Mary's Milford Great Walk 2013

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit." - Ed Abbey

Perhaps the best-known wilderness Great Walk in New Zealand, is the 33.9mile Milford Track---- a must-do tramp for keen hikers like me. It was famously referred to by poet Blanche Baughan, in 1908, as 'the finest walk in the world.' The Milford Track route was discovered by Quintin MacKinnon in 1888 and by 1890, the track was completed and trampers were tramping. In February 2013, my human spirit was afforded this necessary experience in the wildness of Fiordland National Park. Lucky me!

Pack is packed, poles are attached... waiting to board the bus to Te Anau to catch the boat to begin the hike. Living my passion for hiking in my retirement years is a dream come true. I give Bob a hug and a kiss. I'll see him in 5 days.

A mob of sheep stop our coach as they head toward greener pastures.

Lake Wakatipu and mountains views make the ride go by quickly.

I chose to go on my 5 day adventure with Ultimate Guided Hikes in Queenstown, NZ. The only other option for this hike is to stay in Department of Conservation(DOC)huts which are fully booked for months in advance. Since I don't carry a huge backpack anymore with sleeping bag, food, etc. I chose Ultimate Hikes. I carried a mid-weight pack with a silk bed sheet, warm clothing, toothbrush&paste, and my lunch&water. I stayed in lodges and shared a room with other trampers in my group. Each evening we were treated to a nice sit-down dinner and each morning we selected and made our own lunch to carry and sat down for a wonderful cooked breakfast of eggs and bacon. It's the luxurious way to hike 33.9 miles in 3 days/4 nights. The fifth and last day is added to allow for a Milford Sound experience! All in all, for a 64 year old who isn't interested in hurting her back carrying a huge heavy pack, it's the way to overland from sea level to alpine country; tramping across suspension bridges, board walks, hiking up mountains to see soaring mountain peaks in the distance----- viewing enormous valleys and stunning waterfalls along the way. In my case, wilderness was a luxury and a necessity. ~!(:  )

We board the boat at Te Anua Downs boat harbor. It takes us to the beginning of the Milford Track. The packs are piled high awaiting the trek. Some people are carrying a lot of stuff!

One of the big things about the Milford Track is the variety of both flora and fauna. What's special is that it rains about 200 days of the year. Milford is one of the wettest places on earth. Water comes in feet sometimes. In early Jan. of this year, the Milford was closed for a day due to excessive rain (over a foot in 2 days!). Hikers were helicoptered from Lodge to Lodge or held up at DOC huts. Rivers washed away foot bridges, avalanches pushed parts of the track away, pathways disappeared and rivers were diverted. On the Milford, this is the norm. Rain also brings massive waterfalls to the Milford and makes the forest come alive. The track is maintained by DOC and Ultimate Hikes. After hiking the Routeburn in the rain last year, I was very lucky to walk the Milford in sunshine! 

Day 1 is an easy 1 mile walk to Glade House... our home for the afternoon and evening.

After being welcomed by the Lodge host,  I put my things in my multi-share room and join others on a hour long nature hike with Phoebe, one of our guides. We learned about the flora and fauna.

... ancient giant beech trees abound in the Southern forests

... birds flitter around the ground

Day 2.... behold the beauty of a wetland walk as we hike up the valley.

Good morning to the Milford Track! The beech forest offers a peek-aboo to what's ahead.

We follow the Clinton River. Water and ice have carved this valley.

Being in or near Mother Nature...
her rhythm gives me confidence to overcome fear and to take risks. Breathing fresh air, feeling her wind on my face, touching her soft green moss, hugging her trees, stroking her leafy ferns, spying a teeny tiny flower close to her earth...

gazing afar at her mountains, hills or valleys...

---all these sensory savories awaken my senses and heighten my awareness of Mother Nature surrounding me.

Oh... I've arrived at my destination. 

Day 3... Walking is pacing yourself to find hidden treasures in nature. 

Walking is breathing in breathtaking scenery.

Walking is magic for your hearts' contents.
 The path leads to Lake Mintaro at the head of the Clinton valley, before the uphill climb to MacKinnon Pass. 

After a long uphill journey walking by myself, I arrive to cloud and mist.
I arrive lost in my thoughts...
lost in footsteps
lost in simplicity
lost in wondering about this man who explored in 1888
lost in a foggy landscape
lost in a personal view, an anonymity of time and space---
my view, my secret world of thought and wonder and dreaming.
A secret world viewed through my personal lens.
That's what I love about walkabout in Mother Nature.
All who wander are lost... in thought that is.

The Memorial to Quinton Mackinnon.

The brochure says: "At the top you will be rewarded with a spectacular panorama." Not today.
I head into the hut at the top for lunch and meet up with some of my fellow hikers. We discuss the weather and wonder if you should wait out the cloud or proceed. After feeling chilled, we decide to leave as a small group and head downhill in the fog. Walking keeps me warm.

We barely hike for 5 minutes and are rewarded with sunshiny views!

The misty clouds keep us company for awhile. We take off our hats, gloves, jackets and layers of warmth. We slowly separate from each other and rejoin our quiet serenity of hiking alone.  

Around and down I go... heading for the valley floor...

once again lost in the beauty of Mother Nature.

Sunshine and separated clouds keep me company.

I turned around to see if I could see the lunch hut on the pass and this is what I see!
It reminded me of Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.

Working my way downhill leads to many delightful sights.

I take lots of pictures of ferns... my friend Barb loves them. So do I. Although we have none in AZ, they do thrive in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. 

Many walkways help me to negotiate the long downhills.

Oh goodie... 2 min. more and I'm at the last Lodge. Tomorrow's walk will take me to Sandfly Point. 

I arrive at the Lodge and am greeted with orange slices, cookies and drinks.

My "home" for the night. Nice view huh?

Day 4... a nice way to begin the last walk of the Milford Track with the spectacular  Sutherland Falls and morning sunlit peaks in view. Good morning world!

"A hiking we will go, a-hiking we will go... high-ho the merry-oh,
a-hiking we will go. Today, our last day, is a 13 mile day with...

heaps of greenery....

many swing bridges to cross...

waterfalls to pause near...

brown teal ducks to spot (this is a wonder to behold as there are only 100 of these left in the wild!) Thanks to Terry for spotting this one and thanks to Hugo for identifying it for us.

new friends to greet along the trail...

trout to see in the Arthur River...

cool rock walls for shade...

outdoor lunch spots like Giant's Gate Falls...

Lake Ada and Mt. Ada towering on the far shore for a guidepost...

signs to tell me that I'm at trail's end. It's actually 33.9 miles, but who's counting!

Before boarding the boat to Milford Sound, this view captured me!

And yes, there were sandflies... they love to bite and they let you know 48 hours later that they got you when the itch begins and the welts appear!

Part of our group enjoying the boat ride to Milford Sound. The walk is over. 

All in all, it's a walker's paradise. It's one of New Zealand's prime tourist attractions. To maintain and minimize the impact of the number of hikers (40) who hike each day, it can only be walked from south to north. Only 3 public huts and 3 private lodges are on the track. Camping is not permitted. Backpackers must haul their own garbage out. Restrooms are provided at the huts and lodges.To maintain the lodges, garbage goes out and food etc. is brought in weekly by helicopter. Paradise used and preserved.  

“One final paragraph of advice: do not burn yourselves out. Be as I am - a reluctant enthusiast....a part-time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic. Save the other half of yourselves and your lives for pleasure and adventure. It is not enough to fight for the land; it is even more important to enjoy it. While you can. While it’s still here. So get out there and hunt and fish and mess around with your friends, ramble out yonder and explore the forests, climb the mountains, bag the peaks, run the rivers, breathe deep of that yet sweet and lucid air, sit quietly for a while and contemplate the precious stillness, the lovely, mysterious, and awesome space. ― Edward Abbey

I stayed the night in Milford Sound at Mitre Peak Lodge. The next day, our group boarded a boat for a magical cruise around the Sound and out to the Tasman Sea. But, that's another story for another blog.

And...thank you Bob for buying me the Panasonic Lumix camera with optical zoom Leica lens!