We just entered Queenstown via an extremely steep and hairpin road withother. We were to spend the next three days in this city with loose plans of relaxation and fun. On the night of our arrival, Liz and I broke loose from the family fathers for dinner. We ended up in town at a well know and delicious pizzeria called Winnie's. We had a table for two on an open air veranda up the second floor. We had a few beers and some pizza and just watched the masses flow through the shopping center as the sun set over the city. After the meal, we walked the streets to explore the gift shops and other local establishments. By 10:30, the air had chilled and a strong wind picked up so we headed back to the HippoLodge, our hostel accommodation for the stay. The four of us had our own room next to a bathroom at the minimal frills establishment.
On the second day, we got a recommendation from Micky at the front desk for a winery nearby called Gibbston Valley Winery. We headed out of town to the winery and explored their Cheesery which had samples of cheese, spreads, and honeys. We also paid the 15$ for the cave tour which included the recent history of the winery and pinot gris vine culture in the region. It also came with a couple tastings which were amazing. After the tour, we sat down to lunch at their outdoor eating area which had a lovely patio in the shade. The food came out the kitchen and our senses were treated to one of the more amazing meals eaten. Each dish was simplistic yet the flavors were elating and when paired with their suggested wine per meal, the choice was right.The rest of the night was spent back at the hostel. During our dinner at the barbie outside, we heard a rustling in the bushes. Liz checked and found a big ol brown European hedgehog! He was not pleased to be found out even though his foraging was making quite some noise. Liz left him alone so he could find the rest of his nightly meal.
On our third day in town, we decided to ride the gondola up to the top of the mountain which over looks the city of Queenstown. It was quite impressive to see such a beautiful vista.
We also hiked a short yet steep path to the top of a hill where we located a geocache. While up there, we met an older couple from New Caledonia who said that my grandfather on the Glaser side was a figure in their history and even had a road named after him. Cool! We had two more activities to do while atop the hill. The first was a downhill luge for which we purchased 3 rides. The sloping and curving paths were fun for all and the rides were a blast! Unfortunately, we opted not to buy the ride photos. Finally, we were treated to a show of the Maori Haka; a series of ritual dances including chest slapping, foot stomping and chanting. The dances were performed for all types of ceremonies including greetings, weddings and celebrations. Little did we know that the male viewers were to be trained as performers on stage. Some of my fellow men on stage were way off beat and their tongue skills lacking.
Post dinner, we started preparing for our big day tomorrow. Food had to be planned, purchased and packed; gear had to be located, locked and set and bodies had to be well rested for the Routeburn Track which was to come in the AM.
We woke up the next morning bright and early. Bags were packed and the car was loaded. We checked out of the Hippolodge hostel which had been our home for the past three nights. The day prior, Liz and I grabbed our prepaid Hut and Camping tickets from the DOC at the local storefront in Queenstown. We had set the arrangements for these tickets in September and even with that much advance, there was still alot of competition for the passes. The cost was fairly minimal and helps pay for park Wardens to care for and clean the stops/facilities and also for improvements to swing bridges and pathways. On our way out of town, we stopped to get a meal and headed on our way to Glenochy which is a small town north of Queenstown and the starting point for our trek.
A long gravel road brought us to the trail head and we double checked our packs before hitting the track. The weather the first day was gorgeous. The winding forested trail had numerous small bridges traversing streams and rivers. Ascent in elevation was fairly minimal and it didnt take too much of a toll on us to hike the 3-hr course to our first stopping point; the Flats Hut, situated in a meadow which over looks a stream and the mountains. We met folks from all over the world who were staying in this cabin on the trail. Some of these hikers would be travelling the same path as us while others were just finishing their remaining portion we had completed that day. During dinner at the hut, we met a few people who would prove to be friendly faces. They were Heinrich and Nina: German newly weds on their honeymoon to NZ before starting their marriage and Roy: a retired Limnologist and overall science buff from Maine who was hiking the trail at his own speed. Prior to bedtime, we pinged people about what to expect the next day on our estimated 8 hour hike. Most talked about how long of a day it was going to be but totally worth the efforts to continue on. At this point, there was no turning back.
The morning of the second day, my alarm went off at 6:30. Numerous hut dwellers had already been up for some time and were packing or on their way out the door prior to the sun even peaking through the valley. Since members of our party were still unfamiliar with the packing process, it took about 45 minutes for the gang to rise and be ready to begin the long haul. As soon as we hit the trail, we were faced with a length of switchbacks that brought our elevation out of the flats and to the Falls Hut. This immediately demanding stretch challenged some of our team but we took our time and watched our step on the loose gravel parts. When we reached the Falls Hut, the Warden was updating the weather forecast for the upcoming days. The second day was all clear but by nightfall and the next few days, the area was to experience a cold front with windy rain and unpleasant hiking conditions. JOY!
The hike continued onward into the Harris Saddle which was an area of huge weathered boulders sliced from the mountains on either side. A stream meandered through the low portion of the saddle forming small oxbow lakes before leading to the Falls. The main portion of this hike was above the tree line in the low scrub region which provided amazing 360' views of the region. After hiking for 4 hours, we reached a shelter at the midway point. This area also led to a short but steep path to the top of Conical Hill which was the stage for the next part of our story.
The group of four worked our way up the narrow rocky path to the summit of Conical Hill which overlooked the whole Harris Saddle to the east and the Hollyford Valley to the west. The weather at summit had changed to a cloudy grey atmosphere very near the cloud line and very windy. As the gang took pictures from the vista, I planned my next steps. I gave my father the good camera and told him to be ready. Then, in that moment I pulled Liz aside. I got down on one knee and confessed my love for her. The words were nothing memorable but the sentiment was there at summit on Valentines Day. She Said Yes! The ring fit was a tad tight but the Swiss blue topaz looked stellar on the silver band adorned with hand crafted leaves.
We descended the hill and had a small meal of salami, cheese and pita bread before getting our packs back on to resume the trail. The hike continued to travel above the trees with amazing visibility to the mountains and valleys below. After another three hours, we finally saw Lake Mackenzie below. The trail took us down into a dense lush green forest with moss from every tangible spot; rocks, trees, branches, dirt, if it stayed there longer than a week, it was bound to be covered in moss. We reached the campsite at nearly the 8 hour hiking mark. We dropped packs and began to set up camp on the small campsite provided. Before long, the tents were set and we were surprised by a visit from Nina, Heinrich and Roy who were staying up the path in the huts that night.They had overheard from by large mouthed father that we had gotten engaged during the day and they wanted to congratulate us on the great news. It was a very heartfelt gesture of them coming to see us and the ring; especially after the tiring hike that day.
We settled into our sleeping bags quite early that night in anticipation of the wet morning to come. Luckily during the night, it only drizzled a little and the wind kept it down to a heavy breeze at times. The rain was intermittent and during one break, the team made full efforts to take down camp and get ready for the 4 hour hike remaining. Leaving camp was bitter sweet but we moved on and once again were faced with more switchbacks to raise above the tree line, something that's not all too fun in a downpour with a 45lb pack on your back. We kept a steady pace and finished on the 4 hour mark. The SUV was retrieved from the parking lot and we quickly loaded the gear to GTFO for the next adventure in the fjord lands and Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in the country.
On our third day in town, we decided to ride the gondola up to the top of the mountain which over looks the city of Queenstown. It was quite impressive to see such a beautiful vista.
We also hiked a short yet steep path to the top of a hill where we located a geocache. While up there, we met an older couple from New Caledonia who said that my grandfather on the Glaser side was a figure in their history and even had a road named after him. Cool! We had two more activities to do while atop the hill. The first was a downhill luge for which we purchased 3 rides. The sloping and curving paths were fun for all and the rides were a blast! Unfortunately, we opted not to buy the ride photos. Finally, we were treated to a show of the Maori Haka; a series of ritual dances including chest slapping, foot stomping and chanting. The dances were performed for all types of ceremonies including greetings, weddings and celebrations. Little did we know that the male viewers were to be trained as performers on stage. Some of my fellow men on stage were way off beat and their tongue skills lacking.
Post dinner, we started preparing for our big day tomorrow. Food had to be planned, purchased and packed; gear had to be located, locked and set and bodies had to be well rested for the Routeburn Track which was to come in the AM.
We woke up the next morning bright and early. Bags were packed and the car was loaded. We checked out of the Hippolodge hostel which had been our home for the past three nights. The day prior, Liz and I grabbed our prepaid Hut and Camping tickets from the DOC at the local storefront in Queenstown. We had set the arrangements for these tickets in September and even with that much advance, there was still alot of competition for the passes. The cost was fairly minimal and helps pay for park Wardens to care for and clean the stops/facilities and also for improvements to swing bridges and pathways. On our way out of town, we stopped to get a meal and headed on our way to Glenochy which is a small town north of Queenstown and the starting point for our trek.
A long gravel road brought us to the trail head and we double checked our packs before hitting the track. The weather the first day was gorgeous. The winding forested trail had numerous small bridges traversing streams and rivers. Ascent in elevation was fairly minimal and it didnt take too much of a toll on us to hike the 3-hr course to our first stopping point; the Flats Hut, situated in a meadow which over looks a stream and the mountains. We met folks from all over the world who were staying in this cabin on the trail. Some of these hikers would be travelling the same path as us while others were just finishing their remaining portion we had completed that day. During dinner at the hut, we met a few people who would prove to be friendly faces. They were Heinrich and Nina: German newly weds on their honeymoon to NZ before starting their marriage and Roy: a retired Limnologist and overall science buff from Maine who was hiking the trail at his own speed. Prior to bedtime, we pinged people about what to expect the next day on our estimated 8 hour hike. Most talked about how long of a day it was going to be but totally worth the efforts to continue on. At this point, there was no turning back.
The morning of the second day, my alarm went off at 6:30. Numerous hut dwellers had already been up for some time and were packing or on their way out the door prior to the sun even peaking through the valley. Since members of our party were still unfamiliar with the packing process, it took about 45 minutes for the gang to rise and be ready to begin the long haul. As soon as we hit the trail, we were faced with a length of switchbacks that brought our elevation out of the flats and to the Falls Hut. This immediately demanding stretch challenged some of our team but we took our time and watched our step on the loose gravel parts. When we reached the Falls Hut, the Warden was updating the weather forecast for the upcoming days. The second day was all clear but by nightfall and the next few days, the area was to experience a cold front with windy rain and unpleasant hiking conditions. JOY!
The hike continued onward into the Harris Saddle which was an area of huge weathered boulders sliced from the mountains on either side. A stream meandered through the low portion of the saddle forming small oxbow lakes before leading to the Falls. The main portion of this hike was above the tree line in the low scrub region which provided amazing 360' views of the region. After hiking for 4 hours, we reached a shelter at the midway point. This area also led to a short but steep path to the top of Conical Hill which was the stage for the next part of our story.
The group of four worked our way up the narrow rocky path to the summit of Conical Hill which overlooked the whole Harris Saddle to the east and the Hollyford Valley to the west. The weather at summit had changed to a cloudy grey atmosphere very near the cloud line and very windy. As the gang took pictures from the vista, I planned my next steps. I gave my father the good camera and told him to be ready. Then, in that moment I pulled Liz aside. I got down on one knee and confessed my love for her. The words were nothing memorable but the sentiment was there at summit on Valentines Day. She Said Yes! The ring fit was a tad tight but the Swiss blue topaz looked stellar on the silver band adorned with hand crafted leaves.
We descended the hill and had a small meal of salami, cheese and pita bread before getting our packs back on to resume the trail. The hike continued to travel above the trees with amazing visibility to the mountains and valleys below. After another three hours, we finally saw Lake Mackenzie below. The trail took us down into a dense lush green forest with moss from every tangible spot; rocks, trees, branches, dirt, if it stayed there longer than a week, it was bound to be covered in moss. We reached the campsite at nearly the 8 hour hiking mark. We dropped packs and began to set up camp on the small campsite provided. Before long, the tents were set and we were surprised by a visit from Nina, Heinrich and Roy who were staying up the path in the huts that night.They had overheard from by large mouthed father that we had gotten engaged during the day and they wanted to congratulate us on the great news. It was a very heartfelt gesture of them coming to see us and the ring; especially after the tiring hike that day.
We settled into our sleeping bags quite early that night in anticipation of the wet morning to come. Luckily during the night, it only drizzled a little and the wind kept it down to a heavy breeze at times. The rain was intermittent and during one break, the team made full efforts to take down camp and get ready for the 4 hour hike remaining. Leaving camp was bitter sweet but we moved on and once again were faced with more switchbacks to raise above the tree line, something that's not all too fun in a downpour with a 45lb pack on your back. We kept a steady pace and finished on the 4 hour mark. The SUV was retrieved from the parking lot and we quickly loaded the gear to GTFO for the next adventure in the fjord lands and Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in the country.
Thanks for following along and be sure to come back in a few to read the conclusionary fourth part of the epic NZ trip.
All photos are credited to Liz Fulton.
All photos are credited to Liz Fulton.
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