Omarama to Hampden

It turned out to be quite an adventurous day of driving through parts unknown. First off I back-tracked towards Twizel and took the Lake Ohau Rd. There was cloud on all the hills to start the day, but it gradually lifted. This peak by Lake Ohau is Ben Ohau I think, 1522m altitude.

I found a camping ground beside another wee lake nearby, Lake Middleton, that seemed to be full of Kiwi families. Looked idyllic, except when the jet boat started up, towing a biscuit. (The noise of jetboats was to be a theme of all the lakes I passed today- and it was certainly a popular part of the country for holiday makers with boats.)

I love the colours of the countryside near here, though it is certainly arid.

I was to follow Lake Benmore for quite a distance and there was an Alps to the Sea cycle way beside it, something I first saw a sign for near the camping ground at Mt Cook.

There were several hydroelectric dams down the road I followed, and I spent quite a bit of time around the Benmore Station. You could drive up on top of the dam and get an amazing view.

Next was the dam across Lake Aviemore.

And the last dam I saw was the Waitaki one. Here I worked out whether I was in southern Canterbury, or northern Otago- and it turned out I was almost in both: the Waitaki River must form the boundary.

From Kurow I took the southern route along the Waitaki, but turned off at Duntroon for what turned out to be some fascinating side roads.

This is the Catholic Church in Kurow. Sorry it's a bit crooked, but not sure how to straighten with this app. I loved the cloud formations.

At Duntroon I took the side road for Ngapara, and found I was in some beautiful hill country. A farmer has allowed access for people to walk in and see these limestone formations- Elephant Rocks.

It was a great drive. I next took another left turn for Windsor and joined a road heading towards Kakanui, but diverted south finally on SH1 until Hampden that my friends had told me about. I am now in a tent site that is less than a minute's walk to the beach. More of that in the next post...

 

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Hooker Valley in the grey

Somewhere around midnight I woke and unzipped my tent so I could look at the stars. There was a little cloud, but the stars shone out brightly, and seemed so much larger than 'usual'. But by the time I woke, the cloud was hanging down from each mountain and hilltop. Regardless, it was time for my Hooker Valley walk up to where you could see the glacier face, so I packed my raincoat, plenty of water, my 'lesser' camera, and started walking.

I retraced my steps from yesterday. I was excited to see the Mt Cook Lily flowering in places. (Or is it a giant buttercup? - must check.)

I loved seeing this little bridge and shelter ahead, and it stood out from the overcast grey.

You can see behind it how fragile the shattered rock sides of the mountains are.

Here is the mountain stream that passed below the little bridge.

Up past this you could catch glimpses of Mt Cook, and it looked like the cloud was lifting, and sunshine might break through. But such was not to be: the cloud soon lowered, so I was very glad I took some shots.

There was yet another exciting bridge to cross, the Upper Hooker.

After that there was a relatively short walk to the lake where you could see the terminal face of the glacier. Again I was shocked by how very far it had retreated.

If you ever find yourself in this area, a morning walk means you have the peaceful luxury of the path nearly to yourself. I met hardly anyone on the way up, as it seems like those walking in guided tour groups start the morning later. In this photo you might see a small Aaron, a fellow Kiwi. Yes Aaron, my camera was found!

After my walk it was 11.30 or so, and I headed up to the DOC office to see if my good camera had been turned in. Unfortunately the answer was no, so it seemed like I had truly lost it for good, but they assured me they had my details and would ring if it turned up. They were as good as their word. I drove off to Twizel, turned on my phone, and there was a message to say an Alpine Guide had found a camera and left it at the Hermitage reception. I could scarcely believe it could be mine, so decided to ring and check the description. It all tallied, so I turned around from Twizel and sure enough it was my camera at the desk back in Mt Cook...

So now I will just leave you with one last photo, not from my campsite this time. After the day's rain, the thought of a cabin was tempting. As it turned out, when I arrived in Omarama, they had no tent sites left at this place, but one last cabin room. The bed is so soft that after ten days on a mattress on a tent floor, I am not sure I will easily sleep in it!!! So here today, is the view from my cabin... Some exciting hills in this area, which is a famous area for gliding. So, some more exploration tomorrow...

 

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Hooker Valley Walk in sunshine

It was wonderful to arrive at Mt Cook in sunshine, and it brought back memories of a Hooker Valley walk here in extreme heat some 25-30 years ago. Then the camping ground was further down the valley, and the glacier was much further down as well, filling the valley where moraines now lie 'abandoned' as the glacier has made its dramatic retreat.

I checked out whether there were camping spaces, and there were ample, so it seemed like this might be my stopping point for the evening. The views were stunning.

I wasn't sure how far I would walk this hot afternoon, but I made a start.

Soon there was a large stone with a plaque to commemorate the first woman, Freda du Four, who had climbed Mt Cook in 1910. Her original photo at this point showed her in very feminine climbing gear: how amazing she could do it thus dressed.

Just past it was a memorial to climbers who had lost their lives in the area. An old tramping club friend had died here, so it seemed like a suitable pilgrimage to climb up to it.

There were some clear views of Mt Cook near this point and I am glad I took photos, as it couldn't be seen the next day.

It didn't take long to get to a viewpoint over Lake Mueller, but you had to look high on the mountainside to see where the glaciers still lay.

And down below from there, you could see an exciting swing bridge to cross, so I continued.

It felt a bit scary taking photos from the bridge, but I can imagine it is so much scarier in the wind.

Further on there was another swingbridge, and I walked to a point overlooking it. I had dark trousers on, not suitable for the heat, and my one small water bottle was not enough to drink. So I decided that camping out here, ready for a morning walk, was a grand idea.

Going back in a downhill fashion seemed much faster even on a hot day.

And that my friends is the end of the photos I took with my good camera, until that which became lost was found. The next shot I took with it was checking out whether it still worked, in my car, in the rain, in the car park. And thankfully it did! Thanks to the Alpine Guide who retrieved it!

 

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Rakaia Gorge to Mt Cook 2

Thanks to the anonymous alpine guide at Mt Cook who found my camera, and handed it into the Hermitage Reception, and thanks to DOC for being interested in my lost camera, I can now bring you yesterday's sunny day shots!

I woke at Rakaia Gorge, and enjoyed spending some quiet time enjoying the river view as the day began.

I enjoyed the first part of the drive to Geraldine very much, and it wasn't long before I had joined a NZ traffic jam.

I was surprised by how much flat land I encountered: the South Island is not as hilly all over as I had fondly imagined.

So much of the flat land on this east side of the ranges is very arid though, and a huge amount of irrigation is needed, especially for dairying.

I took the inland scenic route again, and stopped off at an Arundel picnic area near the Rangitata River. It looks so gentle but debris around the piles tells a story of some intense floodwaters.

Gradually some of the countryside started getting hillier.

From Geraldine to Fairlie, I was finally on busy roads, and a local man told me it was everyone heading to Queenstown and Wanaka for New Year.

And from Tekapo I was in the midst of throngs of tourists, many of them from various Asian tour groups.

It was the right decision to go here on Wednesday though: Mt Cook was clearly visible from way back along Lake Pukaki.

I arrived in Mt Cook in full sunshine- which gives a misleading view as I know the mountain conditions here can be so harsh.

After hearing how Farewell Spit is being built up by small particles originating around Mt Cook, I took note of the many hugely fractured, unstable rock faces.

Next post: the sunny Hooker Valley walk

 

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Rakaia Gorge to Mt Cook

I was originally thinking I would go down the coast first, but forecast for Wednesday was for showers, so I decided it would be better if I drove to Mt Cook so I could catch it in sunshine. And I did indeed- it was a superb day! And I took some wonderful photos, especially on the Hooker Valley walk. But sad news is... I have lost my good camera! I think I put it down when I did my camp registration, but I haven't found it. Am hoping someone honest hands it into the DOC office or Twizel Police, but I'll check those out tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I just have a couple of campground photos from here at Mt Cook. This is my tent view today! (Taken with my #2 camera.)

This is one of those days when it seems like Mt Cook is a "friendly" place, but I have been here once before when the wind was so fierce I couldn't put my tent up, and retreated 20km down the valley to a backpacker bed. It'll be interesting to see what the morning brings.

I walked quite a bit of the Hooker Valley walk this arvo, but not the lot, as it was quite hot, and I wasn't carrying enough water. So, weather permitting, I will 'repeat' my effort in the cooler morning.

I have a poster on my bedroom wall that must be about 25 years old, of the Hooker Valley. And it is so different now. The first time I came here the camping ground was much further down the valley, and you walked from there to the smallish lake in front of the terminal face of the glacier. You could see chunks of ice floating in the lake. Now the track has been rerouted, and you end up with a viewpoint over the lake. But the glacier has retreated so much- it now ends up on the mountain face. And as you walk the path, to your left you see piles of moraine that were where the valley sides were back then. Anyhow, if my camera turns up, you will get to see the photos I took that makes this all obvious!

I really hit the crowds today at Geraldine, and was very surprised by the amount of traffic on the road from there to Fairlie. But as a local told me, it's all the people heading to Queenstown etc for New Year. There are heaps of people in this DOC camp ground. You had to self-register, and my little tag is by my tent. If it wasn't there, apparently I would be getting a rude awakening in the morning!

Goodnight! People seem to be turning into their tents much earlier here in the mountains.

FOOTNOTE of the happy kind. An alpine guide found my camera and handed it into reception at the Hermitage. More sunny day Mt Cook photos coming in the morning!

 

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