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Published: December 10th 2008
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Lunch at the GYC
We had an amazing lunch before heading up into the mountains! Dec 3-6 -
Call it what you want - hiking, tramping, trekking - it's a great adventure and a wonderful new found sport for the Shivers Family!
We left Timaru on Wednesday and it was a gorgeous summer day. We spent the afternoon in Queenstown checking in with the Dept. of Conservation (D.O.C.) to pick up our hut passes and sign in for the tramp. The forecast for Thurs and Friday was terrible - rainy, cold and winds gusting up to 120 km. Our plan was to get a bus ride to The Divide, hike up to Lake MacKenzie Hut on Thurs, up over the pass on Friday to Routeburn Falls Hut, and down the mountain and out on Sat. Sat and Sun forecast looked amazing and the D.O.C. recommended that we alter our trip by one day. Since we needed to get back on Sunday at a decent time, we were unable to shift the days. So, it was suggested that we hike in and out at the same location and judge how far we wanted to hike based on the weather on Friday. This seemed like a good alternative and we were able to secure 4 bunks in the
Routeburn Flats Hut for the first night. Since we only had 4 bunks, this meant that we had to purchase a small tent and one of us might have to use it if the warden wouldn't let the boys share a bunk.
Thurs. was great. After a relaxing morning of listening to the downpour, and getting organized, we headed to Glenorchy for lunch before beginning our trek. The Glenorchy Cafe was amazing. It was a gourmet lunch and exactly what we needed before heading out.
The first day was only a 3 hour hike to our hut. It was wet, but the rain had stopped and the waterfalls were amazing. People say that Waterfalls are the one good thing about rain... and there were many! We arrived at the hut at around 5:30. I think we were close to the last ones to arrive. The bunk options were minimal, but the guests were very accomodating and moved around so we could all be together. As it turns out, we ran into Roncalli School from Timaru at the hut. There were approx 15 students staying there and this was their last night. Sydney knew several of the kids so this was
a real bonus for her. The boys spent their free time whittling pieces of wood. For dinner we had "boil in the bag" Indian food. Everyone was in bed by 10pm when it finally got dark and no one slept very well...
Up the next morning fairly early to get organized and started on our way. It was only a 1 hour hike up to the Routeburn Falls Hut, but all uphill. At that point we dropped our packs for the night and claimed our bunks before going further. This was nice to be able to do, as it made a long day of hiking bearable not having to carry the extra weight. The hike was above the tree line and the views were spectacular! It was about 2 1/2 hours up to the Harris Saddle Pass where there was a day hut for a lunch stop. It was extremely windy up there so nice to get out of the wind. There were snow flurries all day and lots of wind, but no rain. We had plenty of clothing so we felt like snow was a drier option than rain. Gregg and Syd opted to go up to the top
of Conical Hill (another hour uphill) and the boys and I headed back. Gregg and Syd had an amazing time with the most gorgeous views. They hiked on snow and could see the ocean from the top. (See the photos.) The boys and I (mainly because of me) took our time getting back to the hut. What we realized is there is no rush to get to the next stop as once you have reached your destination, there isn't much to do. This was esp. difficult for the boys. We have noted for the next trip that we need to bring books for everyone, more activities for the kids, and journals! Our dinner on Friday consisted of Easy Mac - yuck, Ramen Noodles - yuck, Couscous and Salmon - yuck. Meanwhile, there was a group of Australian women who were cooking a gourmet dinner with garlic and fresh vegies and making everyone very envious! Better food is a must for the next trip!
Okay, Friday was the coldest night I have ever experienced. For some reason I was colder than anyone else. Once I fell asleep, I was fine and slept well, but I had 6 layers on, hat, gloves,
and scarf!
Saturday was perfect. The sun was shinning, the weather was warm and we took our time hiking down the mountain. The kids had fun playing in the streams, skipping stones, and climbing on the rocks. Avery even got wet up to his waist! We got back to Glenorchy at around 4pm, had a snack at the GYC cafe before heading back to Queenstown. Stopped in town to return our hiking sticks, which I think saved my knees, and to have Thai food and a drink, before heading to the Top 10 Holiday Park for showers and a warm, comfy bed.
It was an excellent trip. Everyone did very well with very few complaints. I was the slowest, but as I mentioned before, there is no need to rush. I thoroughly enjoyed going slower than the rest and enjoyed my journey! Next stop...The Milford Trail in February!
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Crazy Uncle Stevie
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Looks like fun!
We're soooo jealous...