Routeburn Track (partial): Part II of II: December 4-5, 2019

From the Greenstone to the Routeburn Track...

In the previous part of this trip I had walked to Howden Hut on the Routeburn Ttrack and then due to heavy rain and flooding decided to de-camp to McKellar Hut on the Grenstone Track. Because of the adverse weather I had pre-booked an additional night at Howden Hut and a shuttle pick up from the Divide on the Thursday morning. 

Bunkroom in McKellar Hut, image from Tramping.net.nz

Kitchen area in McKellar Hut, image from Tramping.net.nz

In this post I am at McKellar Hut and preparing to head back to Howden Hut and then to the start of the track at the Divide Shelter....initially this would take me back up the Greenstone Track.

Day three: McKellar Hut to Howden Hut

The next day I packed my gear and set off back to Howden Hut for another night...it was more of the same weather with constant wind, rain and hail through the journey and I was super happy to arrive back at the hut after about two hours and fifteen minutes.

Looking down the very wet Greenstone Valley from near McKellar Hut

It was goddamn wet....it hosed with rain the whole way back to Howden Hut...it didn't stop once the whole time. Yea gods...Huey was really chucking it down. It was all good as I was in the forest for most of the walk and my parka worked well.  I'm glad it was only a two hour stroll along a valley bottom and not 4-5 hours on an exposed ridge-line. 

On the way back to Howden Hut, Lake Howden to McKellar Hut Track

Typical conditions on the Lake Howden to McKellar Hut Track

Cascade in the forest between Lake McKellar and Howden Hut

Howden Hut was rocking when I got there but as I had previously booked there was still a space for me to sleep that night. Once again it was full to the brim with guided walkers eating lunch...they continued onto Lake McKenzie hut despite the track closure. They would have a full house if two groups got stuck in the hut together but I'm sure they have extra capacity to cater for this. 

Back at the mouth of Lake Howden, Fiordland NP

A joyous sight for a very wet Jon...Howden Hut comes into view......

There were about 20 of us staying in Howden Hut that night and to my total surprise everyone of us was a Kiwi tramper. Most of the people had walked in from the Divide either to wait out the storm or because some other track was closed. I found out from a trio of Auckland trampers that all of the Fiordland Great Walks were closed as the Routeburn, Milford and Kepler had floods and or snow at their highest points. 

....classic hut life...washing drying, people eating, fire burning.....Howden Hut

I arrived at around 11 am so I had the rest of the day in the hut...lots of tea was drunk and myself and one of the other trampers cut enough firewood for about 3-4 days. It was a much more restful night with a hut only 3/4 full and I managed to snag a spot by a window so I left it open most of the night (it had a bug screen...) for the ventilation. 

Track still closed in worsening weather....Howden Hut

I had to move downstairs to the living area at around 3am as I had quadrophonic snorers all around me including one who sound like weeeeeee....fluberflubberflubber....weeeee...flubberflubberflubber.

Not cool or restful...it was lucky I had such a short tramp the next day because I was tired.

Day 4: Back to the Divide Shelter...

I had to be at the Divide Shelter the next day at 10.10 to catch the pre-booked shuttle...It was about an hour walk to get back to the shelter. 

I was up and eating my Pog and coffee at around 6 am and was looking to leave the hut at around 8 am to give me plenty of spare time in case anything went wrong. I was going to be the first person down the track that day so I had no idea what sort of obstacles I might strike.

Classic 'Pog" and coffee for breakfast in Howden Hut

The weather was just as miserable as the previous day...wet, strong wind gusts and low laying fog....exactly the same as the previous three days in fact. The track was still closed between Lake McKenzie and Routeburn Falls so I imagine a lot of people were going to be coming back down the track over the course of the day. 

Still bloody miserable outside...Howden Hut on the last day

Last shot of a wet Lake Howden

...goodbye Howden Hut...see you soon...

I set out at 07.55 for the road end totally wrapped in wet weather gear from head to toe. In the event it wasn't that bad...I did get wet but not soaked to the skin and the trees provided a lot of protection from the elements. 

On the Track to the Divide, Routeburn Track

Nice steps on the track to the divide, Routeburn Track

...it was raining so full drains...Routeburn Track

I was up at the Key Summit turnoff and heading down towards the shelter within 15 minutes of setting out...the track was wet but the excellent drainage ensured there were few problems on this section of track. 

Approaching the side track to Key Summit, Routeburn Track

Routeburn Track: the track junction for Key Summit

Then it was down the Milford Road side of the track...the stated time to get back to the shelter from here is 45 minutes and that is just about how long it took me to get there. Because of the rain there was water every where...dripping of the sides of the track, running over the track....running down the track.....

Steady rain falling on the Routeburn Track

Heading for the Divide shelter...Routeburn Track

Mist in the Totora's along the Routeburn Track

Here you can see one of the points where the rain was running off tussock onto the track.....

Wet cascade along the Routeburn Track

There were no views at all as the low laying cloud had completely obscured the opposite side of the valley blocking out the Ailsa and Darran Ranges. Only when I got close to the road end did I start to see the odd glimpse of distant hillside....

Easy to follow track even in mist...Routeburn Track

After walking for 35 minutes I got my first view of the Divide Creek Falls...this was from above on a switchback track section. They were much more powerful after all of that rain...you could hear them and see them from way along the track...I was a bit concerned about the crossing point below.....

First view of Divide Creek Falls, Routeburn Track

...track as river bed...Routeburn Track

The bridge at the Divide Creek Falls was high and dry from the water fall so that was a possible problem defused...it was really loud and a bit wet up close to the falls as they had many times the amount of water running in them as when I had passed by on the Monday.

Divide Creek Falls bridge...Routeburn Track

Divide Creek Falls after rain.....Routeburn Track

I got my first glimpse of the Milford Road from next to the Falls...a parting window in the cloud and I could see it down at the bottom of the valley. I did wonder if the road was closed but then I saw a number of cars and buses drive by so I knew I was sure to be collected that day. It was a great relief....

Looking down to the Milford Road from the Routeburn Track

There were a lot of places like the one below where small streams ran down the side of the hill. This particular example had covered the track with water to a depth of about 2 cms for a very short distance.

Routeburn Track: a stream crosses the track...

Then it was back into the groves of Fuchsia trees for a couple odd hundred meters along the track...there are some big trees here some of the Fuchsia's are 10-20 cm's through the trunk...that is large for that particular type of tree.

Grove of native fuchsia trees, Routeburn Track

A tunnel of Fuchsia trees, Routeburn Track

Milford Road just visible through the forest...

Old mans beard on a Fuchsia tree, Routeburn Track

Traffic noise grew louder and the flash of cars got more common as I walked closer to the end of the track....I could see that all of the creeks running along the bottom of the valley were full of fast flowing water as the surrounding hills slowly drained themselves of excess water. I passed several groups obviously heading for the Key Summit walk...why in the low visibility and rain is anyone's answer.

Dense under-story in Fiordland Forest, Routeburn Track

Divide Shelter car park comes into view, Routeburn Track

I passed many DOC 200 pest traps as I walked along the track...Fiordland has as big a pest problem as any other forest in the country and they too were trying to keep it under control. Even with the traps along the tracks it must be a massive task to go along and clear and re-bait them...you would soon be hill tough doing that job.

There are many DOC 200 traps along the Routeburn Track

Eventually I made it to the end of the track after just over an hour of walking...there were a lot of people around mostly sight seers but also drivers resting, people going to the toilets and trampers gearing up for the day. A real hub of excitement and wonder.....

End of the Routeburn Track and end of the trip...

I ensconced myself in the shelter and waited for the shuttle to arrive...in the meantime I changed into my dry hut clothes and boiled up a brew to enjoy while I waited. I had nearly 10 snacks as I had not been eating them over the previous couple of days so I hoed into some of them with my cuppa.

The shelter is a good barrier to the rain but it is open to the wind on two sides so it was a bit cold after awhile even with warm dry clothes and your jacket on. If you ever find yourself waiting here try to find a spot in the sun but out of the wind.....

Divide Shelter, Milford Road Fiordland

Divide Shelter car park, Milford Road, Fiordland

I had a look at all the information boards around the shelter...there is some good information there if your interested about the history, geology and flora of Fiordland National Park. There is also plenty of useful tramping information...what gear to take...locals tracks...safety measures etc.

My pack in the Divide Shelter...note the information panels, Milford Road, Fiordland

Drying off and cooling down, Divide Shelter, Fiordland

DOC post a weather update here every couple of days...the forecast for the coming 2-3 days looked bleak in the extreme so I was glad I was heading for a dry, warm comfortable motel room. 

Handy information in the Divide shelter, Milford Road

...weather forecast, Divide Shelter, Milford Road

About 30 minutes after I got to the shelter I was joined by a couple of the people from the hut...it was a father/son combo...the son was a Reserve soldier so he was rocking all his Army gear...fleece clothing, Goretex jacket, lightweight boots, Karrimor pack etc. His father had an Army pack borrowed from his sons friend...

The gear sure looked better than the totally awful stuff we had when I served. We still had cotton uniforms, heavy black leather boots, PVC jackets and ALICE packs from the Vietnam War era....I could say nostalgically it did the job but actually it was total rubbish!!!

Some of my Routeburn Track hut mates

The Tracknet shuttle to Te Anau arrived to collect the three of us about 30 minutes after I got to the Shelter and because we were the only passengers we left early. There was a lot of flood and rock fall damage on the Milford Highway from all the rain that had fallen. 

We nearly died when a idiotic tourist driver almost hit us head on overtaking on a corner near Lake Gunn. The shuttle driver slammed on the brakes and we slid to a halt barely two meters apart. I just about got out and punched the dumb bastid driving the car....and not just me!!! Meanwhile the laconic kiwi shuttle driver just said '...mate...it happens 2-3 times a day...."

Im glad I do not drive that road all the time....

A flooded Lake Te Anau, Kepler Mountains in distance...

The end of another trip which although it did not work out as planned but was still enjoyable. 

When I got back to Te Anau I manged to get a refund for all of the Great Walk Hut nights I did not use and the Tracknet transport from the Routeburn Shelter back to Te Anau. It was just as well as it was a couple of hundred dollars. 

I will have to go back down to Fiordland to finish the Routeburn at some stage...I will probably do the Grand Traverse...the Routeburn followed by a walk down the Greenstone Valley. There aren't any spots for the rest of the 2019/20 season but I will keep an eye out for cancellations. 

My next Great Walk is the Rakuria Track with Karen at the end of January 2020 after that the Kepler and Paparoa are on my schedule for the 2020/21 season. I cannot wait.....

Access: From the Divide Shelter drive/shuttle/hitch to Te Anau on the Milford Road...approximately 90 kms distant. 

Track Times: 1-1.5  hours The Divide to Howden Hut: Great Walk, 28 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, flushing toilets, 3-4 hours hours to Lake MacKenzie Hut: Great Walk, 50 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, flushing toilets, 2-3 hours to McKellar Hut: Serviced, 24 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, toilets

Miscellaneous: Howden Hut and Lake MacKenzie Hut are Great Walk huts on the  DOC Hut booking system, they must be booked for overnight visit before starting the track. There is an instant $50 penalty fine for not booking a spot AND you have to pay the hut price. McKellar is a serviced hut so a hut ticket or hut pass is required. Note All of the huts on the Greenstone Track are very busy, a bunk is on a first come basis. The side track to Key Summit will take 1 hour in total.