Milford track. January 12-16,

For those just interested in the facts of our hike, we’ve included a summary below. Feel free to read, skim, or just look at the pictures.  For those that ascribe to the thinking of Jeff and Lou (Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story), we’ve also included the poem written by the four of us and read at the last group meeting of the trip as a tribute to our trip and guides. For some unknown reason they singled us out immediately to write something to close with! Disclaimer-after a week together there were many inside jokes that might make more sense after reading “the facts” or may be best explained in person.

The Milford track is a 5 day trip through the fiord lands. The topography includes wetlands, dense forests, and rugged coastlines. It rains 300 days a year and Jeff hoped for rain every day and all we heard was that when it rained, the rock wall erupt into waterfalls and small rivers become raging rivers. Luck for us (but not Jeff) it rained the day before we started and not again until day 5.  Before starting we drove about 5 hours to Queenstown, attended a Pre-trip meeting and spent the night. The trek then started with a 3.5 hour bus ride from Queenstown to Te Anau Downs where we boarded a boat for a short cruise to the start of the trail. Our group included about 40 people, Kiwis, Aussies, Brits, Asians, and us Yanks along with 4 guides.  We had a short 1.6 k walk to Glade House, our first lodge, which got us used to our packs and poles. After afternoon tea we took a nature walk to explore our surroundings and were introduced to what would become our mortal enemies, the sandflies! We also learned that there were no native mammals to New Zealand. Only birds. The native Māori brought in rats as food. The rats quickly took over, and weasels were brought in to eat the rats but the results were that they ate the birds, a few species to extinction. Brilliant! No snakes Aunt Maria, also no poison ivy, or spiders. The sand flies were our only enemy. Dinners were always 4 course gourmet and tonight was salmon or braised venison. I’ve never seen salmon that color and we saw our first deer farms on the bus ride over. Very strange seeing deer fenced in like we see cattle.  Dessert was a fabulous apple strudel with vanilla ice cream. Our lodge was a 4 person bunk house. Bathrooms/bathhouses were communal and unisex. The level of intimacy was established early! Briefing meetings were held every night. The generators went off at 10 and back on about 6:15. Clothes were washed and we were fast asleep well before lights out!

Day 2 was a 16k (10 miles) walk from Glade House to Pamplona Lodge. The days started out with packing lunches and snacks, and a great breakfast. Day 2’s trail included many suspension bridges, wetlands, rock walls, lush beech forest, and waterfalls. Hobbit and elves would have been right at home with all the moss covered trees and waterfalls. We climbed up about 200 meters and arrived in about 5-6 hours, all still feeling great. Sandflies were not bad on the trail but murderous at the lodge. We stopped for snacks and lunch. The guides carried Milo (a poor imitation for hot chocolate) and biscuits and met us at the rest stops. Kiwi long drops (portal potty) were available at rest stops.  We stopped at the Hirere waterfalls and soaked our feet. Some swam the glacial fed streams but they were way too cold for us. The banter along the way between trampers included heated discussions like cricket vs baseball. Jeff and Lou established clear guidelines as to what constitutes a “sport”: it must involve sweating, include a moving object such as a ball or puck, and have the possibility of a fight. The lines were firmly drawn between the Brits and the Yanks. Our reputation was firmly established as loud mouthed, pushy yanks. The cry of a new “Jeff created” bird was heard all over the trail…KA-KA, KA-KA!!!

 

 

It became our Marco Polo cry. We couldn’t lose Jeff and Lou on the trail. Dinner was chicken and crème Brule. Jeff, always the wheeler dealer, talked Jun into chocolate ice cream instead and Lou, not to be outdone, got a second crème Brule out of Katie. Thus we continued to make a name for ourselves. Pamplona lodge was the best one. We had some extra bunks in our room so Lou didn’t have to sleep in the top bunk and bathrooms/wash houses were separate for men and woman. Every night we hand washed out hiking clothes and hung them in the drying rooms to wear the next day.

Day 3 was a killer day! It was a 15k (9 mile) walk up over 2,000 feet to a height of 3,278 Ft to MacKinnon Pass and then down about 2,500 feet. The decent was some of the hardest walking with towering rock cliffs and boulder slide covered paths, a series of 11 switchbacks covering over 2 miles, moss covered forests  and alpine fed streams and cascading waterfalls. We had tea at the top, McKinnon memorial which is a haven for the Kia birds who we were warned were skilled thieves. This proved true as one skillfully opened Jeff’s pack and stole Jeff sandwich! At the top was a porta potty with the best view in the world. The decent proved to be endless and the last mile seemed like 5! We hiked down endless steps over moss covered wetland alongside of the river and waterfalls. It seemed that every sign or guide that passed mocked us with false encouragement of rest stops and lodges that seemed to never come. I’m pretty sure this is where we left our quads and calves! We no sooner arrived at the lodge that Jeff had us drop our pack and head right out for another 1.5 hike to Sutherland Falls. It is the world’s 5^th highest waterfall. We were promised that it was a flat trail there but that proved to be very false! By the time we got there we were so spent that we took a few quick pics and turned right around. Quinton lodge had some extra room so we had our own bunk rooms. Dinner was wild mushroom soup, rib eye steak or cod and sticky fig pudding with butterscotch sauce and fresh cream. We all slept really well that night.

Day 4 was from Quinten lodge to MITRE peak lodge at Milford sound. The walk was 21 k (13.5 miles) over mostly flat terrains. We began by descending rocky hills known as gentle Annie to lush rain forest. We stopped at the boat shed for tea and milo. The bathroom gave us the true meaning of long drop as it was on stilts. MacKay falls which is a landmark on the track next to Bell rock, another land mark. Clare tried to stand up in there but it didn’t work with her pack on.  Lunch was at Giant Gate Falls since it wasn’t possible to stop at the shelter, which was inhabited by sandflies. The hike took 7 hours and we had to time our arrival so we got there in time to catch the boat but not so early that we had too much time with the sand flies. The last two miles were the only flat ones on the trek and were built by convicts in 1890. We caught the boat back to Milford sound at Anita Bay. We stayed at MITRE peak Lodge where the electricity stayed on all night and we had our own private rooms and bathrooms. Dinner was rack of lamb or cod fish with New Zealand famous Pavlova for dessert. Our final meeting included receiving our awards and the reading of our tribute poem. The bar was open!

DAY 5 started with packing and a cruise on Milford Sound. Jeff finally got the rain he was whining for all week. The sound is full of raging waterfalls when it rains. The fiord was full of seals basking on the rocks.  Dolphins and penguins are known to be there but we didn’t see any. After that we boarded the bus for an unbelievably scenic ride back to Te Anau and then Queenstown. Since none of us had the legs to walk back up the hill to our hotel, Jeff and Lou managed to get the driver let them off at the top of the hill. One last finagling by the yanks. Onward from there to Wanaka. Hopefully we will find our legs there!

 

Ode to the guides or the Rise of the Sandflies

Guides: Katie, Richard, Jun, Erwin

 

In the beginning there was only the bird,

Rats did come later, that was the word.

 

Rabbits came after, with ferrets and weasels

Then came the Germans, they brought in the measles.

 

 “This is our land,” the sand-fly doth say,

“And with your blood, you surely will pay.”

 

We were outnumbered one thousand to one,

Away from the sand-fly we never could run,

 

The sand-fly in-wait, lay cozy in bed,

Knowing that fresh meat was just up ahead.

 

This was their playground, we thought it a track,

We found out too late, there was no going back.

 

The guides gave us equipment, they gave us a talk

Most of us didn’t even know how to walk.

 

They tightened our packs, they adjusted our poles,

The best advice given was “Stay out of holes.”

 

In our guides, we easily put all our trust,

It sounded so easy, it was Milford or bust.

 

No more McDonald’s, no Burger King,
Never saw a Hobbit, not even a ring.

 

Come Katie, come Erwin, come Richard and Jun,

Milo and tea will be served before noon.

 

They lied about distance, they lied about time,

They lied about everything, and said we’d be fine.

 

We were eaten by sandflies, the Kias ate our lunch,

The guides planned it all, that was out hunch.

 

We all had some blisters, our feet were quite sore.

Richard’s solution, was for us to walk more!

 

Erwin was in charge of the scones and the drink,

He told us by 4 that we’d surely all stink.

 

So go take a shower and please use some soap,

The stink well come clean, that is our hope.

 

Jun was the youngest, just learning his trade,

He would be lucky, if he ever got paid!

 

Katie said Quinton Lodge was quite near,

But for us to get there, it felt like a year!

 

Richard said Southerland track was quite flat,

“Bullocks” is all I have to say about that!!!

 

What’s that sand-fly doing in my soup?

“The back stroke,” said Jun, “No worries mate, it’ll come out in your poop.”

 

Erwin said, that the Kias are kind,

Sharing your lunch, I hope you don’t mind.

 

They served us one night, it looked like a mess,

Richard and Jun, came out in a dress.

 

Seriously, we had some amazing views, 

The best one of all, was the one from the loo.

 

33.5 miles have come to an end,

To all of our needs our guides did attend.

 

We wish to thank them for all they have done,

It certainly has been a whole lot of fun!

 

So tonight when you’re sleeping all tucked in your bed,

With your blanket wrapped firmly up over your head,

 

In the distance you’ll hear a faint sound thought extinct

The cry of the Ka-ka bird, now quite distinct….

KAKA….KAKA!!!

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 [jk1]