South Again

While busily enjoying the earthquake serenity and aftermath I learned that uni had been closed. Being on break I suddenly had an extra week to go adventure! James had mentioned doing the routburn at this time of year, and I knew he was going to the Invercargill area in Southland. A few quick texts and plans were laid to drive south and hit the routburn on the way back. I sent a few more texts to see if any friends wanted to join us. A few hours before departure I managed to convince Juli (from quail island) to join us.

I quickly packed my thing last minute on monday. And parting with Elizabeth, Rosa and the lambs, throwing a quick "see ya later" to the flatties, set off in Jame's Chariot to pick up Juli and we were off.

HOW

South from Christchurch past the boring not quite farmland and busy roads. Four hours later near Dunedin we pulled off at Moaraki Boulders. Almost perfectly spherical boulders litter the beach. Just shorter than a man and with a pockmarked exterior, kinda like basalt, they sit on the beach and are bathed at high tide. coming at low tide and with the light fading we were disappointed to have no sunset wonders in the thick clouds above and, while awed, unable to fully appreciate and absorb the wonder of it all. I got into it, literally, a bit more than the others though!

With the weather unpromising we decided to press on with the driving rather than wait around as we had planned for sunset photography at the boulders. Into Dunedin proper, a stop for some burgers, venison burgers, and kumera (sweet potato) chips (fries). More driving! we stopped for the night at a little rest stop where someone once had a farmstead, now just a muddy field, and a boulder with a plaque. The ground was wet, James lent me his bedroll and I enjoyed the tent while James and Juli flattened the seats and slept in the car. Next day saw our arrival in Tautapere, past Invercargill, near the southern extremity of the south island. A small sleepy town with one main street on which a few coffee shops, a tiny library, a toy shop, a general store, butcher, and a museum sit.

The museum boasts coffee so we go there first. But they are closed today, not serving, as they need to clean everything in preparation for a training. The place had 2 generations from 2 families worth of things. Cooking supplies, pots, pans, stoves, pianos, wedding dresses, hand mixers, scales, china, furniture... everything! very nice people there held us for a brief conversation. Then we discovered their homemade jams and Juli and I each bought some pure fruit and sugar homemade jam! she blackberry, me raspberry. James went off to his interview while I pretended to walk the track he was applying to lead.

Then off to Milford! Well we stop in Te Anau for dinner: a decent pizza, but with anchovies instead of artichoke, YUK! Then we drive up the Milford road to Deer Flats where I again sleep in the tent. Cloudy skies again so I dont bother staying up looking for stars but go strait to sleep. The morning bring clearing low clouds hugging peaks and a rainbow dancing in the water of the river. The first of many rainbows!

To the trail! and saying hi to the maintenance crew prepping to do some work on a small landslide over the trail we started out on the routburn Track

HOW!

we started with a rather quick pace, gently graded switchbacks cutting up the steep granite walls. And around us all is lush. James hops into guide mode a bit as he is personally testing his knowledge to see what plants he still has to learn to identify. But he points here and there and our progress is slowed as we, Juli especially, preoccupy ourselves with trying to remember them all. There were many ferns: hen and chicken fern, prince of whales fern, hounds tung, black fern, creek fern, crown fern; plus there were trees, caprosmas ,and four leafed hebes. I learned alot, but have promptly forgotten/jumbled it all up again.

We made a quick side trip to a key summit for some views. A key summit is one where the waters flow to three different coasts, here they went down the hollyford valley to the west coast, and then some other rivers to the south and east coasts =D. Here we poked above treeline to see sphagnum mosses surrounding green brown tarns along with the more rugged varieties of hebe. Scampering on rocks we lazily took in the amazing views of snow capped mountains under the thinning clouds and clear blue skies of sunshine!

Back on the trail we passed some waterfalls and drank our fill, then filled our bottles. Getting on midday we chose a nice sunny patch of trail to claim our own and eat at. Lunch today was a bit different for me. My ryevita of course was key, but on it today was salami, red onion, hummus, and tomato. mmm yummy twas. and the spot we chose ideal. Nice moss to either side for our bums and a trickle of water beside the trail added to the ambiance of dancing sunlight from branches in the breez and the singing of birds in the trees. But there was more trail to follow, majestic corridors to walk and more water to see falling.

A major water fall was the next arrival. we saw it from afar, then beat off the bush to a smaller one with a rainbow. I ran - splashing - down the stream bed to rejoin the trail. Then we were at the main event Earland Falls, and in an avalanche path - but we were more interested in scrambling over boulders to get to the falls than past them. Sweet massive chunks of granite litter a jumble of pools and streams before a missive cliff with cascades of water crashing from a above. From 30 meters away you can feel the mist dusting your face and getting closer all sounds merge into the roar. I scampered over the swetting rocks and, pausing - drawing up the hood of my rain jacket, ducked under a cascade to an alcove behind. The roar was engaging all was slightly dripping. A vapor saturated wind generated by the falls eddied into and through my jacket - I felt it reverberate deep within me. The streams of water before me formed dynamic curtains - frames to the clouds

and peaks across the valley. I soon jumped out and over the boulders once again, turning here and there to drink from the air and gape up the rock. The others were on a bridge, admiring from the trail. I spotted a sweet rainbow and another cool vantage and bouldered up on slippery holds to the top of a massive boulder. From there I caught the rainbow, and again took it all in. The views across the valley were sweet, but the falls got the most attention.

We sat in a low spot with the stream trickling near. talking slow, looking at the sun, hear the falls and smiling. We crossed a more obvious, but very dry, avalanche path that had about 20 years of regrowth on it. Then looking from another avalanche path we paused briefly to capture a large tarn nestled in a meadow of sorts. And above it the clouds and a pointed peak. James and I discussed the lighting and photographic technique (his shot's better!). Our botany lessons continued. Each of us testing our knowledge: julie and I attempting to internalize it all. The next addition to our knowledge was the dainty pineapple plant. maybe not so dainty. It has stiff and spiky looking leaves. But it sits out from the main plant a

bit and reminds me both of pineapple and of spider plants. (photo courtesy of Juli)The track was still in the well lit native bush, and still on steep slopes, but well made and gently graded. Sun still cam through in beams, and the path moved up and down over the slight ridges meandering down the steep slopes.

I fell behind a bit as I took in it all, and caught up to them at a bridge. They moved on and I looked around. And I realized that below the bridge was a massive boulder wedged between two cliffs. The stream passed down the slope, cascading and bouncing between mosses and stones as all the rest. But then passed down out of site before the large boulder. I looked up to share my amazement with the others but they had passed over another bump in the path. I was wide eyed and eager to explore the boulder below and examine how the water fell behind it, where it went. The sides of the stream had no good viewing angles, so I dropped my pack and scrambled down the thick slope (some corner of my mind recalled the ridge-line of mt pfief). Below the stream widened and flowed on a few routs, but i had come out below the boulder and need to to continue upstream to come beneath it. My that stream was amazing! The light then was a perfect balance of glittering rays, and the first pool on the stream caught them perfectly. Caught them and threw them up on the underside of a good sized boulder, looking like a perfect summer swimming hole. The rest of the stream

contained wonders all along it as well. A perfect fern, a sweet log with water running along it, a rocky sand bar here, moss there, dust motes in the sun, another boulder... Its almost a miracle that I made it back out from that breathing abode. I did make it under the boulder between the cliffs. Well, not directly under as there was a pool there and getting wet was for sunday. But I pressed a against a moist moss wall and smiled at another rainbow. It sat in the mist. The mist came from under the boulder, from the semi darkness of glittery mist that sat wedged, looking like an egg, between the cliffs. ahh, simply to breath fresh air and watch and touch and smell.

The final destination of the evening wasn't far off. I acctually didnt rejoin the others until we reached Mckensie hut, beside Mckensie Lake, beneath Mt Alice. I droped my thigns in the hut and went to find the others. I didnt see them by the lake, and thought I would save the hike to the end of the lake and hanging valley for later. Instead I did a short boulder problem and at the top got out my tools and wrote a post card to nick. Twas your birthday and I had no phone to call you! I sketched some more, of alice and the surrounding ridges. James returned and retired with a headache.

looking up mckensie valley

Juli and I headed off to see if there were any west facing vantages for the sunset. The valley flowed to the south and a little west, so we hoped to get on a ridge nearby. We wove through terminal moraine boulders, through some forest, and found the trail. Juli had a bad knee and didn't want to go far. when the trail suddenly started climbing I shot as chipmunks are wont to do. Up, up, through the switchbacks, into moss that whirred by. But no vantages appeared, nor were any seen when I gingerly balanced over a mossy log to the top of a boulder. What a

crazy place! The boulder had a good 50-90 cm off moss and dirt built up and a tangle of roots all over it. Very cool growth, and the downed tree log I had crossed had many moss covered relatives. I balanced my way down and skipped down the steps to meet Juli before she got too far. We descended to the base and then worked our way along the base of a boulder and into a nice and mossy region. I could have, and maybe did, find a spot to sleep on moss, but I preferred the mossy courtyard of snakeskin-saddle. We lay there and enjoyed, A rifleman bird came within 50cm of me as I lay quite still. No sunset, but still nice.

In the fading light we returned to the lack and made our way to its lowest end. There was a plethora of flat stones and I spent most of the time skipping them. I also stood on rocks in the middle of that little cove and just enjoyed the stillness of the place and some soft purples in the sky behind Mt Alice. Returning to the hut with nightfall we found a napping James. We gathered some sticks for the fire and started on dinner. The wood stove there was slow to light and didn't effectively warm the large - empty - space. Leftover lentils with some rice was an okay dinner, and the chocolate was yummy. James was feeling much better, and we ventured back to the bottom of the lake to shoot some star trails. Sitting enjoying the sky and trying not to chill we waited 30, then 40 minutes for the shots of Alice. Unfortunately the lens fogged up.

Morning, breakfast chopping fruit into musli while sitting perched on a rock in the still water of the lake. Julie brought some oatmeal as well, and her jelly. I indulged and fortified my breki with some jelly on rye. The water was tempting and I wandered along the shore of an island like peninsula that stretches towards Mt. Alice and breaks up the end of the lake into two entities. Over boulders, along rocky shore, the breeze. A hopping balance on points of rock in the water to go around another boulder. Through the cleft between the two halves of a split boulder. on the islands spit I stripped and refused. I wandered into the woods and sat on soft mosses. I went back and stepped, ouch ouch, with bear feet on the rock chips. toe in the water, yes - it's cold. skip some stones. Lying on a boulder, feeling the chill breeze wrap about me, soaking in sun with my entirety. Then, ok, step... oh chill. step... oh chilly. and in! ah whoop! ah ah! ohyea! the ice waters of POLAR BEAR! GOOD MORNING, no word of the day today, sorry. But yea dat feels good! cold but sweet and soft and cleansing. I dried in the sun and we set off from the hut with me absolutely beaming.

We were all happy and while we enjoyed the moss grown forest that had more moss than snakeskin-saddle. we had more fun on the sunny switchbacks looking down on the lake, remembering the already not too distant pleasures. And contemplating other sweet swimming spots on the lakes far end. We also found the first snow! Which occasioned snowballs as we passed old avalanche debris. Switchbacks lead us back and forth above the lake, and soon we were almost exclusively on the snow. The boot packing became was getting snow in our shoes and wearied us slightly, but our moods were too positive to be anything but a little sad when we passed over the ridge and said farewell to the majestic Mt Alice.

With Alice out of sight we were crossing over the ridgeline and looking again into the Hollyford Valley. James wanted to try and get pictures of a tarn and we all needed some snacks. But I ran off to a little roll of the ridgeline and did head stands. Doing headstands when 800m (2400ft) above a valley floor and on a ridgeline is hard. Especially with the wide open sky above, you feel extra unstable and my feet flailed wildly. There was a cool frozen tarn up there too. We now traversed for a while, enjoying unrestricted views of the jagged peaks and ridgelines across the valley. I keenly remember a few very sunny basins, a consistent and large snow slope, the entrance to a hanging valley, and one especially jagged ridgeline there. One thing that was obstructed was the Mt Tutoko, whose location we guessed but were never able to confirm. we crossed some more sweet

streams rushing raucously down and over sweet boulders to the trees and valley below. The plants here were Hebe's, grasses, and tussock. There was also a surprising number of grasshoppers on the trail. I snagged the first one and tried to have it jump on James, but he was kinda mellow. So I held him and made funny faces instead. The junction with deadman's track was a nice vantage. And all the while the sun was bright and the cumulous kept to the ragged ridges.

Soon we were back on some snow and making out way up to the saddle. We waved goodbye to the Hollyford track, to the short line of ocean and cloud to which it led. stomping, getting wet, cold feet. we went up some stairs and cleared them of snow (next group to go should have a clear path!) in the pass we stopped to lube up for protectiong

from the sun. Another half a kilometer on and we were at Harris Saddle Shelter. There we unloaded and ate lunch. a feast of pastrami and onion, and tomatoes, and hard boiled eggs, and other yummy sandwhich makings. We enjoyed final views of those jagged peaks of the Darrens. A Kea circled above, but no second one appeared to steal our food or cameras. The saddle itself had cool conicle summits on either side and It would have been nice to take the time and climb around them. We pressed on between them instead, bootpacking and breaking through to our thighs on occasion, other times staying on the hard top layer.

The true pass revealed a new world. The Immediate Mountains were still the same course jagged granit. And nestled below us was a large ice bound lake. The lakes drainage, some kilometers right of us, broke up into the mountains in a series of frozen waterfalls on dark -snow dusted - cliffs. Ice and snow was this world, and in time came some clouds to mute the contrast and increase that raw factor. Our toes tingled more and we kept moving, but with reluctance. Over some tussock hills of snow, along a narrow cliff edge, then crossing some avalanche paths. We had one section where I got a nice but slide going on the back of my pack. Another where we all just jumped off into the deep snow below and then struggled to dig our limbs out. A stream melts though the snow once. But for a time all is white and we stare at the snow covered rock still subdued by clouds which swirl about the pinnacles. The end of the lake is in view, it births a river which flows through a series of hanging valleys. And our way shows more tussock, and we can even make out the track poking out of the snow here and there.

Leaving snow line we pass the "end of avalanche risk area" sign and are greeted by a sweet boulder. I jump out of my pack and boulder up without pause, and soon james joins me to way goodbye to the frozen lake and take in the valley below and peaks around with cloud above. A sweet perch, and the photo credit for this one goes to Juli. The down climb was wetter and required slightly more care. But then we were back on the track which actually retained snow for a bit longer than the tussock.. soon enough it was gone. We did not move in to folow the river as I thought we would but continued to wrap around the valley, traversing at a gentile

grade. We passed some more cool boulders and then a small boulder leaning against a far larger one forms the roof of a tunnel for the track! I was excited and ran down swinging my legs and arms in a goofy manner to get under it. and the on the other-side of this boulder tunnel I found some rounded pebbles and made a cairn. We still didn't join the river. But we came down onto the flats and crossed a stream. Lookin towards the river we caught glimpses of waterfalls. I thought I was missing out but little did I know...

A series of large and powerful waterfalls awaited us when at last we joined the river above waterfall hut. We descended to a frequented perch to take pictures of one of the falls. I wanted more and delicately stepped my way across the river onto slick rock. The to the waterfall James was shooting. It fell narrowly into a neat pool, but the flow was swift in leaving it. To get out of the shot I crawled into a little cave, crevice next to the fall and lay there in my green jacket like another piece of moss. A tight fit, but cool to be a in a womb of the earth, even if it was a cold rather than a warm wet. I crawled out, BIRTH! and looked for a route up above the fall. I knew I was on an island and wanted to see the upper falls from it's tip. The ascent was touchy, on loose steep scrub and mossy wet rock faces. but I was up, and the falls were cool. but their memory dwindles as I think of the subsequent set of falls. I looked for an alternate route down but the way up was the best so I carefully down-climbed and moved over the rushing river from slippery bank to slick rock to slippery bank. We moved on to another photo-spot where I sketched and then stood and quickly relived my stint of roaming and climbing on the island that was before me .

First falls on left. center - cliff band above trees is what I climbed to be on the 'island' (photo by Juli)

Then it was down into the river itself, into it's gorge like depths, walking under vertical banks, jumping from rock to rock. I made my way up stream to a third waterfall that jetted down from a spot of light. Another small one rained down the overhanging bank. I waded into the water to get closer and drank the cool misty air.

...

I returned, wading, down the river. then around a large boulder continued down the river to explore. I was enthralled, excited, awed, in love, slightly scared, and eager to take in more. I loved the sensation of water round my feet and legs and cared not that an hour prior my toes had been completely numbed by the snow. into the water, out onto boulders, stepping across the main flow. Watching cascades, boils, eddies, dragging feet and hands through flows to feel it. Plunging hands into the water to pull out rounded rocks of colors and shapes of beauty and practicality: a spoon, an oval, banded, green, grey, quartz. Another waterfall and I stop thigh deep in the water behind a rock. The waters pour over and continue their jostled journey. I see no watery route down, so I turn back and take another way up the flows, seeing how it flows under boulders, and rushes between constrictions. coming out of the water i bring with me tokens of the journey and slowly return up the bank and make the last few hundred yards to the beautifully placed waterfall hut and the friends within.

It is perched on stilts, just barely under the treetops so one can see way down valley to a new mountain range - in looks akin to the flat topped southern colorado mountains. We have an adventure to the fancy lodge in search of fire wood. but find none. so we get some wet things out of the woods. We find some logs as well but they are green, the woodshed was empty so we made due. Fire was even slower tonight. We pulled some mattresses from the bunk room and laid them before the fire place. Diner was noodles and veggies with a honey sauce - yummy. Played some cards and fiddled with the fire. James and I made another long exposure from the deck, but the camera battery died so we didn't find out if worked. Juli, took the center spot to steal warmth from James and I in our puffy down bags. We all rose early and sat on the porch in our sleeping bags enjoying some pinks in the clouds and peaks down valley to the east.

sleepingbag sunrise (photo by Juli)

An easy final day out. All down hill and graded. I decided not to take advantage of the many showers provided by the waterfalls, and the others weren't keen, which meant an earlier start. Very nice, pleasant bush. The track stayed up a bit from the river as we traversed down valley. James Identified the various types of beech trees: hard beech, red beech, silver beech, mountain beech... but I've forgotten them now. Also finally saw a plant I had been very good at identifying the first day, but which julie had not yet seen, and now I cant remember it's name at all! One bridge was in shambles, attacked by an avalanche of water, trees and rocks, but the creek below easily crossed. We crossed more bridges as we came to the valley bottom. The bush became more open with wonderful mosses absorbing sunlight in amoebic arrays.

We were in another hanging valley, and the track traversed again as the river crashed into gorge littered with boulders and tree trunks. We crossed a small side creek that carved the bedrock wonderfully. Anchores could be seen in the swirling waters that hinted at the guided canyoneering tours that go down the creek. We passed on along the trail, and shortly passed a small group of three out for a day walk. James hurried ahead to make the end of the trail and the shelter with its restroom. Juli and I took a more leisurely pace, not pushing her injured knee. The shelter was abandoned, just one car in the lot, no hope of a ride into civilization. SO we continued walking along the road. The river joined another valley and larger flows, spreading out as braided rivers do, tumbling over the rounded rocks. We passed farms, a few cars passed us going the wrong way. One rushed by us without sparing us a glance. We saw a cow giving birth. We reached a sealed road, crossed a oneway bride on foot.

Julie stopped to tie her shoe, and a car came by and we got a ride after marching an extra 10km. We stopped at the head of lake wakatipu for some coffee and Juli bought a possum tail and tried her first L n P. Continuing on, our ride got a flat tire. Things seemed to go alright, and our driver was glad to have the help, but then the spare had a key nut on it that wouldn't come off. We flagged down another vehicle. In typical do it yourself fashion we tried all sorts of crazy methods but eventually resorted to hammering it off and sheering the bolt. The car drove fine after that and we made it to Queenstown. But it was now late in the day and we were unable to get a ride to Te-Anau. We walked another 7km back into town, a km or two out Juli manadged to flag down a ride, and the car behind them was tying to pull them over so we facilitated a funny reunion. Wonderful people told us of a ugandan choir performing at the church that evening. We settled into Juli's friend's aunt's Hotel for a very discounted rate, then went to town for dinner (mmm sovlaki). The choir was fine, and it was good to talk to the others for a bit. The woman was pregnant and going to do a water birth in a yurt soon, she had also studied some at naropa. I also talked to the driver of the children's tour bus. The next day we waited along time on the road but did manage to get to Te-Anau. One ride was with a big happy doug which enjoyed my scratching. In Te-Anau I went to doc to tell them we had survived the routburn while Juli and James hitched on to fetch the car. I then went to the beach and flew my kite, had some lunch and made some sculptures.

Some hitching moments courtesy of Juli

The drive home was long. Juli dozed off for a bit and then when she woke up was a bit wired and crazy. We arrived before midnight and parted ways, tired but content.