Northern Circuit

Our first activity once we got back to the north island was (surprise, surprise) another walk. The Northern Circuit is a walk around Mount Ngauruhoe (most recognizable for its role as Mount Doom in the Lord of the Rings) in Tongariro National Park which is located in the center of the north island. Tongariro National Park is known for being the home of the best day walk in New Zealand, the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. The Northern Circuit is the three or four day walk that includes this day walk.

We decided to take four days so that we could do more of the side trips that are available along the way. Our journey started in Whakapapa Village and took us to the east. The first deviation from the main trail was to check out the small but beautiful Taranaki Falls. From there we were able to stay on track until we reached the side trail to Tama Lakes. Lower Tama was an incredible turquoise color that sparkled in the sun while Upper Tama was a beautiful dark blue with Mount Ngauruhoe looming behind it. After having lunch near Lower Tama we continued east and were within five minutes of our destination for the evening when we were distracted by a trail on our right. Thankfully it was a very short trail. It took us to the oldest hut in Tongariro National Park, the original Waihohonu Hut, which was built in 1904. The most striking feature of the hut was its separate rooms for men and women. The men’s bunks were in the room with the fire place while the women’s room was accessed through the back of the hut and had a mirror for warmth. After seeing that we were a little concerned about what our lodging might be for the evening, but after rounding a couple of corners we came face to face with the new Waihohonu Hut, a hut that would rival any five star luxury accommodation lodge. It was completed in late 2010 and is by far the nicest hut we have seen in New Zealand. There was a large communal area with incredible picture windows, a massive deck, plenty of counter space, gas stoves, lights that could be turned on and off whenever we wanted and hot water for cooking. Before relaxing for the evening we went on one more side trip to the Ohinepango Springs to see the incredibly clear (and incredibly cold) water bubbling out of the ground.

We had gone to bed with almost clear skies but woke up to a blanket of low clouds. The first part of the day was spent walking through a beech forest so it was not until we emerged from the trees that we realized just how thick the clouds were. It was hard to see from one trail marker to the next and there were a few times that we had to stop and peer into the mist in search of the next marker. Around lunch time we made it to the Oturere Hut and decided to step inside to have our lunch. While we were eating the rain started falling so we extended our lunch to include a game of cards. Our timing was great as the sun came out just as we got back on the trail. We could finally see the landscape around us and it was stunning. There were strange rock formations all around us, a sprinkling of odd looking plants and the smell of sulfur was in the wind. It was easy to imagine that we had somehow been transported to another planet. After a steep climb we reached the part of the trail with the most spectacular views. We could see into the Central Crater, had beautiful views of the Emerald Lakes, peered into the Red Crater and looked across Blue Lake. It was an absolutely spectacular spot to stand. From there it was a short hike to the Ketetahi Hut where we watched the sun set and spent the night. The Ketetahi Hut is a little bit off the main circuit, but spending the night there meant that we would have two chances to see the views at the top.

In the morning the clouds were back and even thicker than before so we stayed in bed as long as we could and got a late start. We hiked the day walk trail in the opposite direction as the day walkers so we met hundreds of people as we walked along. The first few people that we met told us that they had not been able to see a thing and that the rain on the ridge was fierce, but by the time we made it there the clouds had broken up a bit and we got some nice views. Unfortunately the clouds were still hanging around the mountain peaks so we decided not to do the side trips to the Mount Tongariro or Mount Ngauruhoe summits. Not doing those walks meant that we easily could have completed the circuit in the afternoon but we stopped at the Mangatepopo Hut because we already had a booking. In the late afternoon the clouds cleared and we got to see the tops of Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe.

The last day of hiking could easily have been skipped (and most people do). There is a carpark near Mangatepopo Hut so getting picked up there is easy, but since we had not arranged anything we had to walk back to Whakapapa Village. This section of the trail is called the ditch and on the day we walked it the name seemed appropriate. It was a narrow, deep trail so the rain ran right down the middle of it and the mud was very slippery. The vegetation was interesting, but there were not many views so we would not recommend walking that section unless you have to.

In Whakapapa Village we took some time to look around the visitor’s center and learned just how active the volcanic area we had walked through is. There are 15 places along the trail that have erupted sometime in the last 27,000 years (apparently not very long in geological terms). The most recent eruption of Mount Ngauruhoe was in 1975 and the volcanic alert level is currently at 1. Hiking through such recent volcanic activity is part of what makes the walk so spectacular, but it can give you pause if you take the time to think about it too much.

The Horn Hilton and Molesworth

From Mt. Cook Village we drove back into Christchurch to meet with another family that my dad worked for 40 years ago during his time in New Zealand. They have sold most of the farm that my dad worked on but still own a few acres and one old house that were on the property. The house has undergone a bit of a remodel since my dad was there and it has been named the Horn Hilton. We spent a couple of nights at the Hilton making sure that the whisky bottles were clean and enjoying the quiet of the country. We also spent two nights in town listening to stories about my dad.

Our next stop was the thermal pools in Hanmer Springs. After a relaxing evening in the pools we decided to take the inland route north through Molesworth Station. Molesworth is the largest farm in New Zealand with a herd of around 10,000 cattle. It is owned by the New Zealand government and managed as both a farm and conservation area. The farm management is contracted out to a private company, Landcorp, while DOC manages the conservation. We drove through Molesworth on a grey, drizzly day but the views and historic cob houses were still incredible. We camped near the Molesworth homestead and then finished our drive back to paved roads the next day. If you have time it is a drive we would definitely recommend.

Mueller Hut

 

After finishing the Milford Track we drove to Mt. Cook Village and camped for a night. The next day we walked one kilometer vertically and a few kilometers horizontally to reach the Mueller Hut. The hut is used as a base by alpine climbers to explore the peaks in the area, but tourists also visit it to try to get the incredible views of Mt. Sefton and Mt. Cook that postcards are made of.

On the day we hiked up we got a brief glimpse of Mt. Cook’s peak before the clouds closed in. We got to see a little more of Mt. Sefton but the clouds kept the spectacular views out of sight. The Mueller Hut is at an elevation of 1810 meters and the peak of Mt. Olivier is only another 100 meters above it so we hiked up. Mt. Olivier is known for being the first peak that Sir Edmund Hillary climbed on his way to being the first person to summit Mt. Everest. We figure we will head for Mt. Everest next. Never mind that Sir Edmund Hillary was 20 when he climbed Mt. Olivier in the dead of winter with no trail, no hut and no shoes.

After spending the night in the Mueller Hut we woke up to a blanket of clouds in the valley below us and the sunlight casting a wonderful orange glow on the peaks of Mt. Sefton and Mt. Cook.

As the day warmed up we got to see a few ice falls. The sound of the ice falling creates a roar that fills the whole valley.

 

 It was hard to stop taking pictures even after we made it back down.

The Milford Track

The Milford Track is the most famous of New Zealand’s nine great walks. Only 40 people are allowed to start as independent walkers each day so to get on the track during the summer months you have to book well in advance. We booked the walk in early September when December and January were already full so we had to pick a date in February. If you book the walk through DOC, you must stay in the huts along the trail. There is no camping allowed within 500 meters of the trail. The valleys the Milford passes through are less than 1km wide so if you want to camp the only place available is the end of the Clinton Valley past where the trail goes up to the pass and you would have to walk the track in two days.

To get to the start of the Milford Track we took a water taxi from Te Anau Downs across Lake Te Anau to Glade Wharf. From there it is a short walk (around an hour) to the Clinton Hut. It was a beautiful day so we got some lovely views of the Clinton Valley as we went. The highlight of our day was the short nature walk that the hut warden, Ross, took us on at the end of the day. He provided us a wealth of information about the area and told us all of the things we needed to watch for on the rest of the walk.

On the second day it looked like we would be going up the north arm of the Clinton River, but we veered to the left and headed up the west arm. The valley that the north arm runs down is much wider, but Ross told us it ends with steep cliffs topped by ice fields that would be difficult to climb with our gear. The track goes through several open areas including the big slip of 1982 and the prairie so we got spectacular views of the valley and its waterfalls. The only disappointing thing about the day was that we had good weather. The Milford is one of the rainiest places in New Zealand (sustained rains of 150mm an hour can fall any time of the year) and when it rains the sides of the valley become shimmering sheets of water and an incredible roar fills the air. We still felt like we had seen some incredible things, but not the best the Clinton Valley has to offer. At the Mintaro Hut we took a swim in Lake Mintaro (really just a slow moving portion of the Clinton River west branch) and were breathless from the cold within a few seconds of jumping in.

The third day of the hike took us over the Mackinnon Pass. After leaving the Mintaro Hut we started up the side of the valley almost immediately. It was a steep climb up to the Mackinnon Pass Shelter at the top of the pass. This is the only day of the hike that you really want nice weather and it was the only day that we got bad weather. The toilet at the shelter is known as the loo with a view, but all we could see from its window was white. Coming down from the pass into the Arthur Valley we got to walk along the Roaring Burn and see the amazing formations that the water has carved into the rock. It is incredible that a trail has been put in so close to the cascades of water that you can feel the spray. The most spectacular part of the day was our side trip to Sutherland Falls. The falls drop 580 meters in three impressive steps. While we stood marveling at the last two steps of the falls the clouds finally parted and we got a view of the falls in all their glory. After the spectacle of the falls it was hard to concentrate on the rest of the walk to Dumpling Hut.

The final day of the hike is slightly downhill along the Arthur River. The boat pickup at Salndfly Point is at 2:00pm so many people hurry to make it there early. That is really not a good idea because Sandfly Point has that name for a reason. The earlier you get there, the more time you will spend being slowly eaten. There were two impressive waterfalls along the track, the MacKay Falls and Roaring Giant, and because the weather was nice again, beautiful views up and down the Arthur Valley.

The boat ride from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound township was short and gave us a very small taste of what a cruise would be like in Milford Sound. The bus ride from there back to Te Anau was one of the most beautiful stretches of road that we have ever been on. Make sure that you stay awake for at least the first hour of the bus ride if you ever do the walk. When we got back to town and were reflecting over a pizza we understood why some people call it “The finest walk in the world.”

Queenstown, Arrowtown, Wanaka and Dacre

After finishing our last walk we took a few days to explore the tourist towns in the area. Our first stop was Queenstown, a town of 11,000. We are not sure if any Kiwis actually live in the town because everyone we met was from a county other than New Zealand. The town is in an absolutely incredible location, on the shores of Lake Wakatipu with the Remarkables (beautiful mountains) providing a picturesque backdrop. Queenstown has a lot to offer from its food (everything from huge hamburgers to bulgogi) and shopping to skydiving, bungee jumping or jet boating. For a large number of people who come to New Zealand Queenstown and the surrounding area is all they see. For us it was a good place to stop for a day, but there were too many tourists so we did not stay long.

In our attempt to escape the tourists we drove out to Arrowtown only to find the town populated by buses and their occupants. Arrowtown is an old mining town built in the 1860s. Over 60 of the original town buildings still stand which make it a beautiful, quaint town. We went for a walk along the river and then hid in a hostel until most of the buses had left. When we came out in the evening the streets were deserted and the town looked incredible. We enjoyed being only two having an evening drink at the local brewery.

We snuck out of Arrowtown in the morning before the busses arrived and drove to Wanaka. Wanaka seems to be a mini Queenstown. It is half the size, on a smaller lake with shorter mountains surrounding it and everything costs half as much as it does in Queenstown. Wanaka has an incredible lakefront beach and a cinema with couches for chairs and for us it was much more relaxing than Queenstown.

After exhausting ourselves in the tourist “must see’ towns we drove south to Dacre. We are pretty sure that Dacre does not have a population and the only way that we know it exists at all is the small building on the side of the road that had “Dacre Town Hall” printed on it. We went to Dacre to visit the farm that my dad worked for in the early 70s. One of the sons of the couple my dad worked on and his wife run the place as an organic sheep and beef farm. They have an almost 9 year old son and twin 7 year old girls. We spent 5 days with the family helping out around the house, in the garden and on the farm. In return they took us to the local sights. We got to see all the antique tractors at Crank Up Day in Edendale and we visited Monkey Island and Cosy Nook Just outside of Riverton. It was wonderful to be on a sheep farm and experience more of the local culture. Dacre might not have been in any tourist book, but it was our favorite place to stay over the last week.

Sorry about there not being any pictures. The wireless on our computer seems to be fading fast and the internet cafe is closed.