Day One: And so begins the journey to the start of our sixth Great Walk - from Queenstown we made our way along the shore of Lake Wakatipu to the Routeburn Shelter, where the trailhead of our tramp is located.
The Routeburn Track traverses a high alpine pass connecting Mt Aspiring NP and Fiordland NP. We stopped for a snack next to crystal clear glacial pools.
The first hut was situated on the flats, surrounded by high peaks. This was not our destination for the day, but a great place to brew a coffee and recharge for the climb to our overnight stop.
We got there as the heavens opened, and the deluge lasted all night. One brief respite allowed a quick glimpse of the impressive vista below. It was a chilly night in the hut as the temperature began to fall!
Day Two: With the tramp gaining so much altitude we were very soon up to the snow-line where yesterday's downpour had fallen as fresh snow. It was windy and cold but very much an adventure!
Can you believe this is the height of summer?
The temperature was well below freezing and in places we were walking through 5-6 inches of snow. Not exactly what we had bargained for on a summer hike!
Whenever the clouds parted the views were mesmerising. The addition of snow enhanced the beauty of the mountainous landscape. This view looked down upon Lake Mackenzie, the location of our hut.
After several hours in pretty much blizzard conditions, it was a relief to have our goal in sight.
As we wound our way down the mountainside we once again encountered the unique NZ bush, twisted moss-covered trees crowded the air making the atmosphere still & close!
Like a scene from 'Where the Wild Things Are' we half expected creatures to be lurking behind every turn... but it was only Dave!
Through the forest in one piece... we reached the peace & tranquility of the lake.
The misty light made a magical setting.
As the sun dropped, signs of the weather abating gave us hope for clearer views tomorrow.
Dusk provided encouragement for some experimental shots:
Day Three: The rain had ceased but there was still plenty of water around. We encountered many waterfalls that trickled and tumbled:
Finally some blue sky (very blue) and sunshine to warm us up. Hard to believe that just yesterday we were trudging through snow on the very same walk?
The outlook was incredible...
... the optional side trip to Key Summit was well worth the extra KM's.
Looking back down the valley over the route we had taken, it was unanimous, the Routeburn has leapt into first place as our favourite Great Walk. Next we tackle the famous Milford Track (described as the World's best walk). Expectations are high!!! :-)
Absolutely magical photos again. You seem to be going from one superlative to another and it's hard to know what to say. Your pictures have got a most amazing 'wow' factor! It looks really stunning and so lovely in such a pristine environment. Keep them coming xxx
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