Routeburn Track Planning: Food

 

 Preparing for the Routeburn Track: Food

I am off to walk the Routeburn Track in two weeks time and I am starting my final preparations for the trip. I have walked sections of the track in the past but on both occasions big rain events (not uncommon in Fiordland) have scuppered me before I could finish the whole route. 

I made it as far as Howden Hut (1980's-2020) in 2019

I thought it would useful to write a series of blogs about the preparation I undertake before walking a specific Great Walk so this is the first dealing with the food I will be taking on the Routeburn. You burn a lot of calories tramping so hopefully this will be enough to keep me going. 

Conditions the last time I visited the Routeburn Track...

I also intend to write a post about the gear I will taking with me and a brief description of the convoluted transport plan I used to walk the track during Covid.

Food for the Routeburn Track:

I'm walking the Routeburn over three nights/four days which is longer than usual as I am staying one night at Routeburn Flats Hut. All of the main Great Walk huts on this track have gas cookers in them but no pots/pans etc. so you have to take these with you. I have planned a menu that will be quick and easy to prepare so most of the time I will just need hot water. 

Most Great Walk huts have cookers...Perry Saddle Hut

 I will be spending a night at Routeburn Flats, Routeburn Falls and Lake MacKenzie Huts so I will be taking three dinner meals. I will also require breakfast for days 2-4 and lunch and snacks for all four days. All up this comes to about 2.4 kilograms of food which is certainly not lite but also reasonable for 4 days. 

My food rations for the Routeburn Track

I pack my tramping food into 24 hour rations i.e. the way the military receive their rations. Everything I need to survive for 24 hours is packed into a zip-loc bag and the contents are all I have for that period. The advantage of this system is you have an easy to control amount of food for each day, it packs smaller and it is often a lighter option than carrying a big olde sack of loose food. 

A 24 hour ration I used on the Kepler Track in 2021

As this is a multi day trip in Fiordland known for random and extreme changes of weather I will also be taking a days worth of spare food. This is not a full days ration but just some items to cover breakfast and dinner in case I find myself stuck in a hut due to track closures or adverse weather. 

Emergency foods I have used in the past...

I have been lucky so far and never needed to use my emergency food but I would never undertake any trip longer that a day without carrying some. 

Now let us turn to what I will actually be eating each day...

Day one: Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats:

The first day is short with a 2-3 hour walk from the start of the track at Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats Hut. I am starting in Te Anau and using a shuttle bus to get to the Queenstown end of the Routeburn Track. This is so I can leave my car in Te Anau for homeward transport after the tramp.

I am using the Tracknet shuttle to get to Routeburn Shelter

 I will be starting the actual walk some time at 1.30 pm so this has me arriving at the hut around 4-5 pm. If I continued on to Routeburn Falls Hut (as most people do) I would be arriving sometime between 5 and 7 pm as it is another 1.5 hours up the track. I decided in the planning stage that this would be cutting things a little fine...

Day One: Roast Lamb and Vegetables BBC

On the first night I will be having a Backcountry freeze dried meal...in this case the tasty Roast Lamb and Vegetables. I only use single serve freeze dried meals now as I found a larger two person meal was just too much for one person. Added to this is a simmer soup, drinks and chocolate for that day and some snacks and a breakfast meal for the next day. 

I have Instant Grits for breakfast on day two...

Contents of the day one ration are as follows:

BCC Roast Lamb and Vegetables, Trident Chicken Noodle simmer soup, Instant Grits with powdered cheese (breakfast for day two), Snacks for day two (Le Snak, muesli bar, steak bar), Jack Links beef stick, Whitakers Sante bar, Vitafresh (Orange), sugar sachet x 4, salt, pepper, Aquatabs, chux cloth

Weight:790 gm's 

Crackers and tuna fish for lunch on this tramp!!!

Each of these rations includes an accessories pack with a number of universal items including Raro/Vitafresh powder, 3 in 1 coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, Aquatabs (water purification), scrub pad and two freezer bags. 

My meal accessory bag included in every 24 hour ration

These are the standard accessories I include with every ration I make. 

Day Two: Routeburn Flats to Routeburn Falls:

Day two of my Routeburn tramp is a very short day...the track between Routeburn Flat & Routeburn Falls is only 1.5 hours. I will spend a goodly amount of the day exploring around the hut with a trip up to the nearby falls. I should have my pick of bunks for the night as I will probably be the first person there...

Day two: Beef Stroganoff BBC

Contents of the day two ration are as follows:

BCC Beef Stroganoff, Knorr Corn and Chicken simmer soup, porridge with milk powder/fruit/nuts (breakfast for day three), Snacks for day three (Le Snak, Nougat bar, nut mix), Jack Links beef stick, Whitakers Sante bar, Vitafresh (Orange), sugar sachet x 4, salt, pepper, aquatabs, chux cloth

Weight:760 gm's 

My food rations for the second day...

I have the Jack Links beef stick with breakfast to up my intake of protein in the morning. Porridge, bread, cereal and grits have plenty of carbohydrates and sugars but bugger all protein so you need to supplement it. Protein is the long release source of energy in your diet and you will not perform well if you are lacking in it. 

Day three: Routeburn Falls to Lake Mackenzie:

Day three is the longest on this trip and is a 5-6 hour walk up and over Harris Saddle, along the Hollyford Face and down to the hut at Lake MacKenzie. It is through some rugged alpine terrain and is the most picturesque section of this track. I will probably have lunch at Harris Saddle Shelter which is about 2-2.5 hours into the walk. 

Day three: Mediterranean Cous-Cous for diner

I have Mediterranean Cous-Cous for dinner that night...a flavored cous-cous packet with some dried vegetables, tuna fish and herbs and spices added. Cous-cous is a fantastic tramping food...lite, compact, easy to prepare but you do get sick of it after a while. The key is to give it a flavor kick with soup powder, stock cubes, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

...a BBC Muesli and Yogurt for breakfast...

Contents of the day three ration are as follows:

Mediterranean Cous-Cous, tuna sachet (for Cous-Cous), dried vegetables, Knorr Chicken Noodle soup, BCC Muesli with Yoghurt (breakfast for day four), Snacks for day four (Le Snak, muesli bar, nut mix), Haneff pate (lunch day four), Jack Links steak bar, Whitakers Sante bar, Vitafresh (Passionfruit), sugar sachet x 4, salt, pepper, aquatabs, chux cloth, scrubbing pad

Weight:410 gm's 

Day four: Lake Mackenzie to the Divide Shelter:

The last day is another big one with the climb up out of Lake MacKenzie and the trip to Lake Howden and then out to the Milford Highway. In the past you could have shortened the day with a stay at Howden Hut but alas it is no more. A landslip took it out back in early 2020...it is a damn shame as it was an awesome wee hut. DOC have no plans to replace it as there is no safe land in the immediate vicinity to build a new hut. 

Interior of the now removed Howden Hut back in 2019

I have a Backcountry muesli and yogurt pack for breakfast on the last day and will stop for lunch at the temporary shelter DOC have installed near the old Howden Hut site. I have some pate and crackers set aside for this meal and a instant soup.

My snacks for the last day of the Routeburn tramp

If I am able to get to Lake Howden then I will be able to walk off the Routeburn under my own steam. I can tuck into my emergency rations while I am waiting for the shuttle to arrive at the Divide Shelter. There are multiple seating areas, water and toilets available there.  

Emergency Rations:

So as mention previously I will be carrying some emergency rations on this tramp...partially as it is in storm prone Fiordland but also I have prior experience of the vagaries of tramping down south. Stuff happens that can make forward progress impossible. It is not a lot of food...just enough to relieve the misery of being stuck in a hut for an additional day. 

Pack four: emergency food for the Routeburn

I pack these emergency rations using the same method as the main ones but at least these fit in a medium zip-loc bag. I would also have some teabags and any other left over food to supplement this...

...my emergency rations for the Routeburn Track...

My emergency rations will be:

BCC Cheesy Chicken Mash, Instant oats, Trident Thai Noodle soup, Vitafresh (Orange)

Weight: 410 gm's

All of my food is carried in a yellow 13 liter sil-nylon dry bag...yellow is my color code for food items. Keeping your food in a larger bag makes it easier to find, easier to store and can protect the rest of your gear from accidental spillages. 

My 13 liter food bag from Sea to Summit...

I carry a 30 cm long piece of para cord in the bottom of this bag in case I need to hang my food bag in a hut with a rodent problem. If you are in a hut with rodents you have to remove all food from your pack or they will eat right through it to get to the goodies. 

Not an urban myth...I have seen it happen before!!!

Breakdown of some food accessories...

I carry a few additions to the basic ration load out so lets take a look at these.

 First up are the snacks I have for the first day of the track i.e. walking into Routeburn Flats. They are packed in a separate bag and will be easily accessible in my pack lid. I take 2-4 snacks per day on all my tramps...I try to keep these lite and packed with energy so cheese, muesli bars, jerky, dried fruit, nuts and chocolate. 

Day one snack's: muesli bar, Le Snak, nut mix...

I have a 3 in 1 coffee with my breakfast but the rest of the time I drink Earl Grey tea as a hot beverage. My favorite brand is Chanui and I will carry at least 3 teabags for each of the days I am tramping plus some spares. I do take other teas on occasion but Chanui is the one I like the most. 

Chanui Earl Grey for me thanks!!!

I also carry some Aquatabs for water purification...water at Great Walk huts is normally fine to drink from the taps BUT caution is always good. Additionally I might refill a water bottle from a stream or lake enroute and it needs to be treated before I drink it. I have a water filter but it is easily damaged by cold conditions so not good for an alpine area like this. 

I carry Chanui Earl Grey Tea and Aquatabs

I like soup before dinner and have taken to carrying packets of simmer soup for this purpose. My go to brands are Trident, Knorr and Continental. I usually enjoy these about an hour before my main meal to add some extra calories, salt and warming liquids to my tramping diet. Soup will beef up your nutritional intake for little extra weight or bulk. 

Simmer soups brands I will be carrying...Knorr and Trident

 I also carry packets of instant soup (Cup-O-Soup) with me for lunch breaks, rest breaks or as a pick me up on a cold day. They are easy to make...you just add boiled water and sipping one will make your lunch breaks more enjoyable. They are also excellent as emergency food as they are lite and take up little space. 

The mixed instant soup kit I carry...multiple flavors

I carry these soups in a separate bag which sits in the lid of my pack where they are easy to get to if required...

My cook kit on this trip...

I will be taking a lighter version of my standard cooking kit with me on the tramp including my Toaks cooking pot and Firemaple stove. All the main huts on the Routeburn have gas cookers but I like to carry my cooking kit for emergencies and for on trail tea/soup breaks. 

My standard cook kit...Great Walk edition

My cook kit will have the follow items in it:

Toaks 1.3 liter titanium pot, Firemaple TI stove, plastic Sea to Summit Delta mug, TI fork and spoon, Victorinox folding knife, 110gm gas cannister, lighter, carry bags

If I have enough water I will brew up for lunch at Harris Saddle Shelter, Lake Howden Shelter and at the end of the track. I only need a small 110 gm gas cannister for these occasions. 

I finish at the Divide Shelter on the Milford Highway

So that is the food I will be taking with me on the Routeburn Track. I may swap out one of the Backcountry meals for some Mac and Cheese as that is another meal I really like on trail. Apart from that this is the menu I will run with...

Equipment for the Routeburn Track

 The equipment I will carry on the Routeburn Track...

The second part of my preparation for walking the Routeburn Track is gathering all the equipment I will need for the tramp. I have honed this gear list down over the last decade and have removed all extraneous equipment and excess weight. 

 

Packing up my kit in Howden Hut back in 2020

My over arching plan with this equipment is to carry as little weight as possible without compromising safety. I could certainly take less gear with me but I would not be self sufficient in an emergency. I have no wish to appear on your evening news as another of those "daft trampers" in trouble because I didn't take enough gear to support myself...

Gator don't play that way!!!

Overview of my gear:

I have a set of packing lists which I use when I am preparing my gear for a trip. I have one for day tramps right through to multi day expeditions and I tick items off the list as I gather the gear and pack it. I use the same basic set up for a Great Walk and a tramp of 1-3 days. There is just enough gear here to keep me safe, warm & reasonably comfortable.

My usual set of gear for a Great Walk

Here is a list of the gear I carry excluding specific sub groups I will discuss below...

Pack: Osprey Atmos 50 AG with raincover and packliner

Sleep system: see below

Cooking kit: see below

Clothing: see below

Emergency equipment: ACR ResQLink PLB, First Aid kit, SOL mylar bivy bag

Electronics: Samsung A12 phone, Canon SX410IS camera with 6 batteries, Kindle Paperwhite, 20 000 mAh power bank with cord, Black Diamond headtorch + spare batteries 

Navigation: Silva Ranger compass, topographic maps of the track

Toiletries: Sea to Summit Drylite towel, tooth brush, tooth paste, comb, insect repellant, sun screen, anti chaff, Luka tape

Accessories: jandal's for hut shoes, strapless digital watch, general repair kit, bandanna, wallet (drivers license/hut pass/cash/credit card), car keys, camera pouch fitted to my pack hip belt, 

All up my gear weighs 9.7 kg's without food or water which is not Ultra Lite but is manageable. The gear I would take on a Great Walk is basically the same as what I would haul for any tramp. This equipment (with regular food resupply) would allow me to stay on a long trail for several months at a time. 

Specific equipment sub groups:

Some of the equipment I carry warrants its own sub grouping.

Clothing: Worn

Worn clothing refers to the clothes you wear day to day and therefore does not take up space in your pack. I'm from the start cold-warm up school so I am usually attired in the bare minimum of clothing when I start out in the morning. My usual tramping attire will be some type of short sleeved shirt, shorts, underwear and my boots or shoes. 

My tramping uniform: shirt, shorts and boots...

I use generic clothing from the Warehouse (the local Walmart...) or Hunting and Fishing made from a moisture wicking technical material. I have recently taken to wearing collared shirts so I can flip the collar up for extra sun protection. I will wear a hat most of the time as the sun here in Kiwiland is savage...

Jon standing outside Saxon Hut in December 2021

Worn clothing consists of:

Short sleeve shirt, shorts, technical underwear, socks, foot wear, sun hat

I will use mountain trainers or boots depending on the trip and the socks I use are either Bridgedale or Icebreaker.

Footwear: worn

The Routeburn is a rough & rocky track in places through high Alpine terrain and good footwear is essential to a successful trip. I will be wearing my old faithful Lowa boots on this tramp as I have on so many others. 

Lowa Ranger III boots for the Routeburn

I use Lowa Ranger III boots in a size 14US or 13UK....my current pair have been in use since 2018 and still have many years of use in them. Lowa are a German bootmaker who have been in business since the 1920's and they make some of the best outdoor boot products on the market. As you would imagine with a German manufacturer they are well made and super comfortable to wear...I have never had blisters with these.

My Lowa boots on the Heaphy Track in Decmeber

Good boots need good socks to work at their peak so my go to sock brand is Bridgedale...I wear their merino blend Trekker socks and have been very happy with my choice. I have a brand new and freshly laundered pair for this trip and I carry a spare pair of the same for hut wear and in case something happens to one of my day to day socks. 

Bridgedale Trekker socks are my go to brand

I have gaiters but do not wear them on Great Walks as the tracks are usually wide enough and well formed enough to make them surplus to requirements. That said I could have used them on the Heaphy track last December...it was muddy!!!

Clothing: Warm/Spare

I have a set of warmer clothes that I take with me when I go out tramping..the weather here in New Zealand is very changeable so you have to be prepared for all weather from baking sun to blizzard. As I have already stated I am usually to be seen in a short sleeve shirt and shorts so this warm gear stays in a dry bag in my pack most of the time. 

Wearing one of my merino tops on a trip to the Hawdon Valley

I carry the following warm gear on every Great Walk tramp:

H & F fleece pullover, merino long sleeved top, merino leggings, nylon track pants for the hut,  merino Bennie (2 incase I lose one), gloves, spare socks

Great Walk specific clothing includes:

Spare short sleeve shirt, nylon track pants (both for use in the hut)

In actual fact I have only needed these warm clothes 6-7 times over the last decade but I would never leave them behind. I wear my warm fleece on every trip once it starts getting cold at sundown...

Clothing: wet weather gear:

You spend most of your time on the Routeburn up above the bush line so the chances of encountering some serious rain are quite high. Ideally I would have a heavy duty E-vent or Gortex parka but what I will be carrying is my usual wet weather gear.

My wet weather gear: jacket, pants and over-mitts

Both my jacket and over trousers are from Stoney Creek...the Stow It jacket and a pair of Dreambull wet weather pants. Both items have a 24 000 water head and are fully seam sealed with a generous adjustable hood on the jacket. I have recently renewed the water proofing on my jacket so it should be good to go for this trip. 

Stoney Creek Stowit jacket

I have worn these in heavy sustained rain and they have kept me warm and safe if not always comfortable or 100% dry. If it rains enough every jacket is going to soak through eventually. I wear these with a wicking undergarment and a baller cap to keep the hood off my eyes. 

In my wet weather gear on the Paparoa Track in 2021

My wet weather gear is:

Stoney Creek Stowit Jacket, Stoney Creek Dreambull trousers, Outdoor Research Mitts, Baller cap

I also have a pair of Outdoor Research Gortex over-mitts for my hands so I can basically be cocooned from my head to my feet in water proof gear. 

OR Gortex over mitts for use in the rain...

I really need a heavier duty jacket just for tramping in Fiordland but it is not something I am going to acquire before this tramp. 

Sleep system:

I am a hot sleeper so I will not need to take one of my heavy duty sleeping bags with me on this trip. All of the huts on the Routeburn are less than 40 years old so they will have good insulation and are likely to be full of hot heat pumping humans.

 What I will be using is my Macpac NZAT down quilt...

My Macpac NZAT quilt at Ces Clarke Hut in 2020

I have been using the quilt for nearly four years now and it is a really awesome bit of kit...it is lite yet warm and comfortable to sleep under. Quilts are the go...they are much less constricting around the body and lighter as there is no down under you. This one is good down to zero degrees and I usually find I am still too hot even when it is that cold...

My favored position in Lakehead Hut, Nelson Lakes NP

My sleeping system for this track will include:

 Macpac NZAT zero degree quilt, Sea to Summit Aeros pillow, silk sleeping bag liner

The other parts of my sleeping kit are a Sea to Summit inflatable pillow and a silk sleeping bag liner that I tend to use as a bottom sheet so I am not sleeping directly on the nasty DOC hut mats.

I carry a Sea to Summit Aeros pillow

I have be using this set up for the last four years and I think it works well. 

Cooking kit:

I will be taking a lighter version of my standard cooking kit with me on the tramp including my Toaks cooking pot and Firemaple stove. All the main huts on the Routeburn have gas cookers but I like to carry a cooking kit for emergencies and for on trail tea/soup breaks. 

My standard cook kit...Great Walk edition

Additionally I will have two 1 liter plastic bottles for water...I have been using recycled Just Juice bottles for the last decade and they work really well. 

Recycled juice bottles are great for water carry...

My cook kit will have the following items in it:

Toaks 1.3 liter titanium pot, Firemaple TI stove, plastic Sea to Summit Delta mug, TI fork and spoon, Victorinox folding knife, 110gm gas cannister, lighter, liquid camp soap, carry bags

If I have enough water I will brew up for lunch at Harris Saddle Shelter, Lake Howden Shelter and at the end of the track. I only need a small 110 gm gas cannister for these occasions. 

Ancillary gear:

Here is some ancillary gear I will carrying with me when I am on the Routeburn Track. This gear does not easily fit into the sub groups mentioned above and needs explanation.

Food...

As you will know I have made a separate post just about the food I will be using on this trip. I will be taking meals for four days with breakfast, lunch and dinner catered for. I am more than happy to just eat freeze dried meals the whole time...hey it is only four days and I can eat healthier options before and after the tramp.

My Routeburn Track menu...

My food is the heaviest and bulkiest item I am carrying in my pack. It weighs in at 2.4 kg's but I will eat almost 1 kg of that total before I start the real climbing up out of Routeburn Falls Hut. Food is energy to tramp so this is an area you cannot skimp on...

Trekking poles...

I have been using trekking poles for the last decade...they assist with stability, make crossing smaller streams easier and relieve pressure on your hips, knees and ankles. As I get older I find them more and more useful and would not think of going for any extended tramp without them. My go to brand is Leki and I am currently on my second pair. 

Ye gawds...lift those pole tips Jon!!!

The poles I am currently using are Leki Traillite poles...these are the traditional Leki poles with the screw action for changing the length of the poles. I have been using these since 2020 after my previous poles broke on the Travers -Sabine Circuit. 

My pack and poles at Gouland Downs Hut

Up until last year I was just carrying the one pole but have starting carrying two as using the one pole was giving me joint pain. Trekking poles are fantastic when you are climbing and descending slopes and are useful even on the flattest track. 

Using the Leki poles on the Heaphy Track

If you have never used trekking poles before you should think about it. There are a ton of suppliers and lots of information online about the techniques and pros/cons of using them.

So that is the gear i will be using on the Routeburn Track in two weeks..

Vittles for the Routeburn Track

Preparing for the Routeburn Track: Food

I am off to walk the Routeburn Track in two weeks time and I am starting my final preparations for the trip. I have walked sections of the track in the past but on both occasions big rain events (not uncommon in Fiordland) have scuppered me before I could finish the whole route. 

I made it as far as Howden Hut (1980's-2020) in 2019

I thought it would useful to write a series of blogs about the preparation I undertake before walking a specific Great Walk so this is the first dealing with the food I will be taking on the Routeburn. You burn a lot of calories tramping so hopefully this will be enough to keep me going. 

Conditions the last time I visited the Routeburn Track...

I also intend to write a post about the gear I will taking with me and a brief description of the convoluted transport plan I used to walk the track during Covid.

Food for the Routeburn Track:

I'm walking the Routeburn over three nights/four days which is longer than usual as I am staying one night at Routeburn Flats Hut. All of the main Great Walk huts on this track have gas cookers in them but no pots/pans etc. so you have to take these with you. I have planned a menu that will be quick and easy to prepare so most of the time I will just need hot water. 

Most Great Walk huts have cookers...Perry Saddle Hut

 I will be spending a night at Routeburn Flats, Routeburn Falls and Lake MacKenzie Huts so I will be taking three dinner meals. I will also require breakfast for days 2-4 and lunch and snacks for all four days. All up this comes to about 2.4 kilograms of food which is certainly not lite but also reasonable for 4 days. 

My food rations for the Routeburn Track

I pack my tramping food into 24 hour rations i.e. the way the military receive their rations. Everything I need to survive for 24 hours is packed into a zip-loc bag and the contents are all I have for that period. The advantage of this system is you have an easy to control amount of food for each day, it packs smaller and it is often a lighter option than carrying a big olde sack of loose food. 

A 24 hour ration I used on the Kepler Track in 2021

As this is a multi day trip in Fiordland known for random and extreme changes of weather I will also be taking a days worth of spare food. This is not a full days ration but just some items to cover breakfast and dinner in case I find myself stuck in a hut due to track closures or adverse weather. 

Emergency foods I have used in the past...

I have been lucky so far and never needed to use my emergency food but I would never undertake any trip longer that a day without carrying some. 

Now let us turn to what I will actually be eating each day...

Day one: Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats:

The first day is short with a 2-3 hour walk from the start of the track at Routeburn Shelter to Routeburn Flats Hut. I am starting in Te Anau and using a shuttle bus to get to the Queenstown end of the Routeburn Track. This is so I can leave my car in Te Anau for homeward transport after the tramp.

I am using the Tracknet shuttle to get to Routeburn Shelter

 I will be starting the actual walk some time at 1.30 pm so this has me arriving at the hut around 4-5 pm. If I continued on to Routeburn Falls Hut (as most people do) I would be arriving sometime between 5 and 7 pm as it is another 1.5 hours up the track. I decided in the planning stage that this would be cutting things a little fine...

Day One: Roast Lamb and Vegetables BBC

On the first night I will be having a Backcountry freeze dried meal...in this case the tasty Roast Lamb and Vegetables. I only use single serve freeze dried meals now as I found a larger two person meal was just too much for one person. Added to this is a simmer soup, drinks and chocolate for that day and some snacks and a breakfast meal for the next day. 

I have Instant Grits for breakfast on day two...

Contents of the day one ration are as follows:

BCC Roast Lamb and Vegetables, Trident Chicken Noodle simmer soup, Instant Grits with powdered cheese (breakfast for day two), Snacks for day two (Le Snak, muesli bar, steak bar), Jack Links beef stick, Whitakers Sante bar, Vitafresh (Orange), sugar sachet x 4, salt, pepper, Aquatabs, chux cloth

Weight:790 gm's 

Crackers and tuna fish for lunch on this tramp!!!

Each of these rations includes an accessories pack with a number of universal items including Raro/Vitafresh powder, 3 in 1 coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, Aquatabs (water purification), scrub pad and two freezer bags. 

My meal accessory bag included in every 24 hour ration

These are the standard accessories I include with every ration I make. 

Day Two: Routeburn Flats to Routeburn Falls:

Day two of my Routeburn tramp is a very short day...the track between Routeburn Flat & Routeburn Falls is only 1.5 hours. I will spend a goodly amount of the day exploring around the hut with a trip up to the nearby falls. I should have my pick of bunks for the night as I will probably be the first person there...

Day two: Beef Stroganoff BBC

Contents of the day two ration are as follows:

BCC Beef Stroganoff, Knorr Corn and Chicken simmer soup, porridge with milk powder/fruit/nuts (breakfast for day three), Snacks for day three (Le Snak, Nougat bar, nut mix), Jack Links beef stick, Whitakers Sante bar, Vitafresh (Orange), sugar sachet x 4, salt, pepper, aquatabs, chux cloth

Weight:760 gm's 

My food rations for the second day...

I have the Jack Links beef stick with breakfast to up my intake of protein in the morning. Porridge, bread, cereal and grits have plenty of carbohydrates and sugars but bugger all protein so you need to supplement it. Protein is the long release source of energy in your diet and you will not perform well if you are lacking in it. 

Day three: Routeburn Falls to Lake Mackenzie:

Day three is the longest on this trip and is a 5-6 hour walk up and over Harris Saddle, along the Hollyford Face and down to the hut at Lake MacKenzie. It is through some rugged alpine terrain and is the most picturesque section of this track. I will probably have lunch at Harris Saddle Shelter which is about 2-2.5 hours into the walk. 

Day three: Mediterranean Cous-Cous for diner

I have Mediterranean Cous-Cous for dinner that night...a flavored cous-cous packet with some dried vegetables, tuna fish and herbs and spices added. Cous-cous is a fantastic tramping food...lite, compact, easy to prepare but you do get sick of it after a while. The key is to give it a flavor kick with soup powder, stock cubes, olive oil, salt and pepper. 

...a BBC Muesli and Yogurt for breakfast...

Contents of the day three ration are as follows:

Mediterranean Cous-Cous, tuna sachet (for Cous-Cous), dried vegetables, Knorr Chicken Noodle soup, BCC Muesli with Yoghurt (breakfast for day four), Snacks for day four (Le Snak, muesli bar, nut mix), Haneff pate (lunch day four), Jack Links steak bar, Whitakers Sante bar, Vitafresh (Passionfruit), sugar sachet x 4, salt, pepper, aquatabs, chux cloth, scrubbing pad

Weight:410 gm's 

Day four: Lake Mackenzie to the Divide Shelter:

The last day is another big one with the climb up out of Lake MacKenzie and the trip to Lake Howden and then out to the Milford Highway. In the past you could have shortened the day with a stay at Howden Hut but alas it is no more. A landslip took it out back in early 2020...it is a damn shame as it was an awesome wee hut. DOC have no plans to replace it as there is no safe land in the immediate vicinity to build a new hut. 

Interior of the now removed Howden Hut back in 2019

I have a Backcountry muesli and yogurt pack for breakfast on the last day and will stop for lunch at the temporary shelter DOC have installed near the old Howden Hut site. I have some pate and crackers set aside for this meal and a instant soup.

My snacks for the last day of the Routeburn tramp

If I am able to get to Lake Howden then I will be able to walk off the Routeburn under my own steam. I can tuck into my emergency rations while I am waiting for the shuttle to arrive at the Divide Shelter. There are multiple seating areas, water and toilets available there.  

Emergency Rations:

So as mention previously I will be carrying some emergency rations on this tramp...partially as it is in storm prone Fiordland but also I have prior experience of the vagaries of tramping down south. Stuff happens that can make forward progress impossible. It is not a lot of food...just enough to relieve the misery of being stuck in a hut for an additional day. 

Pack four: emergency food for the Routeburn

I pack these emergency rations using the same method as the main ones but at least these fit in a medium zip-loc bag. I would also have some teabags and any other left over food to supplement this...

...my emergency rations for the Routeburn Track...

My emergency rations will be:

BCC Cheesy Chicken Mash, Instant oats, Trident Thai Noodle soup, Vitafresh (Orange)

Weight: 410 gm's

All of my food is carried in a yellow 13 liter sil-nylon dry bag...yellow is my color code for food items. Keeping your food in a larger bag makes it easier to find, easier to store and can protect the rest of your gear from accidental spillages. 

My 13 liter food bag from Sea to Summit...

I carry a 30 cm long piece of para cord in the bottom of this bag in case I need to hang my food bag in a hut with a rodent problem. If you are in a hut with rodents you have to remove all food from your pack or they will eat right through it to get to the goodies. 

Not an urban myth...I have seen it happen before!!!

Breakdown of some food accessories...

I carry a few additions to the basic ration load out so lets take a look at these.

 First up are the snacks I have for the first day of the track i.e. walking into Routeburn Flats. They are packed in a separate bag and will be easily accessible in my pack lid. I take 2-4 snacks per day on all my tramps...I try to keep these lite and packed with energy so cheese, muesli bars, jerky, dried fruit, nuts and chocolate. 

Day one snack's: muesli bar, Le Snak, nut mix...

I have a 3 in 1 coffee with my breakfast but the rest of the time I drink Earl Grey tea as a hot beverage. My favorite brand is Chanui and I will carry at least 3 teabags for each of the days I am tramping plus some spares. I do take other teas on occasion but Chanui is the one I like the most. 

Chanui Earl Grey for me thanks!!!

I also carry some Aquatabs for water purification...water at Great Walk huts is normally fine to drink from the taps BUT caution is always good. Additionally I might refill a water bottle from a stream or lake enroute and it needs to be treated before I drink it. I have a water filter but it is easily damaged by cold conditions so not good for an alpine area like this. 

I carry Chanui Earl Grey Tea and Aquatabs

I like soup before dinner and have taken to carrying packets of simmer soup for this purpose. My go to brands are Trident, Knorr and Continental. I usually enjoy these about an hour before my main meal to add some extra calories, salt and warming liquids to my tramping diet. Soup will beef up your nutritional intake for little extra weight or bulk. 

Simmer soups brands I will be carrying...Knorr and Trident

 I also carry packets of instant soup (Cup-O-Soup) with me for lunch breaks, rest breaks or as a pick me up on a cold day. They are easy to make...you just add boiled water and sipping one will make your lunch breaks more enjoyable. They are also excellent as emergency food as they are lite and take up little space. 

The mixed instant soup kit I carry...multiple flavors

I carry these soups in a separate bag which sits in the lid of my pack where they are easy to get to if required...

My cook kit on this trip...

I will be taking a lighter version of my standard cooking kit with me on the tramp including my Toaks cooking pot and Firemaple stove. All the main huts on the Routeburn have gas cookers but I like to carry my cooking kit for emergencies and for on trail tea/soup breaks. 

My standard cook kit...Great Walk edition

My cook kit will have the follow items in it:

Toaks 1.3 liter titanium pot, Firemaple TI stove, plastic Sea to Summit Delta mug, TI fork and spoon, Victorinox folding knife, 110gm gas cannister, lighter, carry bags

If I have enough water I will brew up for lunch at Harris Saddle Shelter, Lake Howden Shelter and at the end of the track. I only need a small 110 gm gas cannister for these occasions. 

I finish at the Divide Shelter on the Milford Highway

So that is the food I will be taking with me on the Routeburn Track. I may swap out one of the Backcountry meals for some Mac and Cheese as that is another meal I really like on trail. Apart from that this is the menu I will run with...