Milford Track New Zealand November 6-9, 2006

There were four of us on the famous Milford Track hike, Pat, his brother, Peter from Fort McMurray, Alberta, Steph and myself. We started out from Te Anau Downs and went by boat to the start of the hike at Glade Wharf. The first day was a short 6 mile hike to Clinton Hut for our first overnight with 40 others from all over the globe (U.K., Belgium, German, Australia and locals from New Zealand). We did a nature walk around the area with the Park Ranger and found the many sandflies most annoying! In this series of pictures taken over four days, note the many variations of beautiful scenery as we climbed to the top of MacKinnon Pass in a snowstorm and descended the other side into the almost tropical rainforest!

Day 1: Leaving Te Anau Downs by boat for Glade Wharf

The four "Musketeers" at the start of the hike...ready and smiling!

Pat crossing the first hanging bridge on the way to Clinton Hut.

Pat and Steph crossing over some bog.

Home Sweet Home in Clinton Hut on the first night

Day 2: Hike to Mintaro Hut-the trail looks easy here!

Warming up in the bright sunshine! Just wait until tomorrow :)

Pat and Peter navigating the rocks

Detour here for obvious reasons!

Day 3: the overnight pouring rain gave way to sleet and snowshowers as we set off on our longest and most difficult hike to Dumpling Hut

The cairn at the top of MacKinnon Pass, named in honour of Quentin MacKinnon, explorer, who discovered the pass in 1888. Four years later he was drowned in Lake Te Anau. Note the "cheeky" Kea bird atop the cross! They were amusing to watch here and at some of our huts.

Steph and Kathie at 1154 m...a little chillier than yesterday!

Just a few hours later, manoeuvering the steep descent and starting to sweat again!

The rainforest: Malaysia or New Zealand?!?

Day 4: Opening up into the Arthur River Valley

Crystal-clear streams bubbling over rocks

Steph before "The Big Bruise" (you have to ask her!)

Yeah! We made it...all 53.5 km. Not so "fresh-looking" now, are we?!! We can count ourselves part of the 14,000 hikers who do this Track annually!

The hike ended at Sandfly Point (very aptly named, we found out!) and before long we were on a 2 p.m. boat to Milford Sound, a spectacular 22 km-long fiord, opening into the Tasman Sea. Pat, Steph and I took an exhilarating 10 minute helicopter ride around the Sound, over Mitre Peak (1692 m), past Bowen Falls and across a glacier. From the Sound we took a bus back to where we had left Steph's car in Te Anau Downs, spending another night at the Red Tussock Motel and enjoying a wonderful Italian dinner at La Dolce Vita!