Australasia day 6: Routeburn Track

Ohh, my pounding head, Vodka-Lemonade... I am in a haze from last night. Its 10:00am, and I need to go pick up my hut passes for my tramping of the Routeburn track. Last night, Fergberger...so delicious, uh Fries from last night, how did they end up under my pillow...oh well, yummm, yumm (chewing stale day old fries).

The Routeburn Track traverses 32 kilometres of Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks, part of Te Wāhipounamu – South West New Zealand World Heritage Area and is administered by the Department of Conservation on behalf of the New Zealand public.

Located in the southwest of the South Island the track extends between the head of Lake Wakatipu and S.H. 94, the Te Anau – Milford Road. I took at $36.00 NZD shuttle from Queenstown to Glenorchy to start the trail.

A trail from Martins Bay, up the Hollyford Valley and over into the Routeburn Valley to the pounamu (greenstone) source at the head of Lake Whakatipu-wai-Mäori, was commonly used by Tai Poutini (West Coast) iwi, who regularly travelled south via this route to obtain kokotakiwai. Pounamu was much valued as a material for tools, weapons and ornaments. The tradition of “Ngä Puna Wai Karikari o Rakaihautu” tells how the principal lakes of Te Wai Pounamu (South Island), were dug by the rangatira (chief) Rakaihautu. Rakaihautu was the captain of the canoe, Uruao, which brought the tribe, Waitaha, to New Zealand. Rakaihautu beached his canoe at Whakatü (Nelson) and travelled south. The first Europeans to view the Hollyford Valley were Southland runholders David McKellar and George Gunn, who on 9 June 1861 climbed to the top of Key Summit via the Routeburn. Early European surveyors, prospectors and explorers followed the track route when travelling from Lake Wakatipu to the Hollyford River/ Whakatipu Ka Tuka and western valleys. In 1870 a bridle track was started to link Kinloch and Routeburn with the new Martins Bay settlement. However, failure of the isolated settlement and incorrect routing of the road meant construction ceased after four years. Tourism began in the 1880s, with visitors being taken into Routeburn Flats by horse and thenguided on foot to the Harris Saddle/Tarahaka Whakatipu. The Routeburn Track is one of New Zealand’s most popular tracks, with over 13000 walkers completing the track each year.

Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats Hut: Distance: 6.5 km

From the car park at the Routeburn shelter (458 metres), I crossed one of many swing bridges as I made my ascent. Crossing small streams and waterfalls, I took a little extra care when I crossed the Serpentine Slip, an area prone to mudslides where there was a break in the treeline. I then continued past Sugarloaf Stream, a remnant of the old bridle path built in the 1870s, and climbed directly to Bridal Veil Stream. There were a lot of streams if you get the picture. I continued my ascent sidling along the Routeburn Gorge.

A second swing bridge took me back across the Route Burn to the open grassed flats around Routeburn Flats Hut where the track forks take the right track to Routeburn Flats Hut (20 bunks) and a camping area five minutes from the hut, or take the left track to continue to Routeburn Falls Hut.


Routeburn Flats Hut to Routeburn Falls Hut Distance: 2.3 km



I left the sweeping valley river to climb through beech forest crossing two more swing bridges. A recent slip yielded excellent views of the valley below. I crossed the Emily Creek bridge, another swing bridge to reachthe halfway mark. Most of my hike was filled with the sounds of waterfalls and streams with an occassional birdsong thrown in for fun. When I got to the top, I threw my bags in my bunk and I tried to climb to the summit for sundown. Unfortunately, I lost my pager crossing one of the streams. Oh well, no more alarm clock or watch.