Day 51-55: Lake Middleton Campsite to Wanaka to Queenstown. 2503km-2616/2710km - š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
- xtinecruzat
- Apr 29, 2024
- 5 min read
Day 51/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
East Ahuriri Track
ā¹ļøStats: Tuesday 20th February
Weather: hot & sunny āļø
From: Lake Middleton Campsite
Start time: 8.10am
To: 2527.5 - 4km before the river crossing
End time: 4.30pm
Accommodation: wild camping šļø
Terrain: road, grassy tracks, forest, wet & muddy.
š„¾Km: 17.6
š¦¶Steps: 22,607
Total Km: 2527.5/3028 = 83 % ā
š°Costs: $0
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10 - epic day š„³
Fatigue: 2/10 - feeling good
Ease of terrain: 3/10 - one big climb - then lots of descent.
āļøHighlights: I found the most gorgeous camping spot. Out of the wind - in the sunshine and there are no sandflies.
Itās so beautiful- I feel so happy š.
Just as Iāve typed this up - someone else has also decided to camp here - which is obviously ok - but so annoying as I wanted the place to myself!
I also saw Pierre (š«š·) again (I last saw him at Arthurās Pass) - it was lovely to catch up and hear his news.
šļøChallenges: a few sections where it wasnāt easy to navigate. But Iāve come to expect that now - itās just the TA.
Towards the end of the day it was very swampy and muddy and not easy to find the track. But again - it is what it is.
šThoughts: what a beautiful section and what a gorgeous day. Iāve really enjoyed it š. Iām so excited for the next few days. This is the āeasyā before the final week when I have to do some big km days!!!
Day 52/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Breast Hill Track
ā¹ļøStats: Wednesday 21st February
Weather: very hot & sunny āļø
From: 2527.5 - wild camping āŗļø
Start time: 9.15am
To: Top Timaru Hut š
End time: 5.20pm
Accommodation: bottom bunk in the hut
Terrain: Rocky, grassy, tracks
š„¾Km: 20.1
š¦¶Steps: 25,725
Total Km: 2556/3028 = 84% ā
š°Costs:$0
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 5/10
āļøHighlights: being saved from the cows by a NOBO hiker - it was perfect timing!
šļøChallenges: so many cows š - in one section. Not my thing. It was super hot today - really hot - very draining to walk in and I like the heat. The sandflies were horrendous- and they seem to love biting me - especially around the ankles!
šThoughts: Iāve really been enjoying the past few days and the weather helps as well šāļø
Day 53/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ā¹ļøStats: Thursday 22nd February
Weather: sunny & hot āļø
From: Top Timaru Hut
Start time: 10.50am
To: Stodys Hut
End time: 5.30pm
Accommodation: hut - old - bottom bunk
Terrain: BRUTAL - rocks, river, steep banks,
š„¾Km: 7.3* *watch - TA app 14km
š¦¶Steps: 9311
Total Km: 2569/3028 = 85% ā
š°Costs: $0
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 5/10
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 9/10 the final 2k - WTF š³
āļøHighlights: making it to the hut in one piece. Not sliding back down the steep bank into the river.
šļøChallenges: such a tough day - the first 2k was fine, then I mostly walked the river bed, had 2 sections were I needed to back track and climb up the steep sides to get back on track, as I couldnāt do the river section.
Plus the 2k before Stodys hut - it was a brutal climb up. It felt vertical at times. I also fell twice - scraped knees and elbows. Plus the sandflies were all over me all the time.
šThoughts: - 500m vertical over 2k in 90 mins - Iām so glad I was going up it and not down. It would destroy your knees.
Day 54/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
ā¹ļøStats: Friday 23rd February
Weather: Sunny āļø & hot
From: Stodys Hut
Start time: 11am
To: just before Albert Town
End time: 9.15pm
Accommodation: wild camped āŗļø
Terrain: 4WD tracks, steep technical downhill climbing, gravel road, cycle pathway
š„¾Km: 27.5
š¦¶Steps: 34,486
Total Km: 2601/3028 = 86% ā
š°Costs: $17.60 2x ribena, double caramel chocolate bar, ice lolly.
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10 - super solid day! Really pleased with how it all went.
Fatigue: 3/10
Ease of terrain: 4/10 apart from 1 - 2km downhill section - which was technical and hard going at times. The rest of the trail was nice.
āļøHighlights: walked with Lucky Hat š š§¢(šØš¦) and Wild Turkey (šŗšø), also stopped and had a mini break at a cafe with them before wild camping. Both good fun with great chat.
The views from Breast Hill were awesome š¤©
It was nice getting to Lake Hawea and having some good flat terrain to walk on. Did a 20 min run (Wild Turkey ran with me for about 10 mins)
šļøChallenges: I didnāt get a huge amount of sleep last night due to the noise the mice š were making. They were having a great time!
ā°ļøthe technical descent was hard going at times, but it wasnāt too horrendous!
šThoughts: excited to reach Wanaka tomorrow (15km to go) and complete this section. ā
Only the final section from Queenstown to to! 314km!!š„³š
Day 55/64 š„¾Te Araroa Trail - The South Island š³šæ
šSupported by ZOLEO @zoleolifeeurope #ChallengeWithZoleo
Outlet; Beacon Point, and Bremner Bay Tracks
ā¹ļøStats: Saturday 24th February
Weather: cloudy āļø
From: just before Albert Town
Start time: 7.20am
To: Wanaka & then bus to Queenstown
End time: 10.15am / 4.20pm
Accommodation: Absoloot Hostel - top bunk
Terrain: sandy, gravel roads, road,
š„¾Km: 18.5
š¦¶Steps: 23,598
Total Km: 2616/3028 Wanaka = 86% ā
2710/3028 = Queenstown 89% ā
š°Costs: Bus to Queenstown $28
Final Food resupply New World (I hope) $138
Macpac - New socks & pack liner $20
Lunch $26
FergBurger š $19
Drinks Fergās Bar $20 tutti Frutti š¹cocktail
Subjective feeling out of 10 on:
Enjoyment: 8/10
Fatigue: 4/10
Ease of terrain: 2/10
āļøHighlights: chatting and walking with Lucky Hat (šØš¦) into Wanaka.
Bumping into Roxanne (š©šŖ) at the supermarket.
šBurger & cocktails at Fergās in Queenstown.
Julia @juliagsauthorspeaker a past guest and member of the Tough Girl Tribe. Reached out as sheās in Queenstown and sheās offered to drive me to the start of the next track tomorrow š„³š„³š„³
šļøChallenges: trying to sleep above someone who snores. š¤
šThoughts: so pleased I donāt need to hitch and I can catch up with Julia and hear all about her NZ adventures. Plus sheās picking me up at 7.45am - so weāll get there before 10am - which is awesome š especially as I need to start putting in the miles to catch my flight āļø by the 4th š
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