Walk the Milford Track in New Zealand

“The day of the Mackinnon Pass is probably the highlight of the walk, it’s just stunning, and I feel so lucky (a word I don’t use lightly) to have had such good weather! The climb up from the hut to the top of the Mackinnon Pass was pretty easy. I was expecting it to be a lot more challenging, but the path is a nice wide switchback up the valley, not the usual terrifying tree root climb or rock scramble that I usually find when climbing New Zealand mountains. When we finally arrived at the top, we were greeted by sick views and an amazing inversion cloud hanging over the valley, these are my favorite mountain clouds. For me nothing feels as good as when you get to the top of a mountain like this on your own two feet! What a feeling of accomplishment. Luck was on our side and we had maybe an hour of exploring at the top as well as eating our lunches before the cloud ended up blowing over the top of the pass and turning everything white while we headed down.”

“We set off early for what was regarded the toughest day of the walk, 15 kilometres (9 miles), a 700 metre ascent and a 900 metre descent. The waterfalls off the side of the glacial walls were even more numerous and spectacular which was a great reward for our exertion as we made our way to the head of the Clinton Valley. After around 2 hours of walking we arrived at Mintaro Hut to catch our breath and don our thermal gear for the climb over the Mackinnon Pass. The trees, ferns and mosses around Lake Mintaro look primeval and I found myself thinking the beech trees covered in ferns had been the role model for the “Ents” in Lord of the Rings. This thought quickly receded as we began the steep ascent up eleven “zig zags” that would take us up the pass. It’s hard work made bearable by the views as you ascend. Around half way up we came out of the beech forest into an alpine area with the vegetation changing completely to include beautiful alpine flowers.”