AMONGST OUR MOUNTAINS THE ROUTEBURN-GREENSTONE TRACK

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 9

AMONGST OUR MOUNTAINS THE ROUTEBURN-GREEN-STONE TRACK

[Specially Written for *TThe

[By

EDGAR R. WILLIAMS}

of the loveliest rambles by o= 3in. bush, and stream is over :oa ° goutebum - Greenstone track. „ at Kinloch at the head oi ° yaicatipu. the first 10 > e nr so is up the broad, jii® valley of the Dart. The keening left, skirts the base mountains which, clothed with i k forest, rise sharply to rocky tops *s?ratine in Mount Boupland, more high. Across the Dart river syjTbroad tussock-covered flats J, here and there with clumps of trees, rise ranges of no less with easier slopes and no away up the valley, bethe deep bush-filled gorges of r ’° nart. are the snow-capped ranges Main Divide. The road bears and we enter the Routeburn valley 65 r? beedi trees meet overhead s ?Sn (r a woodland tunnel. Twelve 'Sfrom Kinloch the road ends by and it is usual to complete - ctaee by bus. a little bridge begins the steadily rising, still in the lv bush, past cataracts and waterbrings us to the Routeburn Flats Trtie far end of which are situated L Routebum Huts where we spend * first night. The flat, which is open dTows brown top, at times knee--5n is surrounded by high, steep Stains, their Jower slopes heavily More than one night can rnfitably be spent at the Routeburn Ss. this would allow for a trip to of the valley, the view up '> c h from the huts is enticing with -7 great peak of Somnus cutting into he azure. Second Stage of Journey The second stage of the journey arts with a zigzag track through the «sh into what is known as a hanging -Iley While travelling in the bush re may see a native robin and if a Thted match is thrown down on the the curious little bird will not to come and peck the flame out. : er e we are above the bush, in sub<ine country, with magnificent of the lower valjpy and all the saks around. The whole place has 7- shaped by the ancient glaciers, siselled out under the weight of •Sions of tons of moving ice. Moun■in lilies (Nanunculus lyalli) and runtain daisies (Celmeria) grow 3 ong the snow-grass and interesting -ail shrubs. Water cascading down te rocks makes us wonder where it is -sing from until presently we reach - source in Lake Harris, set like a Tie gem among snow-fields :d jagged peaks. Still keeping r. the track and passing high xve the lake little more altitude rings us to Harris Saddle on the rvide between east and west. Here re see into the depths of the great frUyford Valley towering beyond :e blue filling of which are the :owy peaks of the Darran Moungns. range above range to Tutoko je highest point of Fiordland, the -untry now lying before us. Fleecy •bite clouds around the peaks give the al touch to a magnificent landape. For the next mile or two the track seps on about a level with the ess heading up the Hollyford still ell above the bush. Then we ' scend to beautiful Lake Mackenzie rng in the deep hollow of another anging valley and just below the sh-line. Old beech trees overhang » sparkling waters and rocky peaks ar above. We would like to linger st there is no hut I have spent night here in the open in a party ith the late Mr W. G. Grave ho discovered the route the road :

now follows to Milford Sound. On another occasion we carried a tent but I feel sure that by hunting around excellent shelter is to be found under the huge rocks which the ancient glacier has left in plenty. The way now alternates, bush and' open, with beautiful views of the oeac n ? a^ns ’ n °tobly Mount Christina, 8675 feet, across the valley. Then we come to the Earland Fall, a single leap cascading gracefully in one stream for about 100 ft.

: From Earland Fall the track is much better right on to Howden Hut which is situated at the meeting of the tracks We go over the end of the Livingstone Range to the Eglington road (Te u n ™ U 4! ar L d Milf °rd Sound), down the ; Hollyford to the Pyke river; Lake • McKerow and Martins Bay, and down me Greenstone to Lake Wakatipu. The hut, built of corrugated iron, is of several rooms, and from its picturesque setting amid tall beech trees one looks out over the waters of Lake Howden to the Ailsa Mountains, truly a beautiful sight, especially m evening sunlight when the mists are rising after rain. The best viewpoint, however, is from “The Keys,” up on the end of the Livingstone Range, only a few minutes walk above the hut. The place is park-like, covered with short vegetation and dotted with clumps of alpine shrubs and stunted beech trees while several s maH tarns reflect the rugged tops of the Ailsa Mountain. Fine views too are had down the Hollyford and and oyer the Lake Marion Jymg m a deep hanging valley a vertical mile below the lofty summit of Mount Christina. Welcome Change to Open Country . The first lap of the homeward journey is mostly in the bush, along the bank of Lake Howden, over the divide which is hardly noticeable, the slopes on both sides being so gradual, past Lake ♦Mackellar and into the open tussock valley of the Greenstone river. The mountainsides, however, are still covered with beech forest right down to the valley floor, but it becomes a welcome change to be walking in open country after so much travelling in the bush. A night may be spent at the Greenstone hut, but most travellers prefer to make an early start and push right through in one day for the going is down hill, the drop being over a thousand feet in the 22 miles. A short distance beyond the hut the Greenstone river is forded and here I give a word of warning. The Greenstone ford and more especially the Routeburn ford, the Earland Fall as well as several small creeks between Harris Saddle and Earland Fall can be really treacherous if it is raining and it will be well to wait till the rain has ceased. After fording the Greenstone the track is picked up on the hillside before it enters the gorge where for much of the way it is cut out of the steep hillside which for the most part is clothed with red beech tall straight trees with rough brown bark. At the end of the gorge the river, the Greenstone, is crossed on a sturdy suspension bridge and a short ascent brings us to Rene Lake, two well known to require discription. Then on through more beautiful beech forest to the open hillside above Lake Wakatipu, from where are striking views with the glaciated Mount Earuslau reflected in the A short descent brings us to the steamer landing at Elfln Bay, but do not let your journey end there, but walk on to Kinloch a further 10 miles along the lake shore, and you will complete a round trip.