Kristopher's New Zealand Trip

***Warning this is an extremely long post. I'm sorry but I just had so much to say***

So we finally made it to Te Anau to do the Keplar track and Milford Sound. When we got to Te Anau we found that the Keplar was booked up in the tent sites for another 2 days and that the huts were $45 dollars each as upposed to $15 for campsites. We also found out that the 60km cirtuit only had one campsite. We decided to book in for 2 days later and do the Milford Sound stuff first. After checking in the the hostel we spent the evening enjoying movies and a meal at the restuarant.

The next day we headed off for Milford Sound. If you go to New Zealand that is one of the things that I would suggest not missing. If I could of done the track I would have but it was booked up until May. We hopped on the cheapest cruise that we could find and cruised through the sound. The scenery was unbelievable. The mountains were so steep everywhere that you could have jumped from the top of any of them and made it into the water. They were also extremely high so it would have hurt alot to jump off. The sound itself had an incredable depth of 400m at places. Interestingly enough, because they recieve so much moisture in Milford Sound there is a 3m layer of freshwater on top and then the rest is salt water. Because of the layer of freshwater not much light makes it to the salt water and there is not much life under the water. Just a bit of fish, dolphins, and seals. There was also a ton of waterfalls all over in the Milford Sound because of all the rain they recieve. On the drive there and back there is a tunnel that goes through a mountain. I loved it because it was almost 2 minutes long. When we were waiting to go back through the tunnel at the end of the day we saw a Kia. It is the only real alpine parrot in the world. It is also one of the most curious, intellegent birds in the world. It was really neat how close to the car he came and some of the photos I captured.

We started out on the Kepler track early in the morning at 8:30. We had to do this because we were walking 30km. The first part of the day was an uphill climb up to the top of the mountain. We got some really nice views of lake Te Anau and also some cool rock faces. Once we got above the tree level we were pretty much to the first hut. We stopped here for lunch. After a quick snack we took a short side trip to a nearby cave. The cave was created by a small creak running down the moutain. The cave was amazing and we managed to climb into the cave for almost 20 minutes. The cave was getting a little tight at that point and we didn't want to make any big risks so we headed back out at that point. It was really neat how undesiturbed the cave was even after having so many people come explore it. In the afternoon we hiked along a ridge across the mountains. We even managed to get across a bit of snow. By this point we were all getting tired and the wind was starting to get chilly up there. After stopping for short breaks at the emergency huts (everybody does, they are great spots for breaks but you can only sleep there in an emergancy) we made it to the end of the ridge. The later part of the afternoon was spent hiking down the hill to our campsite. We got there early evening of later afternoon and set up camp. At this camp we met a group of canadians we had met in Queenstown already and an american we had met several times already. The next morning we woke up at 7:30 to take down camp and get ready for the next 30km. The rest of the day was pretty much flat and boring and it ended up raining at the end of the hike. When we finally made it out at around 2:30 or 3:00 we were all exuasted and not the least bit worried to spend a couple of days in a hostel.

We spent 2 more days in Te Anau and then headed off to Invecargel. That where we would sort of base our Stewart Island trek out of. When we got to Invecargel and went to the DOC office (people in charge of the parks and things) Jon decided that he didn't want to do the 10 day hike on Stewart Island. After a little bit of thought he decided he wouldn't go to Stewart at all. So after 2 days in Invecargel he left us. We said our goodbyes and he headed off to Wellington to find a job. A day after Jordan and I set off to do the Stewart Island North West Circuit, the longest circuit trek in NZ.

In the begging of the day we drove down to Bluff where we would be taking the ferry down to Stewart Island. When we got there at 8:30 we found out that the next ferry would be at 9:30. So we booked it and waited for the ferry. The ferry ride out was hurrendously choppy at times we were literally lifted out of our seats. Once on Stewart Island we went to the DOC office, told them our plans, purchased our last night in the great walk hut (our back-country passes covered the rest of the hike), and set off. The DOC lady informed us that after we got passed the first half of the first day(which was on the great walk track) it would get a little bit muddy. She said that right before our first hut we would have to make it through some mud. Then she said that our second last day would be really muddy coming down the hill to our last hut. She informed us that people often skip the last 2 days and come out of the freshwater landing. We figured that would be a waste of money just to avoid some mud and decided to just go for it.

You might want to visit the track map at this website to get a better idea of what im explaining.

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/southland/southern-islands/north-west-circuit-stewart-island-rakiura/track-description/track-map/

The first part of the track was about 5km of roads. This ended up taking a little over an hour and soon we were on great walk track. Then what was apparantly suppose to take 3 hours was 2 hours for us. The track was relatively flat and boring. We took a quick lunch at the first great walk hut and kept going on our way. About 15 minutes into the second half of the day we came across our first bit of mud. We found that we could easily skirt around it through the forest while only taking about twice as long as it would have to do that 20 foot section. We figured that it wasn't to bad because we would only have to do it a couple times. Were we ever wrong. Within another 15 minutes we realized that whole track from here to Bungaree hut would be muddy and difficult. Within the hour we were just marching through the mud, relying on our gaters to keep the mud out of our boots. At least the mud never came up to our knees and only usually only half ways. When we finished this part of the track that was to take 3 hours in 2 and a half hours we were exuasted. The mud drained you. The day was only 18km but it felt like thirty. We met the other people that we would be sharing huts with throughout the hike, had supper, and had an early sleep. The next morning we set off at about 10:15, over 2 hours after the other people in the hut. The next section was about 12km or 6 hours. Again like yesterday there weren't many views and a lot of mud. After 3.5 hours we met up with the other group and in 4.5 hours we made it to the next hut, Christmas Village hut. At this hut we talked a lot more with the group. There were 4 people in this group. 3 older NZ people and one young guy from Scottland. When we first got to the hut we found some peoples items already there. After about an hour a couple walked in and said that they had choppered in to hike the mountain on Stewart Island. It was really neat because they then called in their helicopter to pick them up and the chopper came and landed right infront of the hut. We decided to go out and collect some Puau for supper. Puau is a very valuable shell fish that resides in the NZ waters. Look them up, they are very neat and have great shells. The Puau shells when harvesting need to be at least 12.5cm or fit in your hand or more to be legel. To take them of the rock you have to be very quick and strong or have something to pry them off with. We weren't ever quick enough so we Needed to use Murry's(the guy from Scottland) knife. I figured that even though I think I'm allergic to fish I would try these because I had already tried mussels and didn't react to them. After teaching us how to gut and tenderize the Puau the older man that was in the group fried them in garlic and butter. They were rather tasty but kinda link chicken or something. After we were done eating them they informed us that if we had purchased them it would be about $200. The Puau was good but I would have prefered a nice steak and there was only about 1 per person which wasn't that much because they were hard to find. The next day we were going from Christmas village to Yanky River. This day was so similar to the day before. We left at 10:30, hiked the 6 hours in 4.5 hours, met and passed the people that left 2 hours before us, and hiked 12km. At Yanky River hut we did Puau again except that this time we managed to find enough for everybody to eat as much as they could. We also saw a whitetail deer. They were all pretty excited but it was a really young doe, not much to be excited about. They are an introduced species on Stewart Island. The next day to Long Harry hut was suppose to be shorter. Only 8.5km or 5 hours. It still took us 4.5 hours but that was because we had a really long break on the beach. Because of our long break the other group managed to beat us to the cabin. That evening we ate our own food and the older people went to bed. Jordan and I got a lot more aquianted with Murry. We found out that he was hiking with these people because he had been living with a family while on a orchard and they knew people going. The suggested he go with them. So he met them on Stewart Island and did the hike with them. We then found out that this group of people were all almost 60. Geeze we were impressed and I decided that if I could do that hike when I was 60 then that would be a miracle. The next day to East Ruggady was to take 6 hours. It was only 9.5km but it had lots of steep hills and some quicksand. We started off the day with 3 consecutive hills. After that we climbed down to the beach. After chilling on the beach for a couple hours we headed up for a while. The incline was long and draining but worth it because when we got to the top there was our first viewpoint of the trip. The view was one of the most dynamite views we had recieved in all of NZ. It was great. Just before we had reached the top there was a Kiwi that I had managed to see. I was super pumped because most New Zealanders have not seen a wild kiwi. Jordan was stuck in mud so he didn't manage to see it. After the view we had to hike all the way down to the other side. At the bottom we reached a beach with a river to cross. The whole river and the banks around it was made up of quicksand. You had to be careful of where you stepped or else you could be sucked in. You wouldn't go past your knees but still, wet boots. We started trying to cross but soon realised there was no good way across. We both ended up with wet boots. It was still fun and all part of the experience. After hiking 20 minutes through sand dunes we made it to the hut. Here we met a group of 6 hunters that were out here for a week. They were the most red neck Kiwi's(New Zealander's if you didn't know) ever. One guy invited me and Jordan to come to his house after we were done the trek but decided not to because he was really weird. The next day was to Hellfire Pass hut. That describes it so well. While only being 14km it was suppose to take us an entire 7 hours. So far everyday on the track had been muddy all the time. Luckly it hadn't rained yet, which was a miracle because Stewart Island has 275 days of rain a year, so it wasn't as bad as it has been. Apparantly coming up to the hike there had been a ton of rain so thats why the track was so muddy. The day was really long with big ups and big downs with muddy tracks making the climbs and decents mean. Both times we enjoyed the beaches we came down on for a short while. We even caught up the other group on the second beach (they always left 2 hours before us). The pass from the last beach up to the hut was cruel and unusual but we managed and finished the day in only 6 hours. When we got the this hut we met a girl from Switzerland who was going to do 14 days of hiking(going on to the Southern circuit) but decided only to do the Northern circuit. She had spent the day relaxing on the beach. We had a nice evening getting to know her and relaxing. The next day was gonig to be the hardest day. Again it was to take 7 hours and it was going to be 15km to Mason Bay hut. Jordan started off the day sick and we just started walking. This day was finally a little drier on the track and we were going up to the altitude of 400m. This day was my favorite day because the track was decent, I felt good, and there was some stunning views. The first part of the track followed a ridge up and down to Little Hellfire beach. Here we relaxed for an hour and took in the sun. Then we had to climb up a steep hill up to 200m and back down. It was extremely muddy on both side and combined with steepness it made for tough going. Once we were over we were on Mason Bay beach. about 5km of beach walking. Luckily most of the beach was hard sand. We walked halfways down the beach and then inland through the dunes to the hut. Here we crashed really early because we were so exuasted. The day took 6 hours again. The next day was to freshwater landing. It was 15km but was only to take 3-4 hours because of its extremely flatness. I nailed out this hike in only 2.25 hours and was happy to be done. Jordan and both agreed to take the water Taxi out that day. The next day was suppose to be a huge hill with such steep muddy sides that it was actually dangerous. Everybody was boating out at Freshwater so we decided to as well. The river rose with the tide and they could boat all the way inland. It was a cool ride out lasting about 30 minutes to an hour. That was that we were done the hike and happy to be done. The hike was hard, muddy, trying, and tiring. We were both glad we had done it but wouldn't do it again.