Up the West Coast- Wanaka and the Copland Track

After Queenstown, we started our road trip up the west coast of the south island. We stayed in Wanaka for a night with Alice Hill, a frisbee friend formerly of Rice University.

Wanaka is an awesome little lakeside mountain town with tons of outdoor adventures and day hikes around. We woke up and ran up a local mountain and vista point, Mt. Iron for some exercise and good views of the town before heading on north.

We spent the next three days on the first part of the Copland Track; we couldn't hike all of it because a recent avalanche changed the terrain and you need ice/glacier hiking equipment and training, neither of which we have. We split it up into three days and two nights, 48 kilometeres all together.

A lot of the track to Welcome Flat Hut, our camping destination the first night, was tramping through bush like this.

The rest of the track was rock hopping along the banks of this baby blue glacial river.

The water is the most magnificant sky blue but creamy looking because of the "glacial flour", ground up rock particles that are suspended in the water and reflect this incredible color.

Why Welcome Flat Hut is awesome: natural thermal pools with a view. We went for a soak at night, around 9:00 pm because it was cooler outside and the sand flies aren't as bad at night. And again during the day on the long way back out.

The source of the hot springs, around 50 degree Celcius! Feels so good after a long day on the trail.

We climbed up this valley and to the left of the picture to get to Douglas Hut, our second night destination.

Douglas Hut, a backcountry hut right before the Copland Pass. We spent a night there so we could do a day hike exploring the glaciers and catching a view of Mt. Cook, New Zealand's highest peak.

Inside Douglas Hut cooking our new favorite Ramen Noodle flavor, vegetarian curry! It was a quaint little mountain cabin.

The view of Mt. Cook and the valley we hiked into. We scrambled up a big pile of scree (rivers of rock deposited by glaciers, erosion, rock slides, avalanches, etc.) to get a better view.

We hiked out the 24 km. back to the car park in one day yesterday, so we're spending the next few days relaxing and exploring the glaciers around the area, Fox and Franz Joseph, and then heading up north for more adventure! We have exactly one month left here before we head off for exotic Southeast Asia! We figured since we are so close we can't pass up the chance; we're going to Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia so far.

Queenstown

We've been hanging out in Q'town for the last three days getting our stuff together, doing lots of laundry, trying to eat as much Mexican food as possible, and planning what's next. Queenstown is a beautiful little lakeside town surrounded by The Remarkables, a craggy mountain range and local skiing hot spot during winter. It's got a really young feel and is well known for it's propensity towards adventure sports. We've been hanging out with three of Ashley's friends from Chico, Elise, Lynne, and Adrienne...they are awesome. Adventures in town included going to the Minus 5 Degree Bar that's completely made of ice...the bar, the chairs, the glasses, etc. You have to get all dressed up and can't spend more than thirty minutes in there.

We also hiked up the mountain to the gondola, right down the street from our hostel, and lazed around on top for a while.
















Views from the Gondola.



















View of town from Gondola.














We're off today for Wanaka, another mountain adventure town north of Queenstown. We're staying with Alice Hill, a frisbee friend from Rice University, and her kiwi boyfriend. We'll stay there for the night and then head north west for the glaciers and more tramps in the mountains! Weeee!

Milford Sound:
The fiords (they spell it with an i) of New Zealand, Milford Sound is a tiny village surrounded by colossal fjords rising out of the ocean at nearly 90 degree angles. The scale is impossible to capture on camera, and even comprehend in person (the eyes play tricks), but they were huge. Just to give you an idea, some of these mountains rise up to a mile out of the water. Forgoing the extremely expensive track fees (because it's so popular and hard to get to), we skipped the Milford Track and decided to explore the sound by boat; we took a cheaper early morning cruise. The mountains were amazing the fiord was beautiful and we saw the most amazing rainbow of our lives! (the picture doesn't do it justice) A couple days in Queenstown to hit the 'reset' button are next.

106 Kilometers Later...
Mike, Ashley, and I set out on a 9 day tramping (hiking) adventure in the mountains, streams, forests, and meadows of the Southern Alps. True to New Zealand form, it rained...a lot. We spent a lot of time cold, wet, and smelly but spirits remained high and we had an incredible time together. Here's a breakdown of the tracks we hiked and all the fun we had:

Caples-Greenstone Track:
Northwest of Queenstown, the Caples-Greenstone Track is two adjoining tracks that make a 66 kilometer loop...here's a map I drew in my journal of the routes complete with a few of the things we experiences along the way.



















Mike looking suave at the fork in the Caples Track before we hiked straight up the steepest grade I've ever climbed.

















Ashley coming up to McKenzie Saddle (940 meters), the top of the steep grade climb that straddles two large mountains.












Mike on a swing bridge after our first night camping in a meadow next to a freezing, clear, glacial river. The sandflies were awful. They are just like mosquitoes but much smaller, more insistent, and their bites itch more. There were swarms of them around us the whole night while we cooked.













Mike and Ashley walking in an alpine meadow. We were surrounded by large foothills in all directions.












Ashley and I looking good on the Greenstone Track, third day out.


















A bare beech forest...we hiked through a lot of beech forests, but each different according to the elevation, type of beech, or amount of rainfall that particular area received.










Just for contrast, here's another beech forest on the Greenstone, covered in moss and ferns.












It snowed the 3rd and 4th days we were on the track.












New Zealand has an extensive system of huts along it's tracks all over the country. We prefer to camp (cheaper!), but freezing rain is about our limit of comfort so we were lucky to get to the backcountry huts in time the 3rd and 4th nights to get spots in the bunks. We were able to dry our boots (we were walking through puddles and mud holes up to our calves all day) and clothes next to the coal stove and read and play cards by candle light at nights while we watched it snow out the windows...perfect!










The last part of the C-G Track goes through Fiordland National Park, the southwestern most national park.












The view from below Key Summit, on our last few k's on the C-G track, before going back to the car to restock on food supplies and rest a bit before heading out again for the Routeburn Track.









Routeburn Track:
The Routeburn Track is one of nine "Great Walks" of New Zealand, named so because they are pretty much guaranteed to blow your mind. After walking in a cloud for the first day and a half, we were skeptical...but the clouds eventually opened up to reveal the most incredible scenery I've ever seen on a hike. "Great", indeed.

Mike and Ashley on the side of a mountain above Lake Harris. The place we camped the first night is in the very back of the lake; it was freezing and rainy the whole day and night after we hiked in a cloud the whole day (that's why there's no pictures). We managed to hike out for day 2 with smiles on our faces though, probably because of the delicious hot cocoa we had every morning.






Again, hiking on a precipice in the clouds. We had no idea how high we were or what was on the other side, but it was steep and menacing.
















After a one hour snowstorm, we were starting to lose hope that we would see anything "great" after all. Just then, the sky opened up and a rainbow appeared, followed soon after by snow capped peaks just beyond our range.









Mike and Ashley hiking up to Harris Saddle, the lowest east-west crossing between the Southern Alps, but still pretty high if you ask me.
















Lake Harris, right at the saddle, surrounded by towering peaks.












The weather cleared at the saddle and we could see ranges and valleys beyond...it was breathtaking. That's Lake Harris in the foreground.
















Mike and Ashley preparing for our hike all the way down into this valley to our campsite.

















Routeburn Falls, a huge multi-tiered waterfall and the trails namesake.

















Still hiking down into the huge valley. We camped in the lower left side of this meadow the second night. It was rainy and cold...again.











Our car, Fanny, was at the other end of the trail, and it was a 6 hour drive to get back to it, so Mike pulled out his man card and decided to hike the whole Routeburn (33 k) in one day to go get the car and Ashley and I would meet him in Queenstown in two days time. He's so dreamy...=) He did the whole thing safely and we all reconvened yesterday at a nice hostel with duvets and a free spa. As a present for being voted "Camp Champ" we got him a 12 pack of beer, some mini chocolate Easter eggs, and a one hour massage from a local spa. La-ti-da!

Corona Anyone???

The week following the tournament we have been at Spencer's enjoying his hospitality. In the morning we would drop off Spencer at school (Lincoln University), track down leads in the city searching for an affordable and reliable car which would provide us the freedom to explore the south island, pick Spencer up from school, and find adventure in the evenings to forget about our troubles not finding a car. {One afternoon we spent at Sumner Beach playing the didg}

Most of our nights started with relay races in the back yard to warm us up, followed by dinner or an exciting activity, and ended with wine and Scopa (an Italian card game much like Casino). {We helped secure bird nets to his row of grapes at the Lincoln University Vineyard}

{Playing disc golf at South Hagley Park}

{Cathedral Square}

{celebratory Wild West putt-putt} Our hard work paid off on Thursday. After our worst test drive earlier that day we were starting to feel that we would never find a car. On the way to pick up Spencer, Cara and I noticed a brown Toyota with a price sticker of $950 at a mechanic's garage in a small town between Ch.Ch. and Lincoln. On the way home we stopped in. After a test drive we bought it with cash and drove home with our new brown beauty. We surprised Ashley with a six-pack of Corona beer without letting on their was a new car parked in the street. A little diversion was all Spencer and Cara needed to tie some ribbons on the car and we were ready to present Ashley with her new car! To celebrate we all hoped in our Corona (leaving Spencer's twin Toyota Corona at home) and went to play Putt-Putt! Our freedom-mobile has finally arrived. We are hoping for many problem free K's. We still need to decide on a name...let us know if you have any ideas.

Tonight we are cooking a four course meal paired with the perfect wines to celebrate our time spent with Spencer. Hopefully we'll catch up with him later in our trip when he completes his semester.

{There is a 6-pack of Coronas in this picture}

{Toyota Corona - hecho en Mexico y Nippon}

The Dirty South, New Zealand Style

The last week Ashley, Mike, and I traveled from Auckland to Christchurch to make it down for New Zealand Ultimate Frisbee Nationals. We stopped in Rotorua on the north island to visit Ashley's friend from California and to go river rafting and kiwi viewing. Then we hauled it down to Christchurch to play in Nationals and hang out with our frisbee friend from Atlanta and more recently San Fran, Spencer! We're staying with Spencer for the next few days in Christchurch to figure out what's next on the agenda. Either working or some serious tramping around the south island, we'll see!

In Rotorua we rafted down a 7 meter waterfall, the highest commercially run waterfall in the world. It was awesome. Because Ashley had worked with our guides (Chonk and Joel) at the river in Coloma, CA they were intent on "thrashing us". So of course they flipped the boat on us. The rest of the ride they tried to flip us at every rapid set.
















The mayhem after the big flip. I am under the boat and Mike is off to the right chasing paddles.






































The view from Val's house, the woman we stayed with in Rotorua. She's a friend of Ashley's from the river in Coloma, CA. Val lives on a lake right next to the drop-in for the Kaituna River rafting. It was a beautiful house and Val and her roommates Dooglas and Katarina were amazing to us.

On the ferry from the North Island to the South Island. There was a beautiful sunset over the water and almost full moon, but we couldnt' see the terrain because it was dark most of the time.

















Spencer with his trophy from winning New Zealand ultimate Nationals this weekend. Mike's team got 3rd, Ashley's team got 3rd, and my team got 4th.















A marae, a traditional Maori meeting house close to where we were staying in Rotorua.

















Soaked and looking super sexy in our rafting gear. This helmet doesn't really do me justice.



















Ashley and I being dorky.




















A stuffed kiwi bird at an exhibit at Kiwi Encounters. The kiwi is a flightless, furry, nocturnal, and endangered bird that is native only to New Zealand. Since New Zealand had no native kiwi bird predators, the kiwi evolved to become almost completely defenseles from larger predators. So when the British brought over possums, dogs, etc., the kiwi numbers began to drop drastically. Since they are nocturnal, we saw them in a nocturnal house and couldn't take pictures, so this will have to do.

Ashley and I showing off our transportation from Auckland to Christchurch...it was $1 a day! Super sweet deal.