NEW ZEALAND, ROUTEBURN TRACK, CONICAL HILL TRACK

MARCH 3, 2013
ROUTEBURN TRACK, NEW ZEALAND

Harris Saddle hut. Heading to the top of the rock behind.

Not taking away from some significant and noticeable grades, the trail is extremely well maintained, affording many people of varying degrees of hiking prowess attempt the crossing. Individuals right from completely self-supported by tent to guided excursions where other than  your blisters carried for you, most everything is looked after.

Conical Hill this way.

 On the way up. Wait. I was smiling. Maybe I was on my way down?

 Harris Saddle hut down below.

The trail below will be our road home, for the night.

Photo credit -  Guy, with his wife, from Vancouver 

on a two year nautical 

circumnavigation of the world

.

 

Much of these western views are in the direction of Milford Sound, Here we could have dropped to another Hut on route and then on the trail head we started five days ago.

Hungry? Meat on a knife. This dairy rich country cranks out some serious cheese which is lurking somewhere in the pack. Add some bread. Know what's for lunch?
Meat, cheese and bread. 

New Zealand was the last country in the world to be inhabited. Shortly after the first Europeans arrived, some fellow by the name of Whittaker got right on to making FINE chocolate.
Know what's for dessert? 
( I've always dreamt of being left alone on a desserted island)

 It's, almost, downhill from here.

NEW ZEALAND, ROUTEBURN TRACK, HARRIS SADDLE, SADDLING UP

MARCH 4, 2013

In 1953, a Kiwi beekeeper was the first person confirmed to summit the highest mountain in the world. Sir Edmond Hillary along with Tensing Norgay climbed to the top of mount Everest.

Today, I best guess, Kate and I will follow in Ed’s footprints by starting our day with an outstanding view of some mountains. Some excellent New Zealand honey slathered on some wonderful bread that we brought up on our sorry ass backs. ANYTHING & EVERYTHING tastes twice as good if you bring it up on your sorry ass back (maybe the perspiration salt.) And oh yes, coffee. I’m sure Ed had tea.

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 The Routeburn trail is a total of thirty four kilometers. Doesn't sound that long, but throw in a few steeps and deeps, you can scratch of any Stairmaster workouts you have planned for a couple of days after your return. 
Today Kate and I will traverse the middle portion, summit a little spur hike for the best views in town and return for the evening. Most people are in perpetual transit heading either east or west for the complete track. Here someone is dropping down to the hut.

 I have tried hard before our arrival and during our stay, but just having a lot of difficulty in showing interest in anything  “Hobbit” and “Lord of the Ring” .  The locals seem and should be extremely proud of local boy, Peter Jackson. There is no shortage of tours and books to view filming sites. 
Here I'm having my  “Middle Earth” moment??

 Even here we have experienced some warm moments. I've gotten a bit overheated at times slugging my sorry ass up some of these beautiful trails. Behind me is some refreshing Fiordland clouds just cresting Harris Saddle.

Harris Saddle and the day use hut are at the height of the track. Here we will start an extra hour UP Conical Peak for what John has insisted, on a day like this, is a must do.

We will now see if we do do?

COMING NEXT - CLIMBING the CONICAL

NEW ZEALAND, FALLS HUT, ROUTEBURN TRACK

MARCH 3, 2013

FALLS HUT, ROUTEBURN TRACK, NEW ZEALAND

The hut was divided into three parts. Two bunk houses and a cooking and eating room as above. All of it quite friendly.

We will spend two nights here.

Balcony view. Valley we came up.

Kate at stove cooking our supper. Surprise! Noodle surprise. 

Stinky boots outside please.

Our dining  companion is Patrick, an ex-US patriot who has been living in Bangkok the past seven years. We shared our old and new experiences together.

 Hut manager John challenges the guests to try and name as many languages on this quilt. I believe there were thirty plus messages of "Have a Good Holiday".

We are again blessed with dry weather. I could imagine forty eighty soggy souls trying to dry out, it could get quite busy. 

COMING NEXT - TRAMPING TO THE HARRIS SADDLE.

NEW ZEALAND, HEADING UP THE ROUTEBURN TRACK.

MARCH 3, 2012

After our couple of nights of great comfort in Queenstown, Kate and I now will do a modified portion of the Routeburn Track. Not quite as notable a the Milford Track, but to most people we have met, much more spectacular.

Trailhead. Making sure we have the necessities. Couple of days of food, sleeping bags, pans and no pots.

The Routeburn is a track that crosses part of the Southern Alps. We did a small portion of it on the Milford side. Due to the logistics of car transfer, we now will start on the eastern end, proceed up to one of five huts on the crossing, and spend two nights and one full day exploring some amazing alpine regions.

Here Kate celebrates the successful  half way crossing of the first of many suspension bridges. 

Not just here but most everywhere we have been on our trip the sunny and DRY weather have made travelling simple and easy. Many places we have been show evidence of HIGH water levels, the norm. One random town we passed through we were told by the gas station attendant that in one twelve hour period in December, they got close to a foot of rain.

 It is compounded everyday that we listen to the news, regions of this country are in an extreme drought situation. Dire straights for a country dependent on agriculture.

Catastrophic for some farmers that are selling of livestock for lack of grazing and just everyday watering.

Ascending the Falls Flats on our way To Falls Hut.

Good trail but steep going!

Here we climb out of the valley on our way to a high alpine region. We have been experiencing warm/hot temps, so hopefully cooler temps.

As we approach the Falls Hut, we met up with John, the National Park keeper of the hut and all things mountainside.

COMING NEXT - FALLS HUT. RESERVATION FOR TWO, AND FORTY SIX OTHERS. 

AND SOME HIGH ALPINE HANGIN' OUT

NEW ZEALAND, SHEEP, MERINO WOOL - THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

...... AND HER LITTLE LAMBS.

THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF FOUR LEGGED CREATURES IN NEW ZEALAND, BUT THE ONES THEY DO HAVE, THEY GOT A LOT. STATISTIC - THERE ARE A HELL OF A LOT MORE SHEEP THAN PEOPLE. (It didn't seem like that when I was in line for ice cream one night.)

STATISTIC - THERE ARE TO MANY STATISTICS ON THE INDUSTRY. 

Baa

Bad sheep bad dream?

Everywhere that Mary went, the lamb was sure to go. To bad Mary was going to the slaughter house. (1979)

Merino today. Icebreaker tomorrow.

I once bought a wool sweater that irritated me so much that I started to brake out in huge red welts.

Then I realized it was made of STEEL WOOL when it started to rust.

I BET THE SHEEP WEREN'T THAT IMPRESSED WITH A VARIATION ON HENRY FORD'S, DISASSEMBLY LINE (1979)

Hey. Ba Ba black sheep. Why are ewe so baad?

COMING SOON - LAMB SHANK, GROUND LAMB, LAMB CUTLETS, LAMB LIVER, RACK OF .....