Routeburn Track day 2, 3 AND Diving in Milford Sound

Routeburn Falls Hut to Mackenzie Hut Distance: 11.3 km

This sub-alpine section of track is very exposed and can be extremely hazardous in adverse weather conditions. The track climbed steadily, following the Route Burn to its outlet from Lake Harris. A steep sidle through moraine and the bluffs above Lake Harris leads to the Harris Saddle/Tarahaka Whakatipu (1255 metres) and the shelter. Sub-alpine herbs and cushion plants are a feature of the vegetation. A short, steep climb in an ice storm from the Harris Saddle shelter up Conical Hill which was supposed to give a superb view of the Hollyford Valley through to Lake McKerrow, Martins Bay and the Tasman Sea. I however, also could see the ice forming on my gloves and wind ripping at my face (still worth the climb, unencumbered by pack which I had left dry in the shelter below. From the saddle, the track droped steeply down a gully and traversed along the exposed Hollyford face, before a bush descent onto a series of zig-zags to Lake Mackenzie Hut.

Mackenzie Hut to Howden Hut Distance: 8.6 km

The track crossed a small flat before it climbed steeply to the bushline. It then gradually descended past the ‘Orchard’, an open grassy area dotted with ribbonwood trees, to the Earland Falls (174 metres). The track continued its gradual descent to Howden Hut, situated at the junction of Routeburn and Greenstone/Caples Tracks.