was glorious. We were deposited onto the Milford Harbour docks, and caught a very short bus ride up to the Mitre Peak Lodge. Again, that hot shower was the ticket! It was the most amazing hike I had ever done in my life. I would do it again in a heartbeat...but, maybe I would check out some other treks first. :) Cheers! And Ho, Ho, Ho!!