The Milford Track 米佛登山行

米佛登山行

最朴溯迷离的。。。

一个一起登山却无故失踪了的女孩， 无人问津。

最搞笑的。。。

三个来自美国的男孩， 身穿衬衫牛仔裤球鞋， 负上满满的背包（准备结束后直接飞回家）， 好搞笑。

最佳工作人员。。。

记得第一晚， 同样是那三个来自美国的男孩喝啤酒胡闹一番。天亮后， 他们“无意“地留下酒瓶， 被工作人员发现后，被逼带下山。之后一天还再度被发现遗留在某地方，那位工作人员再度帮他们拿着直到第二个宿舍才还给他们。好一个有责任感，细心及健额的ranger哟。

最欣赏的。。。

一个不慌不忙， 悠闲自在， 嘴里常常哼着民谣的山歌， 手里拿着登山杖， 自个儿享受大自然的老人。

最好吃的。。。

当然是我最喜爱的巧克力啰。其实在很累很饿很冷的时候， 什么都很好吃的， 尤其是热腾腾的饭菜。

最希望的。。。

拥有一套比较好的防风防雨的登山服， 不必担心下雨淋湿哦。

最后感想。。。

这是我在纽西兰第一次参与的4天3夜登山行， 学了很多， 也体会很多， 希望能有更多的机会， 去投入大自然的怀抱。请记得， 能不能登上顶峰并不重要， 重要的是享受那当中的过程和那一份属于自己的回忆。

The Milford Track (4Days 3 Nights)

The Milford Track (53.5 kilometres) is in the heart of spectacular Fiordland National Park, part of Te Wähipounamu - South West New Zealand World Heritage Area and is administered by the Department of Conservation on behalf of the New Zealand public. This very popular track takes you from Te Anau Lake over a high alpine pass to the usually placid waters of Milford Sound. It is part of DOC's "Great Walk" system, so you have to book well in advance (months or even a year for the most popular times). Each day up to 40 independent trampers and an equivalent number of guided walkers start the walk. The track is not as crowded as it might appear since the independent and guided tramper huts are staggered, people soon spread out along the track at their own pace and the traffic is all one-way.


The day before day 1, Te Anau

The Milford track is located in the southwest of the South Island. The track starts at the head of Lake Te Anau and finishes at Milford Sound. So all my stuff was stored in the Te Anua lake front backpacker ($22 per dorm bed, quite friendly and FOC for storing my stuff) because I need to go back after the track since my car was parked there. Normally trampers are going one way start from Te Anau and end at Milford Sound and then take a coach to queenstown. And their stuff is delivered by the coach services before the track is begin.

There is only two small supermarkets (Four Square and another can't recall the name here) in Te Anau. Quite expensive there if compare to other but I had no choice, got to buy the food for the 4D3N track. Don't worry if you miss out anything for the track because there are many trekking equipment shops in Te Anau.


Lake Te Anau

Day 1, Glade Wharf - Clinton Hut, 5 km, 1 - 1.5 hours

The Milford Track requires boat transport (Real Journey) at both ends of the track. Bus or private transport is required to Te Anau Downs and also from Milford Sound. So I have to make the booking for the hut and also the coach and boat services. Luckily I made the booking few months in advance before I went to New Zealand because the hut is always full. Some trampers from US or Oz I met are just purposely came for this track for their short holiday.

Every tramper have to step into the yellow box with water to avoid outside soil/sand under their boots to bring into the national park.


The first bridge in the track after 15 mins walk from the starting point.


This is the protected river without polution, so clean and clear like a mirror...


Fragile area: colorful wetland rarely to be seen


first night @ Clinton Hut.

Every tramper will try to reach the hut as early as they can to choose the dorm bed - 1st come 1st serve. Not advisable to choose the bed near to the kitchen because it might be noisy to disturb your rest day.

Everyone is preparing their dinner before the dark night is coming. I cooked my own chinese meals (of course rice + dishes + instant mash potato) for my dinner because i need to clear the heavy rice. You know, I am the only Asian tramper there + my small size with short leg + a big backpack. Actually the 1st day of the track is a honeymoon track because quite short distance and flat walk to reach to the Clinton hut. Following the challenging walk day by day...

Day 2, Clinton Hut - Mintaro Hut, 16.5 km, 6 hours

After a long night rest, I got to wakep up in the early morning around 5++am - to clean up myself, to have my breakfast (hot milo+oat, boiled egg, banana, bread+tuna...) for energy support on the full day walk, to pack my bag to continue my journey...

The weather there was cold, luckily i got my good quality of sleeping bag (macpac!). And, it was a really good experience to sleep in the hut (in the natural too)...

Can you differentiate which one is the real falling water and which one is the mirror?


Day 2 on the Milford Track

Look! There is a bus stop shelter.... So happy to see it because I really tired to trek at the moment (just go up up up). This is a bus stop without bus actually. Hahaha.... funny... "koolookooloo..." so hungry, I enjoyed my sandwich lunch + apple during a rest here (actually I hope I can finish all my heavy food before the creek...).

The bus stop shelter is just located before Marlenes Creek which can cause problem during heavy rain but I was so lucky to have a sunny day - still wet/not clear :(

Actually I prayed everyday so that no raining day in my milford track due to my raincoat is that kind of low quality and get wet when heavy rain or small rain for a long time. It was quite lucky because it was only one raining day within the 4 days .... (average 2-3 raining days within 4D)...


Finally reach @ Mintaro Hut for my 2nd night. Trampers are advised to continue their walk to the Mackinnon Memorial since the weather is ok and the next day is a raining day. I was unable to join them bcz I was so tired!累~累~累~

It was very cold weather 好冷也 during my trek - end of April, which the winter is coming. Wearing for many layers of warm clothes to walk is quite incovenient but after 10 mins walk then you will feel warmer. (Actually most of the trampers especially the DOC rangers are wearing lesser and look so smart with nice body!! Maybe they used to the cold weather? hehehe.... I am from hot country Malaysia ma... )

Day 3, Mintaro Hut - Dumpling Hut, 14 km, 6 - 7 hours
It was a raining day. I needed to walk for a well-graded, steady, zigzag climb of about two hours to the Mackinnon Memorial in wet body (bcz my cheap raincoat....).

The Mackinnon Memorial

20 mins more to go to the highest point, Mackinnon Pass (Altitude 1154m) after the Mackinnon Memorial. There is a Mackinnon shelter nearby and I made a cup of hot Milo there since quite heavily rain. The walk is then drop 970m steadily to the next hut, Dumpling hut over the rocky and uneven terrain. Keep going down make everyone's knee and ankle very grateful.

After 6 hours walk, there is an additional bonus track to the NZ largest waterfall, Sutherland Falls which take about 1½ hours return. I left my pack at the Quintin Public Shelter and went to the amazing waterfall bcz I don't wanna miss it.

The Sutherland Falls

Most of the walking is done in a rainforest that receives 5-8 metres of rain per year. This gives luxuriant vegetation, wonderful waterfalls and unique surroundings at a cost of a usually wet walk (waterproof boots and good coats are needed). Luckily all the huts have drying rooms (along with gas stoves, running water and a resident warden).

Can you guess which one is my boot?

Kea, a kind of NZ birds that come to you for your food. The boots outside of the hut are also become their target.

Day 4, Dumpling Hut - Sandfly Point, 18 km, 5.5 - 6 hours

It was the last day of the track. The track is gently decends and no more going up up up. Everyone woke up early to make sure to meet with the boats departing at either 2pm or 3.15pm from Sandfly Point to Milford Sound.

Finally I completed my track for 33.5miles @ Sandfly Point. And, I was the 1st tramper to reach there on that day. Yeah~~ again... strong girl... gambate...

The boat is sending us to Milford Sound. But, one of the trampers, a lady did not come out before 2pm. Where is she? Is she late? or anything happen to her? It was a mistery to me...