Two go tramping

 DOC (Dept of Conservation), bit like England's National Trust, look after all the National Parks on NZ. The Routeburn Track is a very a popular 3 day tramp that traverses 33 km of Mount Aspiring and Fiordland national parks.

The Routeburn is a one way tramping track with a 350km / 4 hour drive separating the start from the finish so we had to figure out how we were going to get ourselves to the start and then the van to the finish whilst we merrily tramped the track.

Introducing Mike, a crazed fit Queenstowner whose genius idea has built up a well known local business that has the solution to such a problem. Once parked up at the start he collects our van from the car park (key under the wheel hub surf-style and cash only, so that's safely tucked in the glove box).  As we tramp off he then drives the 4 hours round to the finish line and then runs the 33km back home along the track! Fit, mad and becoming pretty well off. Not really too sure on how much of that cash Mike is declaring! But either way good on him, a great guy with a great small, local business doing a fair battle with the big coach party top guns. As it happened our running man, Mike, was at the start carpark from a previous job so we exchanged keys and cash there and then and as we left we just hoped our van would make it round to the trek finish some 33kms east in 3 days time.  Prior to our parting we couldn't help but ask him a few job related questions. The most he had run the track was 4 times in 8 days, his quickest time was a respectable 3 hrs 40!!!!!!!! And there was us taking 3 days! This was one fit Kiwi.

Along the Routeburn they are 4 cabins, we booked ourselves into the 2 that had spaces left (this is a popular trek). Not your normal cabin though, no hot water/showers/heating, lighting on demand, you get the picture. On the plus side though all did have flush loos which is some going given their remote locations. We had to carry everything we would need for this tramp: food, cutlery, cook-up pans waterproofs, bedding and the odd clean pair of pants! The tracks come with a strict 'pack in pack out' for all equipment taken into and onto the track. This includes all generated rubbish.

Day one wasn't far as it was the nearest but only hut we could squeeze into on day one, Lake Howden Hut. We even managed to get there before the rain started. Only 28 single bunks but almost full bar a few late drop outs.  Each hut has a manager that lives there during the summer months . DOC don't just pay these guys to live out in the wilderness drinking coffee, these guys also have to work during the day repairing tracks etc. John, the Howden hut manager, gave a short talk after we had all had our supper, also informing us of the earthquake that had just hit Christchurch that afternoon. These huts have no electricity or phones so not much information was coming in and none was able to go out.  Fe said she felt like she was back in Girl Guide camp sleeping in bunks. Luckily only the one snorer but we had packed our earplugs so no worries. We met 2 couples that were doing the same route as us so was good to know we could meet later at hut 2 and compare achy muscles.

Day 2 was the biggy, 19.9 kms to tramp but this was by far the most rewarding and spectacular part of the trek. Leading you from sub alpine forests up onto an alpine pass ridgeway, known as the 'zig- zags' section, high above the Hollyford Valley giving us great views of the Darran mountains. Harris Saddle shelter acted as a brief lunch spot but as the clouds threatened we both agreed to push on as we knew that we'd been sooo lucky to make it to this point without any real storms breaking. So with our limited gear but high morale we pushed on for the Falls hut passing Lake Harris. This lake gave a jet black appearance giving perfect mirror images of the ranges above.  At last we finally could see our digs, the much welcomed sight of Routeburn Falls Hut peaking through the trees. What a sight for sore eyes, and feet for that matter. This hut was bigger than the last with 48 bunks. Again no welcoming hot shower or bottle of vino here to ease the pain. Just a freeze dried meal for 2. The hut had 2 areas, a bunk room and a kitchen. The kitchen had a great log burner which I adopted for the duration of my stay. But the bunk room nothing, no heat and for some reason there was a drive to keep the door propped open?! Why, it was in the wee small figures, freezing some may say! It was good to catch up with the fellow trampers from our first hut. We sat laughing and discussing the days distances. Lights out at 10pm, sharp, no complaints though it was all off to bed, a cold one at that. Door still propped open as we filed in!

 Day 3. Our last day which brought a sharp edged lazy breeze, you know the type that goes through you instead of around you. There was moisture in the air also. As the DOC rangers say 'you always expect at least one shower on your trek''. So we delayed the off for an hour or so which seemed to do the trick. It was only 3 hours back to our waiting, now seeming luxurious van. That was if the running-man Mike hadn't taken off to the west coast in it with our payment acting as a weekends beer money! With damp shoes and 3 day old socks it took a bit of choke to get us going but once on the downhill section to the flats and the finish point marked by the Routeburn shelter it didn't take long to warm up. We weren't at running pace but let's just say we weren't holding back.

So we'd walked through 2 national parks and saved on a 350km/4hr drive. Routeburn track done. Just can't tell you how good the hot showers felt at Glenorchy campground that night.

Our requests to DOC:
D - what the Routeburn is missing is kissing gates
F - obviously apart from hot running water at the huts I wish there was benches at vista points