A Trip Down Memory Lane 1988 The Milford Track
In days gone by, my mother kept letters I’d written to her and Dad, of my travels. These have served as a diary of amazing experiences, long forgotten. One such letter was written, in 1988, when my husband, two children (then 11 & 13), and good friends, w
My Dear Folks, We’ve made it! So now I’ll relate the walk of a life time, (as they say.)
On the 15th January, people walking the track, met for an evening preamble, at the THC Hotel in Te Anau. The track manager gave a brief talk on being prepared and what to expect during the five day experience. He then handed out packs, bed sheets and parkas to those needing them. We were also given a name tag to wear, then left to mingle, and enjoy a wine and nibbles.
So there we were.... strangers, with a common goal, enthusiastic and ready to walk the track, but thrown together, from all walks of life. What a leveller
something like this is! Backgrounds, positions in life, wealth, accents, all count for nothing.... but what we hadn’t expected was the spirit of togetherness, co operation, friendship and companionship that developed over those four days at the huts and on the track, which was a real bonus to the spectacular walk itself.
Day 1. We assembled at 12.30pm for a group photograph before departing by coach for Te Anau Downs (28km) away, where we boarded the Tawera for a two hour boat trip up Lake Te Anau, to the start of the walk.
Of course we all clambered for photographs beside the signpost indicating the beginning of the Milford track. Then it was an easy amble (1 km) to Glade House, through beautiful rain forest, in great weather conditions.
We were welcomed by the hut managers, then shown to our (segregated) quarters, where we settled in and put on layers of dimp to ward of the sandflies.
Left to ourselves for a couple of hours, we walked to a waterfall, then over a swing bridge to the edge of the Clinton River where, in the incredibly crystal clear water, we saw eels and trout in abundance.
The aroma of a good kiwi meal including, fruit juice, soup, main course and dessert was very inviting. There followed a few games and a lot of laughs, which proved a real ice breaker with people we hardly knew.
Lights were out at 10.30pm because power was operated by a generator which was switched on again at 6am. The 46 people, were a large party, but a walk had been cancelled previously, through bad weather, so we picked up a few extras.
Our fellow trampers included Canadian, American, English, Scottish, German, Australian, Japanese, and 28 New Zealanders, (with 15 children over the age of 11, which was the youngest age allowed to walk the track.)
Day 2. A hearty cooked breakfast was a good start to the day, after which we all headed off, in our own time, and at our own pace, with one guide at the very front of the party and one at the very back to support anyone.
With beautiful rain forest, all around us we had to keep stopping to look back and upwards to appreciate the towering bush covered in lichen, moss and ferns as well as to see sheer mountain ridges, and listen to the sounds of bellbirds,
fantails, weka and cheeky kea. Tiny native orchids and tree fuchsia added to the colour and richness of the deeply green bush.
Every now and then a marker post reminded us of our progress. Six mile hut was a good place for a cuppa before tramping passed Hidden Lake and on to Pompolona Hut, our next overnight stay. We’d unnoticeably climbed ap- proximately 500ft. The relatively new hut complex had been built following the devastation caused by avalanche and flood waters in October 1983.
Another warm welcome, a delicious meal, hot showers, games and a slide show of our next day’s walk, completed our day. But we were warned to put even our boots inside, as the keas would steal or damage anything!
Day 3. We were up at 6.15am and on the track by 9am after a cooked breakfast. The day dawned wet, after heavy overnight rain, and hundreds of waterfalls had been created and cascaded down the mountain sides in spectacular fashion.
Ahead, the daunting Mac Kinnon Pass confronted us. We climbed up 11 zigzags, through the bush and into the
more exposed alpine tussock vegetation and rocky terrain.
At Mac Kinnon memorial it was 6 degrees! Another layer of clothes and hot soup at the 3835ft (1169m) summit hut, rejuvenated us for the downhill tramp, as we eyeballed nearby mountains and glaciers through the mist.
Our one disappointment of the whole experience, was only the fleeting views of the Clinton and Arthur River valleys through cloud, knowing how amazing they look in pictures, from this height.
The descent was jarring on the knees but once we entered the lush bush again we were sheltered from the elements.
At Quinton Hut, we showered and changed before setting out on the half hour walk to the Sutherland Falls (the 7th highest in the world.)
Unfortunately the top was misty and shrouded in cloud but the noise and spectacle of such a massive amount of water descending from Lake Quill was unforgettable. Drying rooms, a great roast meal, Tshirt purchases, and a slide show completed another great day.
Day 4. Wwork at 6am, for another scrumptious breakfast and away by 8am for the 13mile tramp out to Milford Sound. The day was wet and bleak, but the helicopter was still able to take our packs for $10 each.
We walked through water, in places well above our ankles, as waterfalls gushed across the track or water raced down the pathway, like streams. The beautiful native bush still dominated the landscape. The first hours walk was a steep descent, but the remainder easy walking. It took us until 4pm, stopping for morning tea at one hut and lunch in another shelter.
We passed Lake Ada and still everywhere waterfalls roared down around us, with unbelievable grandeur, (seen only in the wet.)
We negotiated many swing bridges before arriving at Sandfly Point at the 33.3 mile mark, and had photographs taken at the signpost indicating the end of the track.
We then boarded a launch to take us on the 20 minute trip across the Sound. The weather cleared, affording us brilliant views, at last.... of Mitre Peak.
Looking back into the merky distance and reflecting on the whole experi- ence, I decided, with some satisfaction, that there was something extra special about tramping in the wet, (despite the discomforts), with the huge volume of water cascading down every crevice of the rocky mountain sides and the bush glistening with a fresh watering, in this the second wettest place in the world.
That night we shared a banquet meal with our fellow trampers at the THC Milford, and received our certificates of achievement.
Following a cruise on Milford Sound, the following morning, we said goodbye to our new found friends. Among them, a stock broker, concorde pilot, air hostess, mining and aviation engineers, hospital chaplin, teacher, plunket nurse, computer planner, accountant, ex union rep and many other interesting people that we had met, happy in the knowledge that we had indeed completed the walk of a lifetime! You can stop worrying now. Home soon. Love you. Sharon, Peter Scott & Kirstin.