ARTHUR’S PASS – Lake Tekapo
Section Distance = 194 km
Total Distance = 1248 km
This section had so many highlights, from reaching the highest point of the TA trail and seeing in the new year with a snow capped mountain sunrise to big rivers and vast tussock plains, I don’t quite know where to start!
Roadwalking out of Arthur’s Pass to start the next leg of my journey turned into beech forest and tussock on a lovely trail (a little boggy after recent rainfall) that led to Hamilton Hut and river views for the evening.
The following day was both shorter in km’s and duration as I got my first full day of river flats!!! It involved many river crossings as usual but the beautiful turquoise water and sunny skies made for one happy hiker.
I experienced my first TA tent village with 5 of us arriving at Harper Camp (Lake Coleridge) for the night.
This section of the trail involves getting a shuttle around 2 large braided rivers, and we had a 22km road walk to the meeting point. I started out at dawn and made it with enough time to spare to lay by the lake.
After a very bumpy ride along a rutted gravel road there was still another 9.5km to hike up a steep switchback over Turton’s Saddle and back down to A frame Hut.
New years eve brought both freezing winds and brilliant sunshine, steep slopes (both up and down the scree) and flat valleys, fun photos and an early night!
We all had dinner in the sun outside the hut and promptly went to bed before it had even set, let alone make it to actual midnight 😴 but I did have the opportunity to watch the first sunrise of 2022 cooking breakfast the next morning!
Double Hut even has Sir Edmund Hillary’s signature among the many notations written around the walls from decades of hikers passing through…
New years day was a loooong one hiking wise across the vast grass plains bordered by steep slopes. It was a hot treeless section of trail and I had the music on today to help the km’s go by.
This evenings camp was near Lake Clearwater as we wanted to get a close as possible to our pick up location for tomorrow’s morning shuttle around the Rangitata River…
Up before dawn to smash out the remaining 10km to our shuttle pick up spot by 8:30am! Today’s lift involved a quick resupply stop in Geraldine on the way around (with a trip to the bakery for yummy treats enroute).
After all the lovely sunshine I have added a gaitor tan line to my weird tan collection 🤦♀️
The following day was to put it simply, not fun! And by that I mean that all the things I find most challenging were all combined into this one day…
Deepest river crossings yet (I could thankfully team up with my fellow TA’s to safely tackle the deeper crossings but it did result in wet pants for the rest of the day), vertical climbs (both up and down scree slopes), tussock and speargrass (in a ‘make your own way’ between markers section trying not to trip yourself over or get stand by the spikes)…
Let’s just say I was VERY happy to see the hut and end the day with a cold Raro in the afternoon sun.
After the hard uphill slog of the day before the final ascent to Stag Saddle (1925m) was slightly ‘easier’… or maybe the view made it worth all the effort 😀
We spent a lovely hour on the saddle before descending via the ridge route which afforded panoramic views over Lake Tekapo, Aoraki Mt Cook, The Divide and the entire valley below!!!
Our hut for the night was built in 1898!
Heading for the bright turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo on the final day of this section along more ‘mostly’ flat grasslands and along gravel road…
Time for a rest day to resupply, replace some broken gear and relax 👌 I’m currently craving fresh fruit after so many days of trail food… 🍓🍌🥝🍍🍇🍎🍉
I had some great fellow TA’s to spend this section hiking with which made the tough slopes, long days and fabulous views all the more enjoyable for having shared them! And what better way to see in the new year than to be out exploring this beautiful country.
The Adventures of Tiny_Tramper 