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Milford
Track
Map (left)
and
topographic
chart
(right)
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Milford
Track
Map (left)
and
topographic
chart
(right)
|
|
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Shortly after leaving Mintaro hut, the track passes by Lake Mintaro.
In the early morning, as temperatures are rising, mists are lifting from the
lake surface, providing an almost surreal view with the bush as background.
The track rises sharply to McKinnon Pass, by way of 9 zig-zags, or switchbacks.
The second zig-zag is the longest, and there is a large fallen beech tree that
provides a nice resting spot after conquering this long climb. Along the climb to the pass, several wildflower species may be seen in bloom, including New Zealand bluebell, the New Zealand violet, and the everlasting daisy. The track and pools are often carpeted with apple blossom-like lacebark. Further up can be seen the yellow flowers of the Maori onion and the Mt. Cook lily, the world's largest ranunculus. |
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Spectacular views are the reward for the long climb up the zig-zags onto McKinnon Pass. |
Shortly before reaching the summit of the pass, there is a stone cairn, a memorial to Quintin McKinnon, the first non-Maori to explore this area and to travel to Milford Sound by way of the pass that bears his name. The memorial was erected by a cooperative effort of the Gaelic Society, the Otago Rugby Union and the New Zealand Government.
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The Clinton Valley, the area just traversed the day before, lies shrouded in mists from just outside the door of Pass Hut, a rest stop and temporary shelter in the pass. The view is often totally obscured by mists, but when clear or when the mists break for a few minutes, the view is spectacular. It was hard to believe I had actually walked all that distance and climbed that high! |
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One of my favorite signs on the entire track. NOT! |
| After the rocky, irregular terrain, the track slopes down more gently into what I thought was the loveliest part of the entire trip. It descended into beech forests and followed the Arthur River to the next rest stop, Quintin Hut, which is an overnight stop for the guided walk trampers. (Note the swinging bridge barely visible in the picture at right) | 
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From the rest stop at Quintin, trampers can shed their packs
and take a short walk, about 2 hours round trip, to the base of Sutherland Falls, 1904 ft. high
and the 5th highest falls in the world. An excellent view of the falls is to be seen shortly
after leaving Quintin and before reaching Dumpling if one declines the opportunity to walk up
to the falls, as I did. (View of Sutherland Falls from the track) |
| From Quintin to Dumpling, it is a relatively easy walk through some of the best forest scenery on the entire track. The track is still a bit irregular and somewhat rocky but a "piece of cake" compared to the descent from the pass. |
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