“On a Mish’ #409 Potential Danger (Part One). Gertrude Saddle. Fiordland National Park. 18.4.2014. The Gertrude Saddle was the site of New Zealand first ‘mountain accident’. William Quill was a young man who had made a name for himself in the Fiordland area by climbing the bush and rock beside Sutherland Falls (Milford Track). The climb was so extraordinary that he had to repeat it to prove that he had done it the first time! Unfortunately, William Quill attempted to downclimb from Gertrude Saddle into the Gulliver Valley and fell hundreds of metres to his death. His youth and confidence prevented him from seeing the potential danger, and he wouldn’t be that last victim of this incredibly beautiful area…
The trail from the Milford Road to the top of Gertrude Saddle has many signs warning you about the potential danger. You would think that the daunting cliff walls and towering peaks would be enough to intimidate people into respecting the area, but unfortunately there have been many articles published in newspapers about fatalities amongst the most accessible upper Darran Mountain tops.
This mish started in the cosy comforts of ‘Pop’s Hut’ at Gunns Camp where I was joined by my friend Celene from France. My norm was to end the summer with a trip to the famous camping ground and stay a couple of days so I could play where the big mountains lay, and on this mish I would have company. I will be gutted till the day I die about the destruction of the camp in February 2020, but at least I got the time at the camp that I did. We miss you old friend.
The day dawned grey with rain in the forecast. Time was of the essence so after an early-ish start we were up and off in my van heading to the Gertrude Saddle / Valley car park to start our mish. By the time I got to the Milford Road the tourist train was in full swing and the remote road deep in the heart of Fiordland National Park was humming. It is great knowing that, although this part of the 1.3-million-hectare national park may be busy, the majority of the place is mostly left untouched and unbothered.
By the time we got to the car park there were a few others ahead of us, they must have also seen the forecast. Rain was coming at some stage in the afternoon and the Gertrude Saddle Track is a terrible place to be when it is wet. There are plenty of potential dangers normally, so when you add water to the mix you have the recipe for disaster. A few of the fatalities have been due to hiking the track when wet.
The first steps up the valley are across a rocky riverbed which seems very unassuming most of the time. However, I have been staying at the close by Homer Hut (New Zealand Alpine Club), and seen the dry riverbed become a raging river in just a few hours. This area demands respect, and those who don’t show it are either lucky or on a list that no one wants to be on.
After the riverbed the track enters bush for a while, and then once above the bush there are unspoiled views of the majestic Darran Mountains. The cliffs are huge and then high above them are the famous peaks that only the most determined step on top of. There is a big reason why the Darran Mountains are my most favourite place on the planet, and even though we had only just started our adventure, the epicness was already at 11 out of 10!
