Day 131 & 132 : La Sal Mountains

Thursday 14th & Friday 15th April

Ride out to Dead Horse Point

McDonald's

Drove up to Telluride

Lodge

Walk around Telluride

Evening in by the fire

SNOW!

Late morning on the wifi

Others go out to town- I do paperwork

Walk up a track in the hill in the snow

Snowman and playing in the snow

Chicken and bacon dinner

Distance:

Total Distance:

Before we left Moab we had a quick morning run out to Dead Horse Point.

This high piece of land is formed in a meander of the Colorado River. It is surrounded by cliffs and the connection between point and main land is very narrow. Thus it was used as a place to catch wild horses. Large crews of men would gather them up and her them down to the point. From here the best horses were selected and extracted to be transported to people's ranches. The rest were left where they were.

But horses base most of their behaviour on fear. They remember that which has scared them, and when and where it occurred. All of the pent up fear from being herded hit them deeply. They didn't voluntarily move from the point, even once them men had gone. So they stayed there and died from dehydration, leaving the place littered with bodies.

And that's how it got the name.

It a nice enough place, but we didn't do much in the way of walking, it was cold, and early in the morning- so it wasn't as good as the other national parks we've been to.

Back in Moab one of our crew wanted to get breakfast at McDonald's. Not too different from NZ, although 20 chicken nuggets costs only $4 which is so cheap it scares me. Though it didn't stop me taking the last few Mitch couldn't finish.

From here we were driving towards the Rocky Mountains. 

From Moab we could see the La Sal Mountains. La Sal comes from the Spanish for Salt. Spanish explorers saw them from near the Moab area and thought all of the white stuff was salt, apparently. Really? They didn't know about snow on mountains, nor realise that salt dissolves easily and would soon be washed away? Maybe they truly believed that and were idiots/dehydrated. Or maybe it was just a nickname and it's stuck.

We drove up into the mountainous region until we finally came upon the tourist town of Telluride ("Telly-Ride"). This is a quaint little town of early 1900s architecture surrounded by mountains, pine trees, and snow. It hosts skiers in winter and hikers, mountain bikers, and the lazy people who appreciate a view in winter. Oh, and rich people. House and accommodation prices are ridiculous. We looked at a few $5million houses at the real estate office window. You don't get much, but it looks great.

We had a large lodge-flat. It's part of a complex of flats but which look like 2 storey lodges on the inside. It was big and beautiful and luxury after 9 days in cold tents. In addition we arrived during the "penalty box"- the 2 week period when the town switches from winter season to summer season. The winter locals and staff leave before the summer locals and staff arrive. This leaves half of the shops shut and only the true locals hanging around.

We had a walk around town, checking in on shops and various places before returning to our nice warm flat.

We couldn't get the wifi to work, which was something of a blessing. We had a nice night in by the fire, eating lasagne, and watching TV. Utter luxury after the freezing campsites. Our only concern was our tour guide. He didn't come back for dinner. He's the most experienced, he should know what he's doing and not get in trouble. I'd seen him outside on the phone just after we'd come back from town. Where was he? He returned at 10pm-he'd fallen asleep in the minibus!!!

The next morning we awoke to SNOW!!!

There had already been the reminents of winter left littering the town and mountains. Now we had a half inch and more steadily falling. It was beginning to bring the temperature down enough to settle everywhere and would continue to do so until we left.

Our guide had got the wifi working so we had a morning of catching up on everything internet related that hadn't been done in the past week (emails home, photos, updates, etc.). After this we had bacon and eggs we'd bought specially knowing we'd have a proper kitchen at Telluride.

The others had a few things they wanted to get from town and I had a heap of paperwork to get started on so we organised to meet back up for a late lunch at the lodge. As I worked away in the warmth they were steadily getting covered in an entertaining and novel amount of snow. They arrived back like walking snowmen. The landscape around us had become powder white and has become a winter wonderland.

After lunch we walked up a track into the forest. Ahead of us a local guy was putting on his cross country skiies and slid away. Maybe if the shops and slopes had been open we'd have gone skiing, but without lifts nor skiies we were more than happy enough. We plodded through the snow up hill, having minor snowball fights and jumping into snow drifts. As we got higher we found a place to build a snowman. We moved higher, making snow angels and burying Mitch the Aussie in snow. We reached the clear patch under a ski lift. Here I climbed up the slope until e snow was over my thighs, this was high enough to roll down. Well, we didn't even have a sled! After this we were cold and hungry enough to go back to our fire.

That evening our guide, Don, made cheesy potatoes (like nachos, but with diced potato) and the girls, Laura and Ness, made something amazingly tasty. Bits of chicken breast rapped in bacon, stood on their end for cooking in the oven with homemade garlic butter on top. They were great. Mitch and I did the washing up.

Day 66: Blue Mountains

Tuesday 9th January

Blue Mountains, including falls, three sisters, and scenic world

Distance: 270km

Total Distance: 10259km

The Blue Mountains are classed as one of those "must do" sights if you are spending anytime around Sydney. Thankfully one of my hosts was due to be working in Penrith today. She gave me a lift to the train station, which is on the line leading into the mountains, and I was there in less than an hour.

I got off at Katoomba, a township over over 8000 residents, plus not a few tourists. From here I got the bus to part of the Prince Harry Track which I would be following to a variety of viewing platforms sat out on the edge of the cliff. From the cliff we could see the forest below stretching out towards a flat-topped mountain out on its own, surrounded by mist. As the day wore on the mist began to clear and I moved further along. 

The Three Sisters are a formation of three rock stacks. In Aboriginal legend they are three sisters engaged to three warrior brothers who died in battle and now stand forever waiting. There's a playing field size lookout platform alongside them, but also a small set of stairs down to them. So of course I took the steep, narrow, frankly dangerous steps to stand on one of the sisters.

I had lunch in the centre behind the sisters. There's an Aboriginal cultural show you can see, as well as a large gift shop, bar and restaurant. Quick lunch, check out the store, then I was off to "Scenic World".

The ONLY reason I went to Scenic World was because that name is SO terrible. It was begun decades ago when the name sounded good. They had big plans for the place. There's roller coaster that would never meet changing regulations for safety and so never be used. The orphan rock, a solitary rock stack used for a lot of weddings, now too unstable and crumbled for the public. They still have the worlds steepest railway though, as well as a couple of cable cars and their exhibit the mining history on the site. It was actually really good. It's something that would be very worth doing for anyone who can't (or is just too lazy to) see much of this type of area by foot. 

Day 53, 54, 55, 56: Arthur's Pass: train and hiking

Wednesday 27th, Thursday 28th, Friday 29th, Saturday 30th, January 

Took the scenic train through the mountains to the wee village of Arthur's Pass, which sits in the National Park of Arthur's Pass, amid the region which is a gap in the mountains called, would you believe, Arthur's Pass.

Then a few days hiking before returning to Christchurch.

Distance: Train, 150km, Hiking, 50km, Train, 150km

Total Distance: 6169km

A lot of people have told me that the best way to go to Arthur's Pass is on the train. It's not the cheapest way to do it, but the buses aren't cheap either. With the train one gets a huge seat, commentary, wee cafe, and the ability to walk around seeing both sides whenever the view opens up into the grand vistas.

In the morning I hefted my bags through the rain and down to the station. There were a number of large coaches present discouraging Chinese and aged tourists out onto the platform. I got my ticket and handed in my rucksack at the luggage carriage. The staff seemed very pleased to have found someone who was not going with bags all the way through to Greymouth, but stopping off at Arthur's Pass.

The trains are luxurious. Each person gets a huge amount of leg room, headphones for the commentary (in English or Mandarin Chinese), and a window seat unless travelling as a couple or group (no sitting next to strangers). The cafe is relatively cheap (compared to British trains, aeroplanes, and road side cafes). There were a couple of viewing carriages that have no windows or seats, just a tall railing, so people can take better photos as the landscape speeds past. 

The terrain we went through was beautiful- on a good day. My outbound trip was not so good on the weather front. Mountain tops were concealed by cloud and everything was damp. However my return was much more pleasant, with clear blue skies showing off the great ranges about Arthur's Pass, the glacial valleys, and brilliant blue rivers.

To much an extent I've already been spoiled with New Zealand's mountains. These were larger than much of what I've seen on the bus or walking, but I'm not sure how much it is worth the trip for those already well traveled around the South Island, compared to getting to the Pass via bus or hitchhiking.

Having said that I'd definitely tell my parents to go via the train. It's prefect for anyone slightly older giving a chance to see a huge amount of landscape in comfort. They do a number of other train journeys in similar style, showing off the coasts.

Arthur's Pass 

My first afternoon in the Pass was miserable and wet. The weather was potentially going to improve over the next few days so it seemed most sensible to chat with people in the hostel and visit one of the two cafes in the village.

My hostel was once the hut used by Mountaineers travelling through the pass and used as a based to climb the local mountains. It reminds me of the older huts one finds up in the ranges which are maintained by the Department of Conservation. However "The Sanctuary" is far more hospitable than the huts, having a proper kitchen and bathroom. The place has a rustic, handmade, feeling, with much of the pipe work being exposed and the toilet having been converted from an outside to an inside affair only recently. The boiler has on the blink during my stay but with all the old radiators we were kept very warm in the 8-bed dormitory. Everyone loved the bathroom. The shower is just a shower head with its fixture attached to the roof above a bathtub. But the roof is made of glass! During the rain or on a clear day having a shower was a bizarre and interesting time. Just wish the roof was six inches higher.

That night I sat with the only other two guests in the dorm, one from New Zealand/Britain, the other from Australia/France. We chatted about the usual array of traveller topics, life in NZ, and I got useful advice on what to see here.

Once the weather looked better I decided to walk to the west side of the South Island. The village is nearly at the top of the pass. Going an extra few kilometres west one reaches the point where the rivers start to flow west instead of east. I found "Misery Lake", which was as cheerful as it sounds. The rain had caused a flood. Even the boardwalks over the marshes were flooded. I gave up after a little while. Time to visit something else.

Back at the hostel I met a new roomy, Anna from Germany. We were both planning on going to see the Devil's Punchbowl that afternoon- a magnificent waterfall (I heard 170m high) that drains a mountain valley. I'd been told of a path that we should/shouldn't use. The one beyond the viewing platform. Behind the "Warning: Rock Falls" sign. The one that goes to the base of the falls.

Let's do it!

The basic path is easy enough. From a roadside car park in the village, across a bridge over clear, blue, ice cold waters, and up through the forests. At the platform we found a small group of guys with a similar, but better plan to us. Using a tripod and camera on the viewing platform they stood as close to the base of the falls as one safely could with dignity intact, giving them a photo of themselves and the waterfall.

You know me. I have an abstract, liberal, view of both safety and dignity.

Hence I now have an atrocious video of the falls taken from far too close. Anna was sensible enough not to follow. By the Devil's Punchbowl the waters thundered around me like a hurricane to the point where I could neither see nor hear. It was magnificent. I was only 15 feet off and drenched. Head to toe. As if I'd been swimming. 

We happily retreated to the hostel. Everything on the radiators, me in the shower. I made coffee and we  huddled in the kitchen. Slightly damp, but now warm.

That evening we were joined by Tal from Israel. We chatted away through the evening until Anna fell asleep, at which signalled bedtime.

The next morning the weather had dramatically improved, thank goodness. Our plan for the day was the "must do" in Arthur's Pass: Avalanche Peak. It's an understandable name when you're at the top though. 

There are two tracks up to AP- the Avalanche Peak Track and Scott's Track. The Department of Conservation Wardens suggested going up APT and down ST. 

APT is very steep and requires some climbing using hands and feet to scramble up the route. For me this was an entertaining relapse into what I have learnt through years of climbing. For the girls it was somewhat more arduous. 

For 1 1/2 hours the wet, green, forest encroached upon the well warn route as we passed cliffs and waterfalls. Suddenly the bush line appeared. This is the point above which trees don't grow. Due to the cold in winter above this line there are only grasses and hardy little flowers. I've always found it a fascinating sight. That suddenly the dense forest stops. A stark change from dark green canopy to bright blue sky. Yet the summit was still not visible.

We walked for another 1 1/2 hours up and over small rocky hills. We were disturbed on occasion by the cries of birds. Suddenly the Keas descended.

Keas are the world's only alpine parrot, living in the high regions of New Zealand. They are far too clever, once having learnt to rip holes in the sides of live sheep to extract the nutrient rich liver or to disembowel live limbs to get at a stomach full of sheep's milk. Hence Kiwi farmers, over 100 years ago, putting a bounty on their heads.

Now there are only 5000 left. The sheep have been extracted from their territories. As a unique, endangered, species, they are now protected. Numbers are steadily improving, but the birds still remain annoying. They destroy cars during the ski season, begging and stealing from tourists in the summer.

They're still beautiful, intelligent, entertaining birds- and they know it.

We saw them throughout our journey, and they gathered around us atthe point were APT met Scott's Track. From here we had to scramble along the ridge (cliffs on either side weren't THAT big) and along to the summit at 1833 metres

We were lucky to be there on such a perfect day. The view was spectacular. To the North Arthur's Pass ran West to East. Across its far side we could see the  Devil's Punchbowl, still looking enormous, and the basin it drains formed by scree and snow covered mountains. To our East and West the floor quickly fell away toward scree slopes, cliffs, and grasses, eventually finding the rivers that drained each valley. And to the South ran, West to East, Crow's valley. The base of the valley was in the dark, deep beyond the cliffs. At its head we could see the magnificent sight of Crow Glacier. It was large, with a fern leaf pattern of blue cracks running across the white surface. Beyond it all stood grand mountains, many topped with snow, all showing eroded rocks with small marks of green.

At the summit we joined every other tourist in Arthur's Pass. And amazingly for New Zealand most of them weren't German! They were primarily Israeli. Anna and I learnt from Tal that there is an unwritten, informal, guide for all Israelis visiting NZ. People inform each other of great places to stay and visit, including certain trails that evidently the wider world should be more aware of, but isn't. Avalanche Peak is one of the major Isreali destinations, and I heartily agree. 

Granted, like much of NZ, you are a slave to the weather. In anything but a sunny day even just leaving the bush line is unadvisable. The weather changes quickly. Should the cloud cover come in you'd be lucky to keep to the path. Should the rain come in whilst scrambling over the rocks one slip could be fatal.

But we had all been lucky. The summit was surrounded by people taking a well deserved break. And Kea. Looking cute and harmless for photos, maybe a treat. Then, when someone's back was turned, they'd sneak in to steal whatever took their fancy. 

Finally we decided it was time to go. Scrambling back along the ridge didn't finish were we met both tracks. Nearly until the bushline Scott's Track proved to be all rock and big drops. However once amongst the trees we were not beset by the same amount of climbing as on the APT. Instead the descent was mostly switch backs with only the odd monkey act required.

At the bottom Anna and Til had to quickly pack up to catch a ride back down to Christchurch. I stayed on another day before getting the train back for another night in jail in Christchurch.

Photos!

Crow's Glacier

Sexy beast

Cheeky

P

P

Devil's Punchbowl

Arthur's Pass Village

Day 14, 15, 16, 17: Bulls, Wellington, Ferry, SOUTH ISLAND!

19th-22nd December

Rotorua-Bulls-Wellington-Ferry-South Island- Kaiteriteri

Distance, Bus, Roto to Ferry, 462km, Ferry 98km, Bus to Kaiteriteri, 169km

Total Distance 3281km

Well, the excitement of Days 12 & 13 were a killer to write up. Better not do anything too exciting for a while.

I needed to go back to Bulls to refuel, restock, and move gear, before going to Wellington for meeting to organise my life for the next 5 months, then onto the Interislander Ferry.

On the way to Bulls our driver of the public bus randomly stopped off by the major mountains of the North Island (not including Taranaki, which is also worth visiting). Suddenly I realised this might be the last time I would see Tongoriro and Ngauruhoe, of the Tongoriro Crossing, and Ruepehu, where I went skiing with students from Massey University. The weather was gorgeous. Picture time!

I repackaged at Bulls, had a catch up with my flatmates Ben and Emma, who were very helpful agreeing to post my giant parcel home for me. Last look around Bulls, were I've been living for the past year, before the bus to Wellington.

I love Wellington. Stay here.go to Te Papa, you'll learn a lot about NZ. I've done about 2 days there. I try to go back for the art gallery on the top floor whenever I can. Mount Victoria and Botanical garden are beautiful too, as is the waterfront. I'll try hit Zealandia and Weta Workshop when I'm back to fly out.

Instead, this time, I repacked again, went to see Star Wars (before I hear any spoilers!), and was invited by my friend to the leaving do of two of the most important people in the history of the NZ veterinary association's magazine's history, at a bar on the waterfront.

This morning I was up early, packed then off to the Kiwi Experience bus and the ferry. So now here I am, eating the Famous Interislander Scones- seriously, good job I'm sat near where the trolley came in, they were gone in minutes, date, plain, and cheese varieties, with butter, jam, and cream. They present it really well, then I was released on mine:

I wanted to take a "before" photo, but got too excited.

3 hours to get across, with cinema, bar, full English breakfasts, magic shows, and dubious but free wifi, all available. 

So, to the South Island. I'll be kayaking again this afternoon!

Here's the South Island