Walk 16 - Routeburn Track 'Great Walk' |
Waiting in the sunshine |
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Reflections of Mt Alfred (1375m) and snow-capped Mt Earnslaw (2820m) |
Day 1: Routeburn Car Park to Routeburn Falls Hut - following the burn* |
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Following the tradition of virtually all New Zealand walks, we were immediately under the canopy of a dense beech forest and winding our way westward and upward into the heart of the Humboldt Mountains. The track kept close to the northern edge of the Route Burn, crossing several side streams and cascades as it climbed steadily into a narrowing valley, the sound of the rushing waters rising and falling as we passed nearer or further from the stream banks.
Periodically, views of the stream appeared below through the trees, foaming white at times, and subtily different shades of blue to green at others, as the glacial meltwaters tumbled across shallow stony beds or flowed quietly in deep pools. The Route is an exquisite burn. |
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After a period of climbing the track flattened out onto a wider terrace, crossed the Route Burn via a swingbridge and started to follow the edge of a grassy flat, which widened as we progressed. With no steep fall, the burn meandered gently through these straw-coloured flats, enclosed by steep-walled mountains. Soon we arrived at a junction and made a 5 minute detour to Routeburn Flats Hut, where we had an early lunch taking in the magnificent views down the valley of the North Arm of the burn toward glacier topped Mts Somnus and Momus. |
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Returning to the main track, we commenced a steep 300m climb following the left branch of the burn up to the high valley beyond the Routeburn Falls. It was still, humid and 30ºC under the forest canopy as we climbed, our clothes soon becoming drenched. However, the rewards came in the way of magnificent views as we crossed the clearings created by a rock fall from Phoenix Bluff and a large slip a few hundred metres further on; back down along the crescent shape of the Routeburn Flats with the silvery thread of the burn meandering through it and the steep sided razor-ridged mountains rising steeply up from it. |
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At 30ºC and a hot sun overhead, there was no need for further encouragement; we were soon soaking our tired bodies in the invigorating cold and foaming waters at the base of the falls and soaking up the sun between icy dips. What a pleasant way to finish up and spend a summer's afternoon! |
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Day 2: Routeburn Hut to Lake Mackenzie Hut - the alpine crossing Another glorious day - the tenth in a row. We headed up the rocky ridge behind the hut past the upper falls of the cataract and commenced a slow climb along a broad grassy valley. Reaching the next terrace, we followed a sweeping arc which climbed steadily around the southern rim of the upper valley. Across this valley we could see our path wending its way higher above a second cataract, as the Route Burn flowed out of the unseen Lake Harris. |
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As we climbed steadily upward through the rocky landscape, the leaves of the alpine daisies shone silver in the morning sun. We continued on through thickets of low alpine shrubs (Hebe, Coprosma) until the first views of Lake Harris appeared. The track then flattened out as it sidled across a steep slope high above the dark glacial waters of Lake Harris, with 1900m Mt Xenicus behind. |
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The shelter provided the chance to have a bit of energy food before leaving our packs and starting the steep rocky ascent of Conical Hill, its slopes dotted with a tapestry of yellow and white daisies, flowering herbs and buttercups. We crossed a tiny snow-drift and climbed over the top of the 1512m hill, to be greeted by a glorious panorama of the snow-capped Darran Range on the opposite side of the Hollyford Valley. The views extended both up and down the valley, where low cloud spilled in from the Tasman Sea. Behind us, more views extended back over Lake Harris, now far below, and the route that we had taken this morning. |
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We lingered as long as we could, but finally had to leave. Our descent back down from this sidetrip to Harris Shelter was much quicker and we soon had our packs back on and were heading down off the saddle and its collection of picturesque tarns, dropping quickly to commence a long, undulating traverse across the Hollyford face of the Ailsa Mountains; an alpine floral wonderland, with daisies, button plants, bluebells, flax, hebes, gentians and many other unrecognised alpine flowers dotting the steep slopes, criss-crossed by small streams pouring off the mountain in series of cascades and mini-waterfalls. |
Barely a breath of air, one or two clouds drifting aimlessly across the blue sky and another 30ºC day made for a hot crossing of this amazing landscape, all the time looking down on the pale turquoise thread of the Hollyford River and across at the glacier-capped peaks of the Darran Mountains. |
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Soon after crossing the Potter Creek Falls (and refilling our water bottle with icy mountain dew), the track climbed up again through a predominantly tussock grass and flax vegetation before crossing a ridgeline from where the tiny shape of Lake Mackenzie Hut, 300m below, could be seen. One last short climb followed and then a long descent, traversing the steep rocky slopes of Ocean Peak, all the time providing a superb view over the emerald green waters of glacial Lake Mackenzie. Eventually, the track dropped below the timberline and entered the cool dark shade of a beech forest (oh much maligned beech, how glad we were to see you!). |
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Day 3: Lake Mackenzie Hut to Howden Hut
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We re-entered the beech forest and climbed up steadily to reach the level of traverse, at intervals the silhouettes of the trees framing the various peaks of the Darran Mountains across the valley. |
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We crossed another series of cascades and small waterfalls, before eventually rounding a corner to see the majestic sight of the 80m high Earland Falls plunging out from a gap in the rockface above into a boulder-filled pool. This was a good place for a rest before crossing the face of the falls to be refreshed by the mist and cool wind generated by the force of the falling water. A slow descent now started, winding through the beech forest to emerge at Howden Hut, situated at the head of beautiful Lake Howden; a good place for lunch. |
As we ate, we compared our past few days with our earlier tramp on the Kepler Track, which we greatly enjoyed and of which I have sung the praises in a previous page. With no reservations, the Routeburn came out on top - the Kepler is a designer track and with its well-formed machine-laid pathway across the mountain ridges you still feel like an observer of the alpine landscapes around you. On the Routeburn, you feel as though you have become part of landscape; the path, at times rocky and gnarly as one cut by pick and shovel over a century ago should be, contributing to this impression. The Routeburn Track was simply stunning and has become the new standard - it will be interesting to see how the famous Milford Track stacks up when we do it in a month's time. The one problem with the Routeburn is that, while it is a 33km walk, it is 270km and 6 hours by road back to its beginning near the upper reaches Lake Wakatipu from its end at the Divide near Milford Sound. At Howden Hut we had a choice; ahead lay the last few kilometres of the Routeburn Track and 6 hour bus trip, to the left lay the Greenstone Track and a 2½ day tramp back to 12km from where we had left the car. We turned left. |
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