With a cold morning and me being cosy/lazy in my sleeping bag, it was a latish start to the day, albeit I was on the trail by just after 8.
Having walked to where the trail left Lake Pukaki yesterday, at the Pukaki Power Station. There was an immediate easy climb away from the lake, following the hydro tunnels that were dropping water down from the Tekapo Canal.
I really enjoyed the first 10km walking. With gravel road to walk, no attention to where my feet were stepping was required, leaving me free to admire the various mountain ranges arrayed in front of me. Having spent a lot of time around Aoraki in recent years I knew the peaks well. I particularly enjoyed the view I had of Mt Tasman (not visible from the environs of Mount Cook Village - it hides in behind Aoraki from that vantage point) and the full extent of (perhaps my favourite mountain) Mount Sefton, with its enormous, glaciated east face.
The recent snows were still apparent, even the Sealy range, home to my favourite climb (but not Jakob's, long story) still had a dusting.
My peaceful reverie was broken somewhat by the horrible whine of a hydrofoil making its way up the lake below me. I guess you can't have everything.
The trail was following an old road along the Tekapo Canal that until comparatively recently was publicly accessible, and in fact back in the day was Karen's and my route of choice between Tekapo and Pukaki, being incomparably more scenic than the state highway.
Having a salmon farm along the canal, the road used to be crammed with fishermen, seeking the enormous trout that always surround salmon farms. The salmon farm is much larger than I remember it used to be, it now stretches for perhaps a couple of kilometres along the canal. Enormous salmon jumping inside the pens, and enormous trout still jump outside of them.
Close to the salmon farm I was pleased to add to my group of curio from this trip, the world's most over engineered gate.
Most of the rest of the day wasn't so interesting, consisting largely of this:
The mountain scape opened up again close to Tekapo, providing distant views of my coming route into the Two Thumb Range.
... and I passed 600km, now within sniffing distance of half way! By the by I wonder what the sniffing distance is to me?
Lake Tekapo is full to the brim, a result of the recent cyclone no doubt, so water was being spilled into the Tekapo River, a rather rare occurrence.
Arriving in Tekapo, after a lot of walking around town; to the pools, back into town for dinner (where I had a happy meeting and catch up with Neil over a beer) I have collapsed into a dorm at the camping ground. I was pleased to get it, accommodation seems bordering on unobtainable in this town.
I haven't met my room mates yet, but looking at the room I venture to suggest they are young.
Having walked to where the trail left Lake Pukaki yesterday, at the Pukaki Power Station. There was an immediate easy climb away from the lake, following the hydro tunnels that were dropping water down from the Tekapo Canal.I really enjoyed the first 10km walking. With gravel road to walk, no attention to where my feet were stepping was required, leaving me free to admire the various mountain ranges arrayed in front of me. Having spent a lot of time around Aoraki in recent years I knew the peaks well. I particularly enjoyed the view I had of Mt Tasman (not visible from the environs of Mount Cook Village - it hides in behind Aoraki from that vantage point) and the full extent of (perhaps my favourite mountain) Mount Sefton, with its enormous, glaciated east face.
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My peaceful reverie was broken somewhat by the horrible whine of a hydrofoil making its way up the lake below me. I guess you can't have everything.
The trail was following an old road along the Tekapo Canal that until comparatively recently was publicly accessible, and in fact back in the day was Karen's and my route of choice between Tekapo and Pukaki, being incomparably more scenic than the state highway.
Having a salmon farm along the canal, the road used to be crammed with fishermen, seeking the enormous trout that always surround salmon farms. The salmon farm is much larger than I remember it used to be, it now stretches for perhaps a couple of kilometres along the canal. Enormous salmon jumping inside the pens, and enormous trout still jump outside of them.Close to the salmon farm I was pleased to add to my group of curio from this trip, the world's most over engineered gate.
Most of the rest of the day wasn't so interesting, consisting largely of this:
... and I passed 600km, now within sniffing distance of half way! By the by I wonder what the sniffing distance is to me?Lake Tekapo is full to the brim, a result of the recent cyclone no doubt, so water was being spilled into the Tekapo River, a rather rare occurrence.
Arriving in Tekapo, after a lot of walking around town; to the pools, back into town for dinner (where I had a happy meeting and catch up with Neil over a beer) I have collapsed into a dorm at the camping ground. I was pleased to get it, accommodation seems bordering on unobtainable in this town.I haven't met my room mates yet, but looking at the room I venture to suggest they are young.
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