Routeburn Track, Earland Falls in Flood! NZ Great Walks #3 😮 ⛈

I found the third day of my solo hike on the Routeburn and Greenstone Tracks harder than the second due to the weather and the uncertainty it created as to whether I’d be able to continue on to the Greenstone Track.

The day started very early as everyone had to be out of the bunk room so it could be fumigated. My plan was to walk from Lake MacKenzie Hut through to Lake Howden and at that junction, leave the Routeburn Track by linking on to the Greenstone Caples Track and continuing along the Greenstone Valley to Lake McKellar Hut.

The section from Earland Falls to Lake Howden was very tough as Earland Falls were in full flood. As I approached, the roar from the Falls was deafening and I found I couldn’t even get close to where the bridge crossed the front of the Falls due to the enormous volume of spray coming off and the wind it created. I couldn’t see a thing, I was attempting to walk straight in to a roaring waterfall as it fell 174 metres!

I stepped away after a couple of attempts, deciding to wait for more trampers thinking it might be safer to cross as a group. Fortunately there was a flood detour which crossed the Falls at a lower point but this crossing too was sketchy and we ended up scrambling up side waterfalls.

We had to keep moving through this area for risk of the track closing due to the heavy rain and potential for landslides. I was unable to capture much footage and much of what I did was through a wet lens. It was impossible to keep anything dry and more important that we made it through safely.

It was hard to know whether to continue as planned or head out of the bush, the couple I had walked through from Earland Falls with kindly offered me a lift back to Queenstown with them should I decide to exit via the Divide as they were.

At Lake Howden I asked other trampers who’d just come off the Greenstone Track what the conditions were like and also the Guides who were taking a group through on the Routeburn for an up dated forecast and then continued as planned, ready to an about turn if need be. Fortunately, the worst of the day's rain was behind me although I was more than aware the catchment was still filling. The section through to McKenzie Hut was a pleasant walk through beautiful forest. The rain even stopped for a while, allowing me my first glimpses of the mountain tops in two days.

Highlights of the day were the numerous waterfalls, particularly the Earland Falls which were magnificent in their ferocity. The huts on the Greenstone track do not need to be pre-booked and fortunately, there was plenty of space with not nearly as many trampers as on the Routeburn.

ℹ️Stats

📅 Date: 4th December 2021

☀️Weather: Medium to torrential rain

⏮ From: MacKenzie Hut, Routeburn Track, Fiordland National Park, Otago

⏭ To: McKellar Hut, Greenstone and Caples Conservation Area, Otago

🏡 Accommodation: $68 DOC Great Walks, Serviced Hut, Bookings are required for huts and campsites.

👏 Difficulty: Intermediate Great Walk / Easier Tramping Track

🥾Distance: 20.19km

🏔 Elevation Gain: 394 metres

🏔 Max Elevation: 1045 metres

🏃🏼‍♀️ Moving Time: 4 hours 9 minutes

🕘 Elapsed Time: 7 hours 57 minutes