Day 20 - Highland Creek Hut to Wanaka, 28.8km, 8 hours 12 minutes

Early morning shadows on the climb up towards Jack Halls' Saddle from Highland Creek Hut

I was late out, not donning the pack until 8am, figuring I'd earned a lazy start the day before.
I started the day with all my clothes still wet from the previous day. This is when merino comes into its own. Nevertheless it's never pleasent putting on damp socks and undies.

The morning consisted of climbing up to Jack Halls' Saddle, at a touch under 1300 meters, a fair haul from Highland Creek at about 600 meters. My legs still hadn't fully recovered from the day before, so it was quite hard going. The relief when I got to the saddle, the last sustained climbing on the Motatapu, was considerable.


Then down, down, down to Fern Burn Hut, the last one on the Motatapu. This was easy going, although steep and requiring care in many places. Not far above the hut I spied Lake Wanaka, still many kilometers in the distance, but where I hoped to have a swim in the afternoon.















Then to the hut itself for a morning tea snack and a sustained break.


The walk out along Fern Burn was fairly up and down, but vastly easier than the previous day and a half. I'd be curious to know where the name comes from. The Burn seemed to me conspicuous by its lack of ferns.

Further down the river I came to the Stack conservation area.  This is astoundingly beautiful, well worth a day trip in to see.  Higher up the valley is the most spectacular, albeit also more difficult going, but a steeply cascading stream plunging through a high gorge filled with mature bush rewards those who traverse through here.

The lower valley remains very beautiful, if not quite so spectacular, with a still lively river bubbling merrily through the bush.















Close to the carpark the track exits onto farmland, so time to stow the boots, and out with the sandals again.

Arriving at Glendhu Bay mid afternoon I indulged in a quality late lunch of a Coke, picnic bar and chips, before taking a quick dip in a very choppy lake.

Then it was off on the 15km lakeside walk to Wanaka, during which I passed the 400km marker.
Not all 100km sections are created equal!  I had measured progress through from Macetown more in altitude gained or lost, rather than distance or time traveled.


In Glendhu Bay I had started with fine views up the Matukituki Valley. However rain set in over the mountains, and a violent wind sprang up across the lake, conditions that are always worrying in alpine areas. I was concerned I may not get to Wanaka before I was caught up in the change and increasingly worried that change might be a thunderstorm as very dark clouds streamed out of the Alps and over me.

However I only had the northern coast of Australia to negotiate before I was close to Wanaka (you'll know what I mean when you look at the map).


This section had some magnificent little beaches, albeit it wasn't so attractive for swimming today with oceanic sized waves, thrown up by the near gale force winds, crashing onto them.





Fortunately the weather change came to nothing, and I arrived somewhat tired, but dry, into Wanaka. 

Too tired to drag myself into town for dinner. I doubled down on quality cuisine for the day by using the only delivery service I could find in Wanaka - Domino's Pizza. Yuuuuurgh....