New Zealand (iii): Roy's Blizzard

The hike that I had looked forward to the most in New Zealand was Roy's Peak. A 16km track up a mountain overlooking Lake Wanaka, Roy's Peak is one of the most popular hikes near Wanaka and the photos I had seen in my research were amazing. I woke up my second day in Wanaka hoping the weather would have cleared enough to make the hike, but the forecast still showed scattered showers. There were enough hours of sun being forecast though that I decided to just do it anyway. I packed my backpack and put on the thermal layers I brought for this one occasion and set out to the trailhead just a 15 minute drive from the town center.

The Roy's Peak track was a new kind of trail for me because it is a simple ascent up a bare mountain with no trees. The first section crisscrosses cattle land and is carpeted by a thick, soft layer of grass making it easy walking, albeit steep. Grazing cows followed me with their eyes as I made my way steadily up and the shining blue of Lake Wanaka stretched out below me. The lush green fields faded to a golden yellow I kept on. A light drizzle had me put my hood up as the temperature dropped and the snow capped peak high above seemed not to get any closer.

Gradually the color slipped out of the terrain and the rain turned to sleet and then quickly to snow. I found myself in a muffled expanse of white below and above me. The snow grew heavier closer to the ridge and the greens and blues below weren't visible at all. I pressed on, but any hope of seeing the incredible views from the summit had already been dashed.

Cold and with weary knees, I reached the summit barely able to see my hand in front of my face. I met two other Americans (the only other people I had passed on the hike) who sheepishly asked me if I had any water or food to spare. I don't know what they thought their day was going to be like that they didn't bring anything with them. After sharing some provisions and swapping travel stories, the two headed back down and I wrapped myself in my camp blanket hoping beyond hope that there would be a break in the clouds and I could catch a glimpse of the view. After about 20 minutes an inch of snow had accumulated on my body and I could barely feel my extremities so I admitted defeated and began trudging back down the new several inches of new snow on the trail.

Despite the rain and snow, Roy's Peak was one of the best hikes I've ever been on. Going from lakeside all the way to a barren alpine ridge with winds blowing snow up the slope was one of the most dramatic experiences I've had in nature while being carried by my own two legs in a single day. Not having the time to do any of the Great Walks or other multi-day hikes, Roy's Peak was a fantastic consolation and hands down my favorite day hike to date. Who wants to go back to Wanaka in the summer with me?

New Zealand (ii): Rainbow Road

I greeted my first day in Wanaka by heading down to the lake to photograph "That Wanaka Tree." The iconic tree was bare-its foliage replaced by crows-as the sun rose across the water behind the town. The fast moving rain clouds parted just enough to let some of the purples and reds spill in. It was soon dark though. Rain fell and I retreated to a nearby coffee shop to figure out alternative plans. Since I couldn't do the hikes I had planned on, I ended up just taking the drive toward Rob Roy Glacier in Mount Aspiring National Park. Through mist and cows I drove along the valley as the surrounding green slopes were bisected by slashing torrents of white water filtering all the way down from the ice caps high above. My drive was cut just short of the short trail to the glacier when one of the fords looked just a bit too ambitious for my RAV 4 to handle.

On the way back into town, the rain abated and sun broke through the clouds intermittently. Bright, complete rainbows arced across the sky between mountains above green fields. Hoping the sun would hold, I sped back up north the way I had come the previous night along Lake Wanaka and Hawea to see if I could check out the Blue Pools. The roads that I had come over in the dark yielded spectacular views of the surrounding lakes during the day. Winding dramatically along cliff faces over the water across from countless towering rock monoliths. Powerful winds blowing criss cross patterns of whitecaps on the lakes and speeding the clouds overhead.

When I did arrive at the Blue Pools trailhead, it began pouring, as if on cue, as soon as I had parked the car. With only a couple of hours before sunset, I called it a day and headed back to town to grab dinner and check 50 different forecasts for any signs that the weather the following day would be more merciful.

New Zealand (i): Ends of the Earth

Last month I went as far south on this planet as I am likely ever to go. My flight back from Papua New Guinea routed through Sydney, so I decided to take a week long stopover and book a flight to Christchurch, New Zealand. New Zealand is the kind of place that virtually everyone professes some desire to see at some point in their life, but few actually make it there. So naturally I jumped at the opportunity. With only six days there though, it was difficult to try to plan an itinerary that would do the place justice and ultimately I didn't. By the end of my trip I felt rushed and wishing I could stay for three more months. Nevertheless, New Zealand is a relentlessly, heart-achingly beautiful place that begs to be taken in through every facet of the senses.

From Christchurch, I rented a car and set out north toward the Lewis Pass to make my way to the western coast of the island to Punakaiki. The first day's drive was not as dramatic as later ones as I made my way across plains and foothills as I approached the alps. As I headed north, snow capped peaks loomed in the distance both daunting and inviting. Periodic rain and clouds obscured the horizon and drifted swiftly between and over mountains. It was on this drive that I began to see the deficiency in my planning. I passed so many things that I wished I could have stopped for, but had to press on in order to reach my destination while there was still daylight as the sun sets at about 5pm during New Zealand's winter. My first leg of the roadtrip was particularly long, so I had to make good time. I arrived at Punakaiki just before sunset.

Punakaiki is a tiny little town along the coast halfway between Westport and Greymouth that is known for very dramatic rock features on its beach. The so called "pancake rocks" are the well known attraction, but I was drawn toward a massive monolith dubbed the "chief's head" that stood alone against the waves etched with eons of crashing salt water and wind. I walked along the beach feeling the cold sand between my toes admiring the dramatic coast and inspecting twisted, gnarled driftwood washed ashore.

I finished my evening at a local pub and had dinner and a New Zealand brewed IPA and checked into a little, warm hostel just off the beach. At about 7pm it was already pitch black and I had not really slept since the previous morning where I had started my journey from Port Moresby. I chatted a bit with other travelers in the common area before crashing super hard on the bottom bunk of a hostel bed made comfortable by sheer exhaustion.

The following day was another long driving day. I was making it all the way to Wanaka by evening down the west coast. The drive from Westport to Greymouth is considered one of the most scenic drives in the world and I would be hard pressed to argue. Dramatic seaside cliffs, rainforests, and sprawling dunes make the case well. Along this drive are two popular glaciers that are often cited as "must see" attractions. Guide companies offer helicopter flights to the glaciers, but I didn't really have the time, so I opted instead to take a quick hike to the face of Fox Glacier along a desolate, grey glacier hewn valley. The stark blue of the ancient ice glowing cold and alien.

Continuing down the coast from Fox Glacier it began to rain steadily as I passed through Mount Aspiring National Park. The mountain slopes disappeared upward into thick clouds. It wasn't until just before sunset as I was approaching the northern tip of Lake Wanaka that the clouds began to dissipate and the snowcaps came back into view. I caught glimpses of Lake Wanaka and Hawea as the light failed and was eager to revisit them during the day.

I pulled up to my airbnb in the spectacular dark of the New Zealand evening and, much like the previous evening, collapsed into the bed after a beer and dinner at a local pub. I was to spend the next two days in Wanaka so was able to slow my pace down a bit and really take in the obscene beauty of where I was.