Greenstone Track

As the end of the semester nears and I've gotten increasingly busy, I realize that I've also gotten increasingly bad at doing blog posts.  School has really picked up, with all the internal assessments just about due, and with every spare moment I've been trying to take advantage of what feels like too little time left in Dunedin.  But I'm sick of working on my final lab report for my soils class, so I'll take this moment to tell you about last weekend...

A few friends and I had been hoping to do the Kepler Track (one of the Great Walks) this last weekend.  But, when we went to the DOC to buy hut passes, we learned that the avalanche danger had increased and it was not safe for us to do the track, at least not without ice axes and crampons.  So at the recommendation of the lady at the DOC office, we decided last minute to do the Greenstone Track.  It also was a loop, but would take us 4 days instead of 3.  There was significantly less elevation gain (which is why it was still safe) but we thought that this also meant it wouldn't be as nice.  We didn't realize what a surprise we were in for!

We left early Friday morning and drove the almost 5 hours to the carpark, starting the track a little after 1.  Just from the drive it was already clear what a beautiful place we were in!  The track begins by working its way up the Caples valley, with beautiful meadows tucked between snow-capped mountains, where our hut the first night was located.  The second day, we passed through the mountain range over the McKellar saddle to the Greenstone valley.  Then the 3rd and 4th days were spent making our way back down the Greenstone valley and completing the loop to the carpark.  And every day was full of the most incredible views!  Most of the time in the valley we followed rivers, with stunning clear blue-glacier water.  On the day when we went over the saddle, we passed through probably 4 different types of forest, each more beautiful than the next.  And we were fortunate to have the BEST weather possible - sun every day, warm enough for a light shirt and just a bit of sweating on the uphills. :)

As I don't think I could ever do the beauty of this landscape justice using words, here are just a few pictures...

(You can click on them to make them bigger, which I recommend, but you also can't see my comments that way)

Even on the drive in, the views of the rivers and mountains were beautiful.

Happy to be hiking in the valleys in New Zealand!

This was up the Caples valley on the first day.

A typical view through the trees across the valley

There were some pretty crazy trees, and we spent some time standing in awe of them.

Claire trudging up another hill, just before arriving at the first hut.

Even all the way out here, seeing sheep is not uncommon!  Farmers lease the land along the trail, and there were sheep and cows wandering around next to us much of the way.

Morning sun on the mountains, the 2nd day.

This bridge wasn't on the track we were doing, but we all took turns going out to see...

...this stunning view! Perfect!

One of my favorite parts was hiking through this wonderful mossy the 2nd day on the way up to the saddle.  It reminded me of Washington, my home!

Good place for an apple and water break, don't you think?

Lovely friends at the saddle!  (Morgan, Brenden, Claire, Meredith, and me, left to right)  We took a well-deserved break here to enjoy the view, eat lunch, and toss the frisbee :)

Oh just some more mountains.

And a little glacier stream.

McKellar Hut, 2nd hut.  Very new and very nice!  Apparently if you're here during peak season there's even flush toilets, which seems pretty plush to me for backcountry backpacking.

Getting excited about geology, near this huge past rockslide that we walked through.

Tussock in the Greenstone valley on the 3rd day.

Sunrise from the 3rd hut, last day. Good view to wake up to :)

About to set off for our final day of tramping, looking a little bit sleepy still

Even more lovely mossy mountain streams

4 days later and back at the sign, a little bit grimier but still in good spirits!

We made a stop in Queenstown on the way back for our beloved Fergburger... Best tofu burger I have ever had.

On the drive back from Glenorchy to Queenstown (which as a side note I've been told is the most scenic drive in New Zealand, and I believe it) we had to drive through a pack of sheep just casually being herded through the road.  The car in front of us was being too timid so I had to take charge and just basically push my way through the sheep to get them to move.  Claire helped as well by barking like a dog to scare them out of the way....wish I had a picture of that part.  Only in NZ!