Routeburn Track: Mackenzie Hut to The Divide

location: final leg of the Routeburn track - Lake Mackenzie to The Divide
distance: 12km
sights: after the up and down of the preceding days, the third day was pretty level and mostly downhill - and still pretty gorgeous. (one tiny, strenuous uphill bit before the final descent...)

a trio of women headed towards Routeburn Falls did a marvelous disservice to the entire hut by waking up at 6:00 am and proceeding to pack their bags. while everyone else was trying to get a final bit of sleep. this would have made sense in the world of the Camino where numerous people would awake at such an hour - and everyone else would follow within 15 or 20 minutes - but here, it was clear that people intended to have a lie-in. important point in bunk etiquette; if you anticipate getting up before everyone else, take a few moments before bed to pull out morning necessities and arrange your pack. otherwise, everyone you wake up (and you will wake everyone up) will send bad bad energy at you.


and so we got up earlier than we'd planned, ate our tasty camp breakfast-in-a-bag (thanks Backcountry! now we just have to find something adequate stateside.) and were out of the bunk welllllll before those three early-rising ladies, sipping their coffee and getting gnarly looks from other bleary-eyed trampers. another reason it pays to pack your bag the night before ...

as a consequence, we were out on the trail before anyone else - again - and had marvelous, unspoiled tramping nearly all morning. we went through several avalanche zones with dire warnings to tell us not to stop for the next xx hundred meters. for the first third of the hike or so, we had unobstructed views of the mountains across the valley; I stumbled on a couple of occasions from looking at the view and not the path in front of me.

the highlight of the hike were the Earland Falls (178 meters high). the guidebook recommended it as a lunch spot, but we reached it mid-morning, earlier than we even wanted to stop for a snack. so we just took a few moments and enjoyed the sounds and view and the pool at the base of the falls.

from there, we remained below the treeline ... and began encountering giant bags of gravel dropped in the middle of the path. since the track isn't accessible by road, material to build up and repair the track are dropped in enormous square bags by helicopter, smack in the middle of the trail. made for interesting obstacles.

Routeburn Track - Falls to Lake Mackenzie

location: Routeburn Falls Hut to Mackenzie Hut
distance: 11 km
elevation change: gain of about 600ft, loss of about 1000 ft, net loss about 400ft

Harris Lake, north side of the saddle

description: the trek from Routeburn Falls to Lake Mackenzie was much easier than the previous day. the elevation gain was all at the start of the day, and the views over the mountain valley, back down over the falls were more than enough to make up for the effort.

as habituated by our previous hiking treks, we were some of the first up and moving in the DOC hut, and some of the very first out on the track that day. we could tell because it had snowed the night previous and the single perplexing track was accompanied by bike tracks ... something that isn't allowed on the trail. the early start made for slightly treacherous track near the Harris Saddle/Tarahaka Whakatipu - it snowed the previous night and it certainly hadn't warmed up enough by 9am
to have melted.

south side of the saddle

through the saddle, it was a bit remarkable how much the landscape changed. compared to the previous day of climbing steadily through dense forest, making the occasional bridge crossing, the hike from the Falls to Lake Mackenzie was almost entirely above the treeline - with stunning views of the Hollyford valley and mountains beyond. the bulk of the tramping was relatively level, with moderate descents and climbs until just above Lake Mackenzie. the early start meant we encountered few people for most of the day; it wasn't until we began descending towards the lake that we ran into a guided group just finishing their climb from the catered hut below. most were a bit winded, or taking their time to make it up the climb (which was nothing to sneeze at). one delightful older (possibly 70s) gent said to us as we passed him, "It's a long way to Tipperary" with a great big grin on his face. I think we both hope to have that kind of energy when we reach that age!

the descent to Lake Mackenzie was longer than it looked, as it often is in the last stretch of the day. we passed a spot where two young people were killed in a sudden storm several decades ago, when the track washed out. for all the track's beauty, it was a reminder that conditions could change quickly and prove deadly, particularly in the exposed areas. not much farther on we stepped into what felt like a prehistoric forest - reminiscent of Fangorn in the ongoing LOTR comparison.

view of Lake Mackenzie to the north

we were the first to the hut by hours - which meant pick of the bunks above the main room! the Mackenzie Hut was much more cabinlike and heaps warmer for it. no mutinous rumblings about raiding the catered guided-hike building this night! the warden had been staffing that hut for decades - spending the better part of the afternoon on structure projects/improvements - and had delightful anecdotes to share in the evening's hut talk. if I had my druthers, I might just hike in to Lake Mackenzie to camp and then hike back out the next day!

Routeburn Track - Shelter to Falls

Off we go!

location: Routeburn Track in the Fiordland National Park
distance: 7.2 miles
elevation gain:

description: in comparison to our last two big, multi-day hikes, we proved exceptionally well-prepared for the three-day hike along the Routeburn Track. throughout the summer we made a concerted effort to undertake lengthy and strenuous day hikes, pushing ourselves more than in previous years and taking advantage of the mountain trails of San Bernardino County.

after a great stop in Queenstown, we set out for the eastern trailhead of the Routeburn Track, located past the end of sealed roads past Glenorchy. we left Queenstown after breakfast and enjoyed the twisty road along Lake Wakatipu, arriving in Glenorchy around 9:30 to collect a lockbox from the people we engaged to relocate our rental car to the Divide end of the track. a bit more driving - now off the sealed road through pastureland filled with weeks-old lambs tottering around and exploring in close proximity to their mothers.

the parking lot was fairly full for shoulder season and we saw plenty of people throughout the day, including at least one guided tour group. we secured our lockbox to the underside of the car, hoisted our packs back into their familiar positions and head off.

most of the first day was a gradual and pleasant climb up to the Routeburn Flats hut. the track mostly followed the course of the north branch of the Route Burn River, crossing via swing bridges perodically. we stopped for lunch at the Flat hut with stunning views of the valley. there was an optional side-track that explored the valley but, uncertain of what the rest of the day might hold, we didn't venture off-Track.

the two and a half kilometers from the Flats to the Falls were a steady, brutal ascent. in future, I will try to think on this climb as a reminder of the rewards of uphill climbs. we were very grateful to reach our destination - the DOC hut perched on the side of the mountain just below the actual Routeburn Falls.

we were some of the first bunking hikers to arrive for the day and claimed our desired bunks before heading to the common area in search of some warmth. neither of the two young women we found in the common area had made an attempt at starting a fire with the fuel provided - meager kindling and a heap of coal. Andy is quite adept at starting a fire with wood and made a valiant attempt at getting one going with the coal provided - to limited and under-appreciated effect. (we later learned that we were stuck with coal because brisk winds had prevented the helicopter re-supply from landing in preceding days.)  there was a fair bit of good-natured joking around the Hut about storming the guided-tour-lodge just up the hill to thaw out a bit.

a group of four college-age friends, who were hiking from the Divide end assured us that the Mackenzie Hut had plenty of wood - wood they hadn't the opportunity to enjoy as it arrived that morning. they'd also realized that their spare key was going to be locked inside their car - along with the driver's key - upon its relocation to the Shelter. but they were in delightful spirits all the same - exuberance of youth at the end of school term!

Routeburn Flats

we spent most of the afternoon drinking tea out of our handy pot/mug, reading, and writing until it was time to heat up water to make our tasty hiking food. it snowed off and on most of the afternoon and evening, clearing periodically to provide astonishing views of the valley below and mountains surrounding us. I made Andy climb up above the hut to get some panoramic views before we made dinner. we chatted a bit with a young German woman and a Canadian man at the end of his student-age work-visa; he was working his way through the Great Walks of the South Island and I confess to being a bit envious of all he'd accomplished.

after the hut talk (a somewhat rambling talk from an American that focused primarily on addressing the invasive species problem and the DOC's efforts to eradicate predators) Andy explained how to play euchre and we did our best to remember rules consistently enough to have a good time (we did, and did). when we couldn't put it off any longer, we headed for the freezing bunk room and endured a very cold and rather unpleasant night with little to no proper sleep. we were both incredibly glad for our Katmandu thermals, nestled beneath every other piece of clothing we had. but we survived the night - and fared better than some - and were up and out before any other Mackenzie-bound trampers. all those early mornings on the Camino prepared us well.

Fox Glacier

Aerial view from my parents' trip c. 2002

location: Fox Glacier (Te Moeka o Tuawe in Maori) in the Southern Alps
distance: approximately 2.2 miles

description: we hadn't explicitly planned on visiting both Franz Josef and Fox glaciers, but after our experience at the first glacier, we decided to take the time to visit Fox and were rewarded for our decision. the glacier isn't easily seen from the parking lot, but the steep walls and numerous rock slides give the valley a more dramatic, rugged feel. the previous Fox carpark was buried by a rock slide several years previously and a new one constructed a bit farther up the valley.

whereas the path to Franz Josef was over the flat valley floor, the one to Fox glacier stuck more to the mountainside Fox River was historically more prone to flash flooding. additionally, rock slips are more frequent along the Fox trail as well; in several places we could see where new track had been cut after the old track had been buried. there were even several spots with dire warnings not to stop for several hundred meters -- including the last, steep climb up to the viewing area -- for rock slip danger. news articles posted on informational boards at both sites warned provided numerous examples - recent and historic - of fatal errors by tourists who didn't heed safety measures.

Ground-level view from our trip Nov 2014

the setting and dire warnings conspired to create a more impressive atmosphere at Fox. all the evidence of recent, unstable geologic activity, the glacier obscured by terrain until the top of the final climb, and the comparatively pristine terminal face make for a dramatic reveal.

because we arrived later at Fox, we didn't have the same marvelous solitude as at Franz Josef, but it there certainly weren't enough people to tarnish the experience - and a extra hands to take posed photos for us with the glacier in the background. we heard a fair few helicopters porting people up to visit the top of the glacier, as my parents did when they visited about a decade ago. it's hard to tell from their aerial photo where we stood on our visit, or determine how much glacier has been lost in the intervening years. our view from the ground up was definitely worth the extra stop after Franz Josef and extra huffing and puffing to see the glacier.

Franz Josef Glacier

location: Franz Josef Glacier (Ka Roimata o Hinehukatere in Maori) in the Southern Alps
distance: approx 4 miles

Franz Josef glacier

description: prior to this trip, Andy had never seen a glacier up close and since both the Franz Josef and Fox glaciers are readily accessible from the west coast highway on the South Island, we knew we'd have an opportunity to get a good look at them. when my parents visited New Zealand more than a decade a go, they took a helicopter to the top of the glacier for the opportunity to walk on the surface. based on our travel plans, we opted to hike to the base of the glacier from the car park.

ever keen to avoid the worst of crowds, we inquired with our hostel host as to the best time to hit the trail and, based on her recommendation, arrived about 6:30 to find ourselves the only car in the carpark. we didn't see anyone else until after we were on our return journey - solitary enjoyment of the glacier: wonderful!


the track cuts pretty straight through the glacial valley, following the course of the Waiho River at a safe distance. unlike the Fox Glacier, you can see most of Franz Josef from quite a distance; it offered great views but also illustrated how much the glacier has retreated over time. when tourists started coming to see it in the late 19th century, the glacier filled much of the valley that we spent more than 30 minutes crossing in the early 21st century. in the 20th century, even with periodic advances made due to favorable weather conditions, both Franz Josef and Fox glaciers have retreated some 2.5 kilometers.

view down the valley towards the Tasman Sea

the final few hundred meters climb steeply to afford views of the glacial face, past an ice cave that I'm sure guided and foolhardy unsupervised tourists alike explore on occasion. the end of the track was about 200 meters from the end of the glacier itself, with access restricted beyond due to changing conditions and potential instability. from up close, my overwhelming impression was that Franz Josef makes a more spectacular sight at a distance. the size of the nearby mountains somewhat dwarf the glacier, some 12 kilometers long from the neve to terminal face that we approached. moreover, the face was largely covered with rock debris, giving it a gritty appearance and making it somewhat hard to distinguish from the surrounding mountainsides.

despite the underwhelming aspects, it was very special and awe-inspiring to observe the glacier without other people milling about and without the sound of helicopters spiriting people up to the top of the glacier.