Motatapu Trail Day 1

Thursday, 17th January 2013   11.5 hrs  24 kms

This is a spectacular track climbing up into the mountains - a key feature being a series of solid ascents and descents of around 500-600m each. First along the Fern Burn  through a pleasant patch of beech forest (Stack Conservation area), then on up the valley to the Fern Burn hut for a morning tea stop.

From there the typically narrow and winding track continues to climb up and out of the valley onto Jack Hall's Saddle - a 1000m climb from the road. On the descent down (picture) you go down a narrow ridge, at which point it was cool enough for the light showers to form snowflakes - but not enough to settle on the ground.

The day's destination was Highland Creek Hut, but on reaching it at 1.15, I decided to continue on to the next hut, as my walking times so far were under the official times - and even knowing that ahead were 2 more steep climbs and descents.

The track is well marked and has a good ground trail, but somehow I missed a turning, and had to make my own (hard) way up onto the intended (start of) ridge  - but soon rejoined the track after that, although losing a reasonable amount of time as a result.

In many parts the track is very narrow, and does not leave any room for putting a foot wrong - even through patches of bracken where it is hard to discern where the track is. Never seen so many marker poles in an open tussock country track though.

Spectacular views all day - one last wintry blast going down the final, steep ridge, to Roses Hut, with a glimpse of a view back to Lake Wanaka. Now half a day ahead of my schedule.