I'm planning on tramping the Milford Track and am looking for tips/suggestions from others who have done so. I can use all the feedback I can get regarding this track and anything pertaining to it (how to combat sandflies, what clothes to wear, how physically tough is the trail, etc.).
Thanks in advance for your help.
Thanks in advance for your help.
We have done the Milford Track twice, using the Dept of Conservation (DOC) huts. You have to be prepared for every sort of weather, from cold driving rain to warm sunny days. On both occasions, we were lucky to only encounter spots of rain. If it rains hard, you have to ford some suddenly fast-running streams. Sandflies are not much of a problem until you reach the end of the Track (at Sandfly Point, of course!). Here are excerpts from a journal I kept on our last walk. At the time our kids were aged 6 and 9. Our very tough 6-year old, Rachel, may have been the youngest tramper ever to traverse the Track:
2/23 - Awoke early to more dreary rain. Drove to the boat wharf at Te Anau Downs, where a small launch took us across Lake Te Anau to Glade Wharf, start of the Milford Track. About halfway across, the rain stopped and the skies began to clear, allowing us to climb onto the roof of the launch to admire the views. Virtually all our fellow passengers were trampers as well, because there are no accommodations or campsites available on the west side of the Lake. We all shouldered our packs in high spirits, finally setting off on our journey in fine weather. The track paralleled the wide, swift Clinton River, crossing it once on a high, long, and shaky wire suspension bridge. After gently ascending for a couple of hours, we reached our first day?s destination, Clinton Hut. I was confused, because my map showed the hut location to be a few kilometers further along, at a place called Clinton Forks. The hut was there until it was washed away by a flood in the summer of 1997. The remains were salvaged and a new hut was constructed on a terrace above the river. Our ?hut? was actually a rather plush complex of four tightly-constructed buildings; two 20-person bunkhouses, bathrooms with flush toilets, and a separate kitchen/dining hall, all connected by decks and verandas. We laid our packs on the bunk bed mattresses, then spent the remainder of the afternoon becoming better acquainted with our cohort of 40 trampers. Most are Kiwis, as few foreigners managed to reserve hut space the required 6 months in advance. We six are the sole U.S. representatives, along with two Canadian women (their husbands are in Wanaka with the kids), two Swiss women, four Englishmen, and an Aussie couple. After cooking dinner on the gleaming high-tech propane stoves, the hut warden introduced us to the Track and the hut. He also talked about tomorrow?s hike and a bit of human and natural history of the Track. We all turned in early amid jokes about having as much electricity as Aucklanders tonight (the city is experiencing a paralyzing power failure).
2/24 - Were awakened too early by inconsiderate bunkmates rustling their plastic bags and talking loudly as they tried to get an early start. We were the last to leave by the time we roused Sam and Rachel, ate breakfast, and packed up. The trail continued its gentle ascent up the west branch of the now much-narrower and turbulent Clinton River. Throughout the day the sky cleared to, ?The Big Blue?, affording us magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks that rim the ever-narrowing valley. Soon after passing the Guided Walk Pompolona Hut, the trail began ascending somewhat more steeply and we began wondering when we would finally arrive at our hut. Ahead we began to glimpse views of the steep headwall at the end of the valley. Somehow, a trail allows one to climb over this barrier via Mackinnon Pass. Finally, after about 16 km, we trudged into Mintaro Hut, near the center of the cirque. This hut was much older, with quirky cast-iron stove burners, and only about 20 bunks. The remainder slept on mattresses on the floor of the attic. Because we arrived at the tail end of our group, there were only five spots left in the attic and one in a bunkroom. I took the bunk while everyone else trooped to the attic. Everyone ate a big dinner, then we sat around under the tiny 12-volt lighting system (charged by solar cells) discussing our origins and hiking experience. The hut warden gave us his schpiel about track conditions for tomorrow and took great care to remind us all to respect our fellow hikers and refrain from late-night or early morning noise-making. Guess who stayed up the latest and shouted the loudest? Fortunately, our kids are heavy sleepers.
2/25 - Once more we headed out near the end of our crowd. This time, however, Diane, one of the Canadians, generously offered to save us bunk space at the next hut. The track soon began to steepen and switchback, but we managed to trudge on quite steadily, finally reaching Mackinnon Pass in the late morning. The sweeping views from the top ridge were unforgettable; looking back down the Clinton Valley, ahead down the absolutely vertical face of the Arthur River Valley headwall, and up to the higher peaks of Mts. Elliot, Wilmur, Balloon, and Hart. We all celebrated, and Rachel in particular, was congratulated by everyone as an enormously plucky hiker for her size. The track continued to ascend along the slopes of Mt. Balloon, reaching a height of about 1100 m before running downslope. The track was steep and rough, necessitating constant rock-hopping and stumbling. While my knees ached, the weather and terrain combined to create constantly spectacular scenery: clouds blowing off Jervois Glacier, huge streams tumbling down water-smoothed banded gneiss riverbeds, and still more waterfalls spilling off the nearly-vertical rock cliffs. The steep part of the trail finally leveled off at the Quintin Hut day shelter, where we dropped off our packs and trooped up a rocky side-trail to Sutherland Falls, the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere (580 m!). While I was not originally terribly thrilled about taking a non-essential side trip, the Falls themselves were truly awe-inspiring. They seem to emerge from nowhere at some impossible height, then tumble to a ledge which launches the torrent outward and down to a second ledge which launches the water one more time for the final free-fall to the base. We trooped back, reluctantly re-shouldered our packs, and trudged on downhill another 3 km to Dumpling Hut. As promised, Diane saved us space in the bunkhouse, as opposed to the less-desireable bunkrooms that were situated in the same building as the dining room. Many of our cohorts were clearly more subdued and tired compared to the previous night. We quietly ate, listened to our third hut talk which emphasized how to reach the end of the Track before the last boat leaves. We collapsed into our beds and were soon sound asleep.
2/26 - Again, our bunkmates woke us early, but this day we needed an early start in order to catch the last boat off the Track. We gamely soldiered on down the Arthur River, but many of us were still sore from the previous day. Fortunately, the track was well-graded most of the way. A highlight was a stop at voluminous Mackay Falls and nearby Bell Rock. This huge boulder was a hollowed-out stream pothole that fell off and came to rest upside-down near the base of the falls. We crawled underneath it and found ourselves inside a huge bell-shaped cavity, perfect for singing loud songs. We continued down-valley along cliff faces overlooking Lake Ada, where we made our final push to the Track terminus at aptly-named Sandfly Point. About 10 minutes after we arrived, the last boat transported us down the river mouth and across Milford Sound to Milford. As the boat left, rain began to fall, but we didn?t care - along the entire 54 kilometers I never once donned my raingear! After treating ourselves to refreshments in the same cafe we visited on 2/21, we boarded a bus that took us back to our vehicles at the Te Anau Downs wharf. Tossed our packs in and drove on back to Te Anau where we plowed through a huge pasta/pizza dinner washed down with ice cream. Returned to Fiordland Holiday Park for a well-deserved rest.
2/23 - Awoke early to more dreary rain. Drove to the boat wharf at Te Anau Downs, where a small launch took us across Lake Te Anau to Glade Wharf, start of the Milford Track. About halfway across, the rain stopped and the skies began to clear, allowing us to climb onto the roof of the launch to admire the views. Virtually all our fellow passengers were trampers as well, because there are no accommodations or campsites available on the west side of the Lake. We all shouldered our packs in high spirits, finally setting off on our journey in fine weather. The track paralleled the wide, swift Clinton River, crossing it once on a high, long, and shaky wire suspension bridge. After gently ascending for a couple of hours, we reached our first day?s destination, Clinton Hut. I was confused, because my map showed the hut location to be a few kilometers further along, at a place called Clinton Forks. The hut was there until it was washed away by a flood in the summer of 1997. The remains were salvaged and a new hut was constructed on a terrace above the river. Our ?hut? was actually a rather plush complex of four tightly-constructed buildings; two 20-person bunkhouses, bathrooms with flush toilets, and a separate kitchen/dining hall, all connected by decks and verandas. We laid our packs on the bunk bed mattresses, then spent the remainder of the afternoon becoming better acquainted with our cohort of 40 trampers. Most are Kiwis, as few foreigners managed to reserve hut space the required 6 months in advance. We six are the sole U.S. representatives, along with two Canadian women (their husbands are in Wanaka with the kids), two Swiss women, four Englishmen, and an Aussie couple. After cooking dinner on the gleaming high-tech propane stoves, the hut warden introduced us to the Track and the hut. He also talked about tomorrow?s hike and a bit of human and natural history of the Track. We all turned in early amid jokes about having as much electricity as Aucklanders tonight (the city is experiencing a paralyzing power failure).
2/24 - Were awakened too early by inconsiderate bunkmates rustling their plastic bags and talking loudly as they tried to get an early start. We were the last to leave by the time we roused Sam and Rachel, ate breakfast, and packed up. The trail continued its gentle ascent up the west branch of the now much-narrower and turbulent Clinton River. Throughout the day the sky cleared to, ?The Big Blue?, affording us magnificent views of the snow-capped peaks that rim the ever-narrowing valley. Soon after passing the Guided Walk Pompolona Hut, the trail began ascending somewhat more steeply and we began wondering when we would finally arrive at our hut. Ahead we began to glimpse views of the steep headwall at the end of the valley. Somehow, a trail allows one to climb over this barrier via Mackinnon Pass. Finally, after about 16 km, we trudged into Mintaro Hut, near the center of the cirque. This hut was much older, with quirky cast-iron stove burners, and only about 20 bunks. The remainder slept on mattresses on the floor of the attic. Because we arrived at the tail end of our group, there were only five spots left in the attic and one in a bunkroom. I took the bunk while everyone else trooped to the attic. Everyone ate a big dinner, then we sat around under the tiny 12-volt lighting system (charged by solar cells) discussing our origins and hiking experience. The hut warden gave us his schpiel about track conditions for tomorrow and took great care to remind us all to respect our fellow hikers and refrain from late-night or early morning noise-making. Guess who stayed up the latest and shouted the loudest? Fortunately, our kids are heavy sleepers.
2/25 - Once more we headed out near the end of our crowd. This time, however, Diane, one of the Canadians, generously offered to save us bunk space at the next hut. The track soon began to steepen and switchback, but we managed to trudge on quite steadily, finally reaching Mackinnon Pass in the late morning. The sweeping views from the top ridge were unforgettable; looking back down the Clinton Valley, ahead down the absolutely vertical face of the Arthur River Valley headwall, and up to the higher peaks of Mts. Elliot, Wilmur, Balloon, and Hart. We all celebrated, and Rachel in particular, was congratulated by everyone as an enormously plucky hiker for her size. The track continued to ascend along the slopes of Mt. Balloon, reaching a height of about 1100 m before running downslope. The track was steep and rough, necessitating constant rock-hopping and stumbling. While my knees ached, the weather and terrain combined to create constantly spectacular scenery: clouds blowing off Jervois Glacier, huge streams tumbling down water-smoothed banded gneiss riverbeds, and still more waterfalls spilling off the nearly-vertical rock cliffs. The steep part of the trail finally leveled off at the Quintin Hut day shelter, where we dropped off our packs and trooped up a rocky side-trail to Sutherland Falls, the tallest in the Southern Hemisphere (580 m!). While I was not originally terribly thrilled about taking a non-essential side trip, the Falls themselves were truly awe-inspiring. They seem to emerge from nowhere at some impossible height, then tumble to a ledge which launches the torrent outward and down to a second ledge which launches the water one more time for the final free-fall to the base. We trooped back, reluctantly re-shouldered our packs, and trudged on downhill another 3 km to Dumpling Hut. As promised, Diane saved us space in the bunkhouse, as opposed to the less-desireable bunkrooms that were situated in the same building as the dining room. Many of our cohorts were clearly more subdued and tired compared to the previous night. We quietly ate, listened to our third hut talk which emphasized how to reach the end of the Track before the last boat leaves. We collapsed into our beds and were soon sound asleep.
2/26 - Again, our bunkmates woke us early, but this day we needed an early start in order to catch the last boat off the Track. We gamely soldiered on down the Arthur River, but many of us were still sore from the previous day. Fortunately, the track was well-graded most of the way. A highlight was a stop at voluminous Mackay Falls and nearby Bell Rock. This huge boulder was a hollowed-out stream pothole that fell off and came to rest upside-down near the base of the falls. We crawled underneath it and found ourselves inside a huge bell-shaped cavity, perfect for singing loud songs. We continued down-valley along cliff faces overlooking Lake Ada, where we made our final push to the Track terminus at aptly-named Sandfly Point. About 10 minutes after we arrived, the last boat transported us down the river mouth and across Milford Sound to Milford. As the boat left, rain began to fall, but we didn?t care - along the entire 54 kilometers I never once donned my raingear! After treating ourselves to refreshments in the same cafe we visited on 2/21, we boarded a bus that took us back to our vehicles at the Te Anau Downs wharf. Tossed our packs in and drove on back to Te Anau where we plowed through a huge pasta/pizza dinner washed down with ice cream. Returned to Fiordland Holiday Park for a well-deserved rest.
We are definately doing the guided walk. I'm not the most fit person (I've started nightly training for this walk) so I know there is no way for me to carry a ton of gear. With the guided walk I only have to carry a small backpack with my personal stuff in it.
I'm planning on dressing in layers (waterproof jacket, long sleeve wicking shirt, tank top) so I can peel stuff off or added stuff as the temp changes. Is this the right idea?
Thanks for your help.
I'm planning on dressing in layers (waterproof jacket, long sleeve wicking shirt, tank top) so I can peel stuff off or added stuff as the temp changes. Is this the right idea?
Thanks for your help.
Yeah, layers are the way to go. I assume that you will also have rainpants, which are important. Put some waterproofing on your boots, and consider taking some sandals for walking about at night while your boots dry out.
As noted in the journal posting above, the Guided Walk 'huts' are in very different locations from the DOC huts. Your first night is at Glade House, which is basically within sight of the Glade Wharf. The 2nd night is at Pompolona Hut, 16km further. 3rd night at Quintin Lodge, another 16km along. 4th night is at Mitre Peak Lodge - this is a long day - over 20km to Sandfly Point, then a boat to Mitre Peak Lodge. There are also lunch huts along the way, which are awfully nice if it is raining.
I have not been on a Guided Walk, but we met many Guided Walkers along the Track. I poked my head into Glade House and Quintin Lodge, both of which are quite nicely appointed.
As noted in the journal posting above, the Guided Walk 'huts' are in very different locations from the DOC huts. Your first night is at Glade House, which is basically within sight of the Glade Wharf. The 2nd night is at Pompolona Hut, 16km further. 3rd night at Quintin Lodge, another 16km along. 4th night is at Mitre Peak Lodge - this is a long day - over 20km to Sandfly Point, then a boat to Mitre Peak Lodge. There are also lunch huts along the way, which are awfully nice if it is raining.
I have not been on a Guided Walk, but we met many Guided Walkers along the Track. I poked my head into Glade House and Quintin Lodge, both of which are quite nicely appointed.
We drove to Milford Sound on Dec.8th, I think it was. (2003) It was miserable minor drizzle the whole way from Te Anua Downs, both sides of the mountains. It finally let up about 4:30 PM.
Of course, this made for spectacular waterfalls in the fjord on the boat ride. The wind was fierce in the fjord, it flipped open metal hatches on the deck. We got to see large waterfalls that never reached sea level, as they were blown back into the air by the wind. I'm not sure I'd want to be hiking in that stuff... I hope the trail is more sheltered.
I guess the moral is, be prepared for anything. Good luck! The boat tour guide pointed out the start of the trial at the fjord end and mentioned it was booked up a year in advance. How long ago did you get the booking?
Of course, this made for spectacular waterfalls in the fjord on the boat ride. The wind was fierce in the fjord, it flipped open metal hatches on the deck. We got to see large waterfalls that never reached sea level, as they were blown back into the air by the wind. I'm not sure I'd want to be hiking in that stuff... I hope the trail is more sheltered.
I guess the moral is, be prepared for anything. Good luck! The boat tour guide pointed out the start of the trial at the fjord end and mentioned it was booked up a year in advance. How long ago did you get the booking?
ALF, Thanks for the confirmation on the layers idea and the info on the guided walk stops. The last day is 13 miles but the day befor is the one that worries me because of the drastic elevation changes. That's why I've started training. We leave in 6 weeks so I think that gives me enough time to build up to long day hikes. Thanks again for your insights.
MD,
The DOC Free Walker (non-guided) does book up a year in advance from what I hear. However, the guided walk operator holds a certain number of permits. We just inquired with them the beginning of this week and they have room available for trips in the beginning of March. As far as the weather goes...I've read a couple accounts of the crazy weather there and am just hoping for the best. It's still supposed to be amazingly beautiful even in pouring rain. Let's hope so.
MD,
The DOC Free Walker (non-guided) does book up a year in advance from what I hear. However, the guided walk operator holds a certain number of permits. We just inquired with them the beginning of this week and they have room available for trips in the beginning of March. As far as the weather goes...I've read a couple accounts of the crazy weather there and am just hoping for the best. It's still supposed to be amazingly beautiful even in pouring rain. Let's hope so.
We hiked it and it was great. In some ways it is more beautiful in the rain because the big waterfalls get bigger and little ones spring up. One unexpected benefit of the guided walk huts was drying rooms which get your soaking wet stuff nice and dry in time for the next hike. (Can you tell we had rain for all but the last day? 
)
)It is true that there is a lot of elevation gain over Mackinnon Pass, but the Track is well-graded on the climb up. I'm an overweight middle-aged guy with arthritic knees, and my daughter had short little legs (but I was carrying all her stuff!) - and we made the climb without much difficulty - slow, but not too difficult. The Track down the other side is rougher and not nearly as well-graded, and requires some boulder hopping. This was the tougher part for me and my bad knees. Made me wish that I had purchased some hiking poles.
When my wife and I hiked the Track, I was 63 and she was 61. We can offer a few pieces of advice.
1. Protect yourself from sand fly bites in the last day. The brochure recommended wearing long underwear. We did not. We were sorry.
2. For the descent down from McKinnon Pass (we did it in hurricane-force winds and driving rain), take a hiking stick. We did not. We were sorry.
3. Take along something to cover foot blisters, something like Nu-Skin. I had blisters despite every precaution. We took Nu-Skin and were very thankful that we did.
4. We took the guided walk. A wise decision. Great accommodations, good food, dry bunks, hot showers, clean quarters.
5. We made the walk in November. A good month. In all, despite years of hiking experience in the western U.S., the Milford Track was the toughest physical effort of our lifetimes because of torrential rains on the trail. Coming down from the pass was ever so slippery. You must watch your time and be at the sound boat landing on schedule. Guarantee: you will never sleep so soundly as you will each night on and after the track.
1. Protect yourself from sand fly bites in the last day. The brochure recommended wearing long underwear. We did not. We were sorry.
2. For the descent down from McKinnon Pass (we did it in hurricane-force winds and driving rain), take a hiking stick. We did not. We were sorry.
3. Take along something to cover foot blisters, something like Nu-Skin. I had blisters despite every precaution. We took Nu-Skin and were very thankful that we did.
4. We took the guided walk. A wise decision. Great accommodations, good food, dry bunks, hot showers, clean quarters.
5. We made the walk in November. A good month. In all, despite years of hiking experience in the western U.S., the Milford Track was the toughest physical effort of our lifetimes because of torrential rains on the trail. Coming down from the pass was ever so slippery. You must watch your time and be at the sound boat landing on schedule. Guarantee: you will never sleep so soundly as you will each night on and after the track.
