Unbelievable!

Apr 09, 2004 16:09

OK, I have a lot to write about here, so bear with me... I just did THE MOST INCREDIBLE WALK IN THE WORLD! Sorry to scram at you with the all caps, but that's the only way to get the point across without using dirty words. Imagine the most incredible rain forest you've ever walked though. Then add some alps-style humungo mountains, some alpine tundra, a bunch of crystal clear lakes and streams. Toss in a bunch of waterfalls, snow (even in the rain forest), views to the ocean, and awesome huts. Then, imagine seeing all of this in three days!! I'm going to give a day by day description now, which may go on for awhile, and then I'm going to write about the awesome kayaking trip I went on today. Here it goes:

Day 1 Routeburn Track:

Hiking into the rain forest. It's a lot like the rain forests that we see around Seattle. Lush, green, wet. The trail is very well marked, so there's no worry of getting lost. This makes it really easy to look around and take it all in. I'm walking by myself, which is really nice. There's a lot of bridges to cross, most of which are swing bridges, like the ones in playgrounds when you're a kid. They sway back and forth and if someone else is on it, you feel it! The bridges cross rivers and streams of crystal clear water. Many of the rocks and sand below these rivers is very light in color, so the water looks a very light green/blue color.

The trail climbs up for a bit and eventually reaches Routeburn flats, which consists of a big meadow type thing with a braided river running through it. From high above, it looks like sediment filled up the valley, and this river now flows through it. At this point it's snowing. Snow in the rain forest is very cool. Near the end of the hike, after climbing up above the flats, there's an area where there was a mudslide a few years ago, which provides a break in the forest and clear views of the valley below and the towering mountains above.

Just at bush line (tree line) I reach the hut. The hut is very well equipped with stoves, mattresses, and lots of cool people.

Day 2 of the Routeburn track:

As I said before, the hut was right at bush line, so this day's hike was almost entirely above bush line. At the hut were the Routeburn falls, a series of waterfalls cascading down to the valley. The hike goes above those to Harris saddle, 1277m high. The views are amazing the entire time. At this point, I'm hiking through alpine tundra, but it's the most tropical looking tundra I've ever seen. Very cool little plants.

At the top of the saddle, I decide to to the side trip up to the top of conical hill. This involves hiking up a steep snowy, icy mountain, to 1515m where the views are absolutely incredible. I can see down three valleys. One of them goes to the ocean. All around me are huge snow capped peaks high above the rain forest below. Absolutely spectacular. Getting down the hill is another matter. I decide that the seated glissade (aka sliding on my bum) is the easiest way down. Too slick to walk.

After leaving the saddle, the walk continued above tree line for most of the way. Then, we come around a corner and see a stunning green lake below. That's where the hut is. The trail goes down into the rain forest again for a bit before reaching the hut. Again, the hut is very nice and many of the same people I met the night before are at this hut also.

My fingers are tired and I'm almost out of time, so I'll write about day 3 and my Kayak trip very soon! (probably tonight)

Cheers!
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