Keppler Track and Milford Sound

Here are a few photos from our two days (one night in a hut) on the Keppler track, plus some from our drive down to Milford Sound and a hike en route at Gertrude Saddle. We decided to stay at the Luxmore hut on the Keppler track so that we could do a full afternoon on the ridge between this hut and the two emergency shelters. Our first day was full - 3.5 hours to the Luxmore hut, then 6 hours along the ridge and back including climbing to the summit of Luxmore.

The Keppler Track hike began in forest along a lake and then climbed out onto a mist-shrouded plateau . This 'fog-bow' lay over the fields just before the Luxmore hut.

Lovely alpine flowers - - the Common New Zealand Gentian (Gentianella bellidifolia). See this blog for details on why this and other NZ gentians are not blue.

The mist highlighted hundreds of webs in the alpine meadows

Rani looks out from the ridge walk trail. The inversion layer clouds soon cleared off.

Chris stands near the summit of Mount Luxmore

Rani consults the map to try to identify nearby peaks and lakes

This mountain had a lovely and tempting ridge walk, but we had a long enough day (about 10 hours hiking) without adding another side trip

We were mutually surprised and delighted to meet our sailing friends, Yoshi and Myumi, off 'Gaku' at the Luxmore hut.

Returning to the Luxmore hut from an extended ridge walk to the Hanging Valley shelter (6 hours return with day packs - after we left our full packs at the shelter)

The Luxmore hut deck at sunrise the next day.

Rani enters the Luxmore cave - about 10 minutes walk above the hut.

Trampers enter the Luxmore cave.

The next day, an inversion layer hid the lake below as we descended to the car park. It cleared as the morning wore on and we had nice views of the lake.

Rani outstanding in her field - on the road to Milford Sound

Stunning scenery on the last 40 kms of the road to Milford Sound. This road passes through an incredible tunnel (the Homer Tunnel), which essentially burrows under the roots of a mountain much like the ones in the picture.

Tree ferns give this place a different feel from our Canadian west coast forest.

Milford Sound from the shore near the departure point for cruises.

New Zealand edelweiss

The awe-inspiring cliffs that guard access to Gertrude Saddle - a challenging day hike that can be accessed along the Milford Sound Road.

This helicopter flew very close to us as it took tourists on a hair-raising flight through the mountain pass.

Climbing the steep smooth slabs.

Rani just below the saddle. Note the steel cables thoughtfully let into the rock as well as the tiny hikers below to give some scale.

Rani looks out from the Gertrude Saddle. Milford Sound is in the distance.

Rani is happy to be coming down because she knows there is a nice glacial lake to swim in just below us.

Routeburn Track Photos

We hiked for a day on the Routeburn track, basing ourselves at the Sylvan DOC campsite, nearby. This campsite is situated down a rough gravel road north of Glenorchy. Glenorchy is at the end of the lake on which Queenstown is located (Wakatipu) and the drive between the two towns is very scenic.

Miiner's cottages at Arrowtown, a charming but touristy small town we passed through en route to Queenstown

Bridge in park in Queenstown. This park was an oasis in an otherwise frenetic city. Queenstown is the base for tourism in both Fiordland and the Queensland Lakes area.

Look off on the drive towards Glenorchy from Queenstown

We began our hike at crack of dawn, because we intended to do the equivalent of two days hiking in one day. All told we hiked for more than 9 hours, with a couple of hours rest along the way, returning at 7 pm.

Routeburn falls lie just above the large hut (48 bunks) and an even larger luxury lodge for guided walkers.

Harris lake lies just below Harris saddle, which was our halfway point on the track.

Some absolutely massive rocks had fallen from the cliffs above the trail.

Shelter and guided walker's rest stop on Harris Saddle. Low clouds/fog came and went in this area.

Looking down on Harris shelter. We climbed Conical Hill above the saddle for some great views, leaving a backpack at the shelter. 

View from Conical Hill - our turnaround point on this hike.

There were a few good photographers on the peak, so we took the opportunity for a couples shot,

360 degree views on Conical Hill

I demonstrate the use of hiking poles above Harris Lake. We have found a single pole quite useful on some of the more scrambly walks.

Lunch spot at Harris Saddle

Giant daisies

Wind swept lookout over Routeburn Flats with the Falls hut and lodge below.

Cows graze in the field at the Sylvan DOC campsite

We are now in Kingston, just south of Queenstown, catching up on emails and doing pharmacy  training.

Our little cottage at Hector's Holiday Camp in Kingston - home for two lovely relaxed days.

Today we leave for Te Anau and the start of the Keppler Track. We will miss Kingston and have enjoyed our stay here at Hector's. I recommend 'The Cottage' as a great little, relatively inexpensive ($60/night) option for campers wanting to get off the ground for a night or two! We have booked a hut on the Keppler track for tomorrow night (54 dollars each!) because we have heard that the scenery on the ridge above the hut is amazing and there is no way to reach it on a day hike.

Photos from Christchurch and the Banks Peninsula

This post is out of order, because we visited Christchurch and the Banks Peninsula a couple of weeks ago, but better late than never. Please see earlier post for more details on our trip to the Banks Peninsula.

Rani and friend in the botanical gardens, Christchurch

Amazing topiary at the botanical gardens

The rose garden features some surprising hybrids.

The trees are also pretty large in this park - Rani stands under a grand old eucalyptus.

We took in part of a play adaptation of Wind in the Willows in Christchurch and then hurried off to find a campsite.

From Christchurch we made our way to Orton Bradley park where we did some hiking and met Bill Sykes, who volunteers in the gardens (see earlier post).

Rani with horticultural expert Bill Sykes

The Orton Bradley park features a water driven lumber mill and we came across this elderly pump engine about a kilometer from the mill.

A whimsical door in the woods

View back toward Orton Bradley park en route to Mount Herbert (920 meters)

We made our own route on the way up, passing through pastures.

These sheep seemed surprised to see us.

There is a shelter on the way up Mount Herbert

On the way down - Mount Bradley in the distance

Lovely views on the way back to Orton Bradley Park

Much of the trail is through meadows

After Orton Bradley, we drove over to Okains Bay and camped there at a lovely and well equipped campsite on the beach.

Library in Okains Bay has been running since the 1860's - The building is only about 5 meters by 5 meters and contains one wall of books, and a large round table  and chairs where books used to be read to those who could not read.

Colourful and shapely phone booth in Okains Bay. We saw a similar booth in far away Arrowtown, this week.

Sheep herding, using ATV, small boy, and dog

Chicken at campsite in Okains Bay - came looking for a hand-out. She likes crackers and cooked oatmeal (no raw oats please).

Rani has a cracker

Quite a jump for such a plump little bird.

Baby booties at a stall in Akaroa

Classic car tours were a common site in Akaroa