The commencement point of the Kepler Great Walk (hike) from Te Anau. Weighed down with
heavy bags, 3,000 feet to ascend to reach Hut One, Luxmore. Looks like we'll have to camp and
sleep during the day, hike at night. Had we brought a shovel, we might have levelled the sign.
101…102…195…and so on until perhaps infinity. That’s the number of peaks we saw of the Kepler Range.
Fortunately, we only had to ascend and descend a few. The hike begins at lake level, the colossal Te Anau,
one of many bodies of pristine water in this country. For 3.5 miles, we meandered along the side of the beach
and then took a left turn. We headed 3,000 feet higher, broke the tree line (not on purpose) and made our way
along a crest for another two-and-a-bit miles, finally arriving at Luxmore Hut, our residence for the night.
We left for the 'tramp' at midday Sunday, returned a little after midday on Tuesday after completing twenty-seven
miles and accumulating 6,000 feet in elevation gain. We were a little tired but had never felt better.
Jenni explained that sunset/sunrise photographs only make sense to her with a great backdrop. We hope
we met her aspirations.
Tussock above, clouds next and then Lake Te Anau at the surface. (The blue is water below not sky.)
With heavy backpacks, the nature of hiking changes meaningfully and not necessarily for the better. We’ve
always thought of it as an honest system—you can take all the luxuries you wish in order to make the nights
comfortable and the meals delicious. However, the proviso is: You carry it on the back in and the litter
you carry out, too. Suddenly, the luxuries are no longer important and a process of efficiency is implemented.
Funnily enough, it did not prevent one of us taking a hot-water bottle.
We would think a great weight watching tool is to carry a weighted pack on one’s back each day. It’s a reminder
of the strain being placed on the bones, joints, muscles and organs. It may be a lot easier to forgo the
additional food and as a reward have the burden alleviated. Anyway, it’s really tough climbing big distances
weighed down with the ‘kitchen sink’.
Just before making the turn to begin climbing, we came across local students swimming in the lake at Brod Bay.
From the comments we heard, the water was obviously very cold. We asked a young woman whether that was the case.
‘No’, she replied, 'It’s brisk but lovely.’
“It still looks cold to us,” we replied. How one can tell it looks cold, without the presence of ice, might
be a good question.
‘Are you not from New Zealand?' She questioned. We answered accordingly.
‘In that case, to you it will be freezing.’ Nice!
"I've looked at clouds from both sides now..." At peak of Mount Luxmore.
The sun hits the spot on one of the colossal peaks.
The Kepler Track is magnificent. It has forests, mountains of course, varied and often dangerous weather
patterns, paths along edges and on the ridges. The lake is on view in many places and varies in shape,
size and color while it meanders like a river. The cloud formations and movement thereof add another
dimension mesmerizing the observer constantly. Given the height of the peaks, even the ridges, the sunrises
and sets are spectacular. The flora is interesting especially when the trees and tussock are lit by
the rising or falling sun. The contrasts with the varying shades of blue water, often partly covered
in clouds, add to one’s interest.
Mountain Girl, somewhere on trail between Luxmore and Iris Burn.
Asleep at the wheel on Mount Luxmore, towering above Lake Te Anau.
Suffering from a hangover of too much Diet Coke.
New Zealand entertains many tourists each year—we would guess that tourism is the primary or one of
the large sources of foreign exchange. The Big Walks attract many people from all over the world.
In three days, we met and spoke to Germans, Israelis, Frenchmen, locals, Australians and a host of
other nationals. We would guess there were at least thirty young Israelis on the mountain. Hikers either
bunk down in rather expensive huts or sleep in tents. It’s fairly standard that the Israelis are going
to be around twenty-three years old, traveling after completing their initial military service. In a funny
but meaningful hour or so, we entertained Ossie who at first, we thought was French. He joined us for dinner
and almost spent the night sleeping under Jenni’s bunk. However, that’s a story for another time.
A little later than sunrise, the clouding was sensational. The lake is below.
The views along the ridges are some of the finest. 'Boy, did I take a wrong turn'.
Each country has a different system with regard to huts, refugios and accommodation on the mountains.
In New Zealand, there are no showers and only cold water. Fortunately, there are gas cookers although
most hikers could bring their own. The ablution blocks are unisex with doors on the cubicles. However,
it takes some getting used to, for instance, brushing teeth or coming out the toilet and bumping into
a woman and vice-versa. We met Joanne, spent a while talking with her after dinner, for want of a nice
term (dinner), and when we were packing in the morning, happened to look up and see her selecting and
putting her bra on in a slow and thoughtful manner. Inhibitions seem somewhat toned down. We noticed
a youngster changing his shorts over breakfast—fortunately, we weren't hungry. The negative of sharing
a communal hut of thirty-five persons is the level of noise caused by snorers. Unfortunately, we had
two guys below and to the left of us who should have been gagged if not quartered. Okay, we did not
expect to get a great night’s rest.
Mary-Lou, a woman of seventy-eight put us to shame. She hails from Seattle. She spent a while telling us
of her hiking exploits. After we were knocked out by her history including how she travels and her stays
at backpackers youth hostels, (and she’s modest), she concluded by telling us that she could not keep up
with her eight-five year old friend. People like that make us feel most guilty for all our whining.
By the way, she suffers from osteoporosis.
We found a desperate photographer along the ridge on way to Iris Burn Hut. We also found clouds.
The effects on the earth from a sunrise on and above the mountains. (Love the grass lit on the edges.)
Then there are the kea parrots. They are rambunctious with such attitude. Nothing should be left outside,
including boots. They are known to pick and pull anything apart. Should they get inside the huts, and
they do try, then that space will be defined in due course as a disaster area. The sandflies, the equivalent
of mosquitoes, are another species whose presence on earth could be questioned without meaning disrespect.
Mind you, there are a number of humans for which the same could be said.
Each night at 8pm, the ranger makes a presentation—safety issues, weather, danger, hygiene as well as
collecting tickets. This is to be missed…not to be missed, we mean. Everyone loves time before a captive
audience and Pat was no exception. For reasons we’ll mention in a later blog, we spent two nights in the
same hut. We were rewarded to another rendition of the speech and clearly, Pat had not made any changes.
Admittedly, over the years we have heard some good quips. In South Africa and Hawaii at huts frequented,
rangers are not present so we have to provide our own entertainment. Jenni can be a scream when she
lets her hair down.
We decided to climb the peak of Mount Luxmore a second time on the way back from our destination of the day.
We met Yair and Jacob—three Jews from three...no, five different countries (Ethiopia, France, South Africa, USA & Israel).
Two are Israeli citizens each 23 years old...the other's age, indeterminate.
Cheers,
Jenni and Jeffrey
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