Avalanche Peak

Hey Paul, how was your ice cream? Mine was great, thanks Tina!

Paul makes it to the top

The views are even better second time around

Add comment March 13th, 2003

Planning a vacation

Yeah, ok, so I left Arthur’s Pass today and I was supposed to WALK here via the Harper Pass Track over 4 days, but I wimped out and hitched here in 4 hours. Hey, I AM on holiday here. The weather today was great but the forecast for the next 2 days is terrible, and I just didn’t want to walk in the cold rain again. This so-called NZ summer weather has burned me out. I need a vacation from travelling. I realized there was no point in doing the walk feeling this way so I found myself hitching away from Arthur’s Pass and the trailhead, still unsure of where I was going really. What a great feeling to just look at the map and choose a destination. I love that freedom. In the end I chose here because I’ve already been up the N-S West Coast road but I haven’t been on the road to here via Lewis Pass. Destination decided then, easy enough.

Made it here in 4 rides, all men - first an Italian guy, then a local Kiwi who runs 4WD trips, then another Kiwi who’s a truck mechanic in Christchurch, and finally 4 Kiwis who are vactioning here in Hanmer. It’s so much warmer here than in Arthur’s Pass - an immediate welcome. Set up my tent in the backpacker’s, relaxed in the afternoon, went for a short walk in the evening, and here I am. Tomorrow I’ll head to the east coast to Kaikoura, and then probably up to Picton, Nelson, and Golden Bay. I need some time to recharge and not think about where I’m staying, what I’m doing, or where I’m going. A much need rest for the weary traveller.

Add comment February 16th, 2003

Cass-Lagoon Saddle Days 1 and 2

I’ve decided to stay yet another night in Arthur’s Pass. Been here awhile now, 10 days I think. The weather was crap for 2 days with rain and grey skies so I didn’t do any walking, and one of the days I went into Greymouth for the day with Lee, another guy from the hostel, to get more food. 1.5-hours drive each way just to go to the supermarket!

After that I did the Cass-Lagoon walk, a 30 km (20 mile) 2-day tramp in the Craigeburn Forest Park. The first day we had beautiful weather - blue skies and lots of sun - and I really enjoyed the walk over Lagoon Saddle and through the mountain pass. Stayed the night at Hamilton Hut with 2 DOC workers, a Dutch couple, and Lee and 2 of his friends.

Next day (yesterday), we woke to up rain and lots of it. Walked 15 km (10 miles) up and over Cass Saddle and back out to the road. It rained the entire time and I was cold and wet. There is no such thing as summer in New Zealand. It just doesn’t exist. It was a pretty walk out through beech forest but not so enjoyable in the cold rain.

I got a ride as soon as I hit the road with an Aussie guy for the 30 km ride back to Arthur’s Pass. The sun came out in the afternoon for a few hours, but the rain came back for the evening and night. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Woke up this morning to a wet tent and lots of cloud cover, but it is now 10am and the cloud has burned off. Still, I’m staying another night to rest up and decide where to go next. My knee has been bothering me lately which is a bit of a bummer - I think it’s the injury I had in Lao acting up again. Motivation for more hiking is a bit low at the moment. Need some quality hammock time on the beach.

Views from Lagoon Saddle

Magic

Don’t take a break on this stretch!

Add comment February 15th, 2003

Coast to Coast at Arthur’s Pass

Well it was raining this morning but now the sun seems to be trying to come out, and I think I’ll be heading out for a day walk shortly. Roni, Evan, and I completed our Waimak-Harman Pass journey yesterday, walking out from Seven Mile Hut to Rte. 73 in 2 hours. We were going to do the more difficult route up and over the Kelly Range but we woke up to rain and clouds and decided not to bother doing all the work to climb a mountain to see nothing, plus the trail guide says that the route is’impossible to find in poor visibility’ so we said no thanks.

We got a ride withing 5 minutes for the 40 km ride back to Arthur’s Pass and the three of us spent the afternoon doing laundry, showering, and recovering. Today Roni left for Christchurch and she’s flying back to Israeli in 2 days. I may see her again though because we’ve been throwing some future hiking ideas around. She’s going to do some research on things when she gets home and let me know. Evan has decided to stay another day and do Avalanche Peak. There’s another guy here too, Lee, from the UK, who’s meeting friends here tonight and possibly starting the Cass-Lagoon walk tomorrow so I may link up with them to do that track. We’ll see. Just going with the flow, no set plans, as usual.

So they just had the famous ‘Coast to Coast’ race come through Arthur’s Pass over the weekend, a 240-km running, cycling, and kakaying race from the west to east coast of the South Island. The winner did it in 11 hours which is absolutely amazing. His name is Steve Gurney, and he’s won 9 times in the last 20 years! At the finish line he literally collapsed. And I kid you not, in the newspaper it said, ‘Even the sound of a can of beer being opened by Judkins in his ear failed to revive Gurney.’ They had to lift him to his feet and carry him to a medical tent. The first question asked was will he be back next year to chase a tenth win. ‘Bugger that,’ was the response. Only in New Zealand!!

Add comment February 11th, 2003