“On a Mish” #127 Back to Paradise (Part One). Paradise / Rees Dart Track. Mt Aspiring National Park. 3.7.2020. I talk about ‘Paradise’ a lot, but only on a few occasions have I visited the famous area tucked away amongst the mountains of the Lower Dart River actually named Paradise. When I first moved to Queenstown the filming of the ‘Hobbit’ movies was underway, therefore the area was always busy with trucks, buses and cars which is a little bit too busy for me. Nowadays (between movie shoots) the area is much quieter than back then, and as I began to slowly heal and begin to walk short distances I decided why not visit Paradise for a wander in a location fit for the ‘big screen’…
For all the epic reviews I still have not walked the Rees / Dart Track. This still bugs me as the area is legendary for epic hiking accompanied with epic mountain views from start to finish. What also makes it a little strange that I haven’t hiked the track is the fact that I worked for six years in the Routeburn Valley which is on a short distance away. However, in my current broken stat I was going to need some help.
With the assistance of the Houliston twins / legends Chad and Mark, I sat hoping I’d be able to get some of the way up the track as we drove through the fords of the Paradise Road across Millers Flat and Dans Paddock to the start of the Dart Track. Looking out the window at the mountainous scenery reassures you that this incredible area deserves the title ‘Paradise’ and this name isn’t a scheme to get people into the location.
Just before the car park and shelter for the Rees / Dart Track the road fell away into the riverbed 4-5 meters below. The area had been smashed by huge rainfall in February, and signs of destruction were everywhere with part a chunk of the road missing, reclaimed by the river. The same storm hammered parts of Fiordland as well, and unfortunately it caused a landslide which destroyed the famous ‘Gunns Camp’ in Fiordland National Park. Sometimes Mother Nature unleashes her fury and unfortunately nature and anything else in the way bears the brunt of the stormy chaos.
Due to it being the middle of July with clear skies the whole area was sparkling white, with a thick layer of frost covering everything the sun had not yet touched. Nothing is cooler than a winter landscape, however the temperature was making my hip and back ache. I hope this mish into paradise was going to be worth the discomfort I knew I’d feel afterwards…
