Queenstown to Kinloch

Being rested, relaxed, and provisioned after a few days in Queenstown, we headed up to Kinloch on the north end of Lake Wakatipu, as a staging point for our 5-day tramp on the Routeburn and Caples Tracks.

The drive up the lake from Queenstown to Glenorchy was nothing short of stunning.  The road hugging the hillside, beautiful blue lake below, and big mountains beyond.  And clear blue sky, to boot!  Glorious!  It was tough paying attention to the driving!

After a brief stop in Glenorchy, we headed up the Dart River for a day hike on the first bit of the Dart Track.  The gravel road went up the broad, pasture-filled valley, with mountains rising sharply on either side.  The road was in good shape, but there were a few streams to ford.  It's always a bit dicey in a rental car without much clearance, and you're always wondering exactly how deep that stream is.  We also didn't know the best strategy for successfully crossings ... fast (to keep from getting swept downstream), or slow (to keep the water from stalling your engine).  In the end, none of the fords were a problem, just a little something to worry about.  Fortunately, no rain was in the forecast, or else Tom would have been worried until we were back across them!

The Dart Track was pretty flat, through woods and meadows near the river.  Views of big glaciated peaks were plentiful.  It also gave us our first dose of beech forests.  Seemed very similar to some of the old growth forest in the Northwest, except with beach trees instead of firs, hemlocks, and cedars.  We also got to see (and hear) a couple of jet boat thrill rides roaring up the river.  Not quite the same wilderness we're used to, but hey, it's not our country.  It was still quite nice.

Afterwards, we headed over to Kinloch Lodge, for one last night before starting the tramp.  We spent a bunch of time packing and repacking our backpacks, as we changed our minds about which pieces of gear and clothing were actually going to make the trip.  The weather outlook wasn't ideal, but all we could do was keep our fingers crossed.

Lake Wakatipu and Mt Earnslaw from Queenstown-Glenorchy Road

Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown-Glenorchy Road

Dart River and Barrier Range

Dart Track

Sunset Colors from Kinloch Lodge

More Photos

Activities

• Hike the Dart River track (up to Surveyor's Flat)

5-Star Moments

• The views from the drive up Lake Wakatipu!

Random Questions

• What are these boxes every so often along the trail?  (Answer to be provided in future posts.)

Tom's Daily Stress Points

• Is the car really going to make it across this creek without stalling and/or getting washed away? (stress level = medium-low)
• What do we do on the upcoming tramp if the weather's so bad we can't go forward? (stress level = medium)

Sleeps

• Kinloch Lodge (very comfortable, very friendly)

Noteable Eats

• Kinloch Lodge (good breakfasts and dinners)