Bushwalk Australia

it sounds like it had it pegged out as tight as a drum.... i've had no probs with mine in 100k winds

kanangra wrote:Hey Forest as we'll be over there at the same time I'll keep an eye open for you. where are you headed?

K.

I'll just be bumbing around Queenstown most of the time with family. 50km Trail race at Northburn Station on the 22nd so I'll be pretty dormant on the leadup to that. Eating lots of pasta and carb's, yum.

Planning a day trip to Falls hut on the Routeburn maybe around the 25-26th hopefully with my daughter in the mappac baby carrier. Will see how my legs feel and if they are talking to me again by then......
Might slip in a Ben Lomond toddle later in the week, will see.

Have a great trip. I'll be online at night so if you feel like a coffee one day if you get time send me a PM.

christchurch has just been hit by a one in 50 year storm, 100mm of rain.. 140km/h winds, extensive flooding...
even auckland has dropped to 13 degrees

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9790570 ... -aftermath

Good luck in the race Forest. Where is Northburn station?

K.

kanangra wrote:Good luck in the race Forest. Where is Northburn station?

K.

apalling location, smack bang in the middle of a winery of all places....

http://www.northburn.co.nz/

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/45+ ... 0ae0c77c3d

wayno wrote:

kanangra wrote:Good luck in the race Forest. Where is Northburn station?

K.

apalling location, smack bang in the middle of a winery of all places....

http://www.northburn.co.nz/

https://www.google.co.nz/maps/place/45+ ... 0ae0c77c3d

Thanks Kanangra. It's over near Cromwell (45minutes from Queenstown)

Wayno I think you should race too. You make it sound like a nice simple vineyard loop........ I think I will be wishing it is by the end of my "short" 50km single loop.
Running the 100 miler on this course is out of my reach for sure at this stage.
As the race director would say, "there's wee little climb to deal with".

its also a bit of a wind tunnel with no shelter

Ok - flying out tonight.

Weather forecast looks remarkably good - however we are prepared for anything.

Flying out tomorrow morning. Weather looks good at least for the first couple of days. will post a report when we get back.

K.

Back safely. Planned trip completed, just. Made it back to the airport with only an hour to spare! Weather was patchy with rain on all but the first day. Camp beside a tarn high on the Livingstone Range was a highlight. Finding our way off in swirling mist the next morning was a challenge. I will post more details when I get a chance.

K.

I'll just make a note, don't walk with Kanangra, "rain magnet"

Law of averages Wayno. Come with me......lol
Arrived last night in the rain. Today and the forecast for the next week has me concerned. I only packed one pair of casual shorts and just a small tub of suncream. Perfect weather here in Queenstown. ...again. At least for the next few days anyway. Conditions looking positive for Northburn on Saturday.
Had a great little 25min toddle around the loop on Queenstown hill just after lunch. Legs feeling like they have some speed in them......

Might hit the Routeburn tomorrow with the family for a wander up to falls hut and back.

hey forest, go to teh gondola skyline viewing deck stand in front of the camera and wave to everyone on internet land

http://www.skyline.co.nz/queenstown/webcams/

Lol I've made a mental note it takes an image every 10 minutes on the 8th minute. Might do that next week. I'll post up if I do.

Lol check out the tool in the black jacket with his arms wide in the air at 10:08 on the viewing platform. (Wife behind in purple jacket). Got some odd looks standing there for 2minutes like that.
Not Routeburn family friendly today with 60mm of rain forecasted from lunchtime today. Plenty of time to get down they're though.

Here you go

One other thing I should mention now is that Upper Caples Hut is LOCKED! And taped off. We arrived at 10:00PM (yes I know that's well after dark, I'll get to that in my report) only to make this discovery so we camped on the verandah rather than set up the tent in the rain. For us it was no real issue but for others who were counting on it, it could be a problem. Apparently another new hut has been built down valley but we didn't head that way.

K.

Wandered up to Falls Hut on the Routeburn today. Perfect weather for a nice 3 hr stroll with my wife and 18month old in the macpac baby carrier. Almost broke a sweat on the way up in the "warm" weather. Got some great comments from most people we passed for lugging the little tot up with us.

awesome, i've only ever seen one other infant up at the falls.

Forest were you amazed like me by the amount of infrastructure they have up at the falls? It is like an Alpine village. I thought that the parks hut looked very precarious perched up on those high stilts? Didn't stop us having a very pleasant breakfast at the table on the front verandah though.

K

kanangra wrote:Forest were you amazed like me by the amount of infrastructure they have up at the falls? It is like an Alpine village. I thought that the parks hut looked very precarious perched up on those high stilts? Didn't stop us having a very pleasant breakfast at the table on the front verandah though.

K

It's an awesome hut that's for sure. Great views too. I was amazed my first trip a few years ago at the huts and tracks. With only a few Aussie alpine hut stays (ie: dingy, dark, rats etc) before tramping here I was blown away. My wife was pretty impressed with a flushing toilet too.

with a thousand huts to choose from NZ has its share of dindgy dark huts....

Here's a shot taken on the verandah.



K