Hikes & tramps

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A Buffanatic

It has to be said that I’m probably the biggest Buff fan ever since I first discovered these neck scarves. Was it 2003? Or maybe 2004? Just for those wondering where the name comes from, Buff is short for “bufunda” which means scarf in Spanish. It was developed around 1992 by Joan Rojas, a motorcyclist, who was looking for something to protect his neck from the wind and cold.

Will I ever forget the first five Buffs we bought. Five! Not one or two to try them out first. No, it had to be at least five. That probably consumed all our savings, but it just sounded (hadn’t even seen one in real life yet before ordering them) like the best invention since sliced bread. Continue reading →

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Glorious mountains

What is it about mountains, majestically towering in the sky and often dusted with a layer of snow, that is so seductively irresistible? Whatever their attraction, I simply cannot avoid the urge to wander into the mountains. It’s like I’m gravitationally drawn towards them. Whenever I see a mountain, I get this uncontrollable need to go there, to be amongst the peaks, on the top, to be part of, even if its just a small blip in, their greatness.

On a recent business trip to Auckland, we decided to make a quick stop on the way back just off the Desert Road to wander towards Mt Ruapehu and the nearest hut, Waihohonu, on the Northern Circuit Great Walk Track.

The weather was miserable, it was raining and misty, completely covering the mountain. My only consolation was that I knew it was there, with Mt Ngauruhoe by its side. I could feel their presence. Walking on the wet and muddy footpath, I was again in awe of the vast network of trails that we have available. Everywhere you go, you’ll find some or other walkway.

We knew we were nearing the hut when we could smell the wood burning from the fire place. Reaching the hut after 5.5km, the sky was already turning darker, so without fussing about, we turned around as droves of trampers were making their way to the shelter and warmth of the hut. It can host 28 people and being a very popular great walk it is no surprise to get what looked like a full house on an arbitrary time of the month in the middle of the week.

We had a flashlight just in case we didn’t make it back in time, but luckily it wasn’t needed. It was terribly cold, windy and rainy and we never saw the mountain, but just knowing it was right next to me, was enough of a treat on the eve of my birthday.

Some pics of our 11km round trip:

Well-protected against the elements. Waihohono Stream in the back.
Indigenous forest.
Beech trees, ferns etc.
Great walkway for the most part.
Being so overcast, made focussing with a phone camera rather challenging.
A five-star hut in the mountains.
Wet and cold, we had to get back to the car while trampers spent the night by the fire.
Icy mud.
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Mt Aspiring – Rob Roy Track

Date: 1 January 2015
Distance: 10km (+6)

Our view waking up on New Year’s Day. Hope the rest of the year lives up to this breathtaking start! (© Gerry le Roux)
Crossing one of the little fords on the road to the proper start of the Rob Roy Glacier walk.
The beauty of New Zealand’s scenery never fails to leave me speechless. (© Gerry le Roux)
Love the typical turquoise colour of many of New Zealand’s rivers. The Matukituki River, with the swing bridge in the distance. (© Gerry le Roux)
Crossing the swing bridge over the Matukituki River.
A dash of colour en route.
Boulder hopping across a little stream.
A bit of a tricky section crossing a huge slip.
An early view of the Rob Roy glacier. (© Gerry le Roux)
Beautiful mountain streams. (© Gerry le Roux)
Snapping away. I sometimes wonder how many photos are taken per year in New Zealand. Must be millions! (© Gerry le Roux)
Arriving at the viewpoint at the end of the track, we were surprised by the number of people lounging around. Little did we know that these were the earlybirds, and that the masses were still on their way! (© Gerry le Roux)
The cameraman at work. 🙂
Lovely views of the Rob Roy glacier – a fitting reward to a nice little walk. (© Gerry le Roux)
Time for a lunch snack before heading back down.
Admiring the views.
Classic New Zealand scene. Mount Aspiring peeking out on the right. (© Gerry le Roux)
View of Mount Aspiring on a beautiful New Year’s Day. (© Gerry le Roux)

On the morning of the last day of 2014, Gerry and I left Te Anau for the Wanaka area in the hope that we would find a deserted spot in the mountains to see out 2014 and celebrate 2015 somewhere tranquil. We just weren’t in the mood for loud music, heaps of drunk, puking people and the usual hustle and bustle of new years parties.

Wanaka was buzzing with people, as were all the other towns we passed through on our way there. We stopped to return Gerry’s hydration vest, went for a quick browse through Mt Outdoors to see if they might have larger size packs, and ended up having a nice long chat to Steve Hart who told us about all the nice camping spots and walks in the area. Afterwards we went for a quick beer before following the road next to Lake Wanaka and into the Matukituki valley.

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Kepler Track – round #2 (24-27 December 2014)

Fresh as morning daisies we were ready to start the tramp: Nettie, Gerry, myself and Johann.
Crossing the Waiau River at the start at Rainbow Reach.
The beautiful clear water of the river is mesmerising.
Enormous fungus growing on a beech tree.
Lush green forest for the first day’s hike. The shade from the blazing sun was most welcome.
Lunch at one of the small beaches of Lake Te Anau. That’s the life!
Yep, we’re definitely lost. The highway we’re currently on, surely cannot be the right path…
Johann bending trees. From now on we’ll just call him Chuck Norris!
First things first – mozzie repellent has to be applied quick smart!
With the tents pitched, it’s time for a tipple by the fire on Xmas eve.
I just love a little camp fire. Contrary to common wisdom, smokey fires don’t really deter sandflies.
Brand spanking new stove that Johann is trying out for the first time.
With suspicion (and trepidation?) the engineer looks at his new stove.
Spending Xmas eve next to a lake with good friends.

A few years ago, Gerry and I did a similar stint: we ran the Fish River Canyon in Namibia, rested a day, then started walking the route again with my sister and her family the day after. I guess there is something zen-like about doing the same route over and over, especially in such a short timeframe.

After our one-day run of the Kepler Track two days before, we again started walking it with family after one rest day. This time with Johann and Nettie. Admittedly I was quite knackered after the 60km track, but the fall on top of the mountain probably made up for the biggest part of my muscle soreness. The 50 shades of green-yellow-purple egg on my arm was still prominent, very sore and always in the way. I kept on bumping it against everything.

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Tongariro Alpine Crossing – 19.4 kilometres

At the start on a cold, windy, misty morning, Johann, Nettie, myself and Gerry.
Gerry and I. [Photo: J&N]
Reassuring to see the green light, but still a scary thought of crossing active volcanos.
View towards the west with Mangatepopo Hut just visible on the right.
The last toilet stop before heading up the mountain. No wonder it looks like a busy morning at the farmers market.
The scary sign before the big climb begins. It’s amazing how many holiday-goers still take on the mountain in jandals, t-shirts and jeans despite the warnings.
Everything is quickly frozen in the wind. Luckily we had a tail wind going up.
Still some patches of snow, just to remind you that it’s not summer yet on the mountain.
Grass icicles. [Photo: J&N]
We discovered a nice little bench (made from old sign poles) behind a rock sheltered from the worst wind. Was too cold to stay long.
An old wooden sign-post halfway up the mountain adding atmosphere to the walk.
It’s hard to imagine an icy 65km/h wind when you’re sitting in front of your computer. 🙂
Nettie and I having a bit of fun at the Red Crater saddle.
Ice, wind and mist combining to create an unforgettable experience.
Very very cold wind up there.
En route down Red Crater on the northern side.
Mist starting to clear a little to give us a lovely view of Emerald Lakes. [Photo: J&N]
Time for tea and a biscuit.
Next to Emerald Lakes.
With the mist clearing, we were treated to some wonderful scenery.
A view of Red Crater with the path we came down with visible on the right. [Photo: J&N]
Time for some fun in the snow.
Gerry at Blue Lake.
Looks like a beach made of snow.
Majestic mountain scenery. [Photo: J&N]
Quick lunch break, huddling between some rocks for shelter.
We only had little bits of slushy muddy snow on the track.
Te Maari crater that popped twice in 2012, causing a track closure, is stil fuming.
[Photo: J&N]
The last few kilometres through indigenous forest.
The finish at Ketetahi carpark on the northern end of the track, is a couple of hundred metres lower than the start.
These volcano warning signs feel a little surreal, but they’re really quite scary.
Happy to have had the opportunity to make the trip.

 

“New Zealand’s oldest national park and a dual World Heritage Site. The Tongariro National Park is rich in both cultural identity and dramatic, awe-inspiring natural scenery. Unique landforms, including the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Tongariro and Ruapehu ensure the Tongariro Alpine Crossing is considered a world-renowned trek.

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing is heralded as the best one-day trek available in New Zealand, while others say it ranks among the top ten single-day treks in the world.

Many who complete the 19.4-kilometre journey will tell you the climbs can be steep and the weather unpredictable, though worth it in every aspect.” [http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz]

Since relocating to NZ a few years ago, we’ve wanted to do the full crossing. But every time something else comes up. Or the weather turns nasty. Or the mountain pops, causing a track closure for about nine months. You know how it goes. This time we had our hearts set on Labour Weekend when we could be joined by Johann and Nettie. Continue reading →