“On a Mish” #47 Day Off, Still on the Ridge. The Hump Ridge. Fiordland National Park. 23.3.2014. We are very spoiled for choice in Aotearoa when it comes to stunning places to hike. The South Island has every type of hiking covered, from easy to extremely hard. The desired scenery can be found with a quick browse of a map, and with good planning an epic mish is basically guaranteed. Over the years I have been very lucky to work in locations that offer adventures that can be incorporated with my work…
South East Fiordland is one of those stunning places that offers so much to those who travel to this remote part of the world. From Aparima / Riverton west the towns decrease in population and the hills increase in size and stature. The mountains eventually grow to a point where they form a wall which stretches as far as the eye can see.
I was lucky enough to work on the Humpridge Track for a few years and an absolute treat that came with the job was trips up to Okaka Lodge. Sitting on a high perch overlooking Te Waewae Bay, the views (when visibility permits) are incredible. The place became my favourite over the time I worked on the track.
One day I got the bright idea to send my camping gear up to the lodge in the chopper and then slowly wander my way up the trail on my routine track and trap checks. I’m sure those who have hiked the track will agree that the first day is a real grunt. But after catching your breath once you reach the lodge, the rewards will make the whole ordeal worth it! The lodge was buzzing that evening with happy hikers enjoying the views and the food, which was topped by the success of getting to the lodge.
The next day I was technically on my day off, but still at work. I guess this is a testament to how much I love the area / workplace.
After enjoying a bowl of power porridge I gathered my gear and hiked up to the loop track above the lodge. Seeing people getting their minds blown by the views was one of my favourite parts of the job. After bidding the other track walkers farewell I headed north following the Hump Ridge proper.
Once away from the track the going is made easier by marker posts, and to keep the area as pristine as possible it is best to stick to the poles.
I hiked over Peak 1014m to a campsite about 2km further along the ridge from the lodge. The place was similar to what is found on the loop track, with oddly shaped rocks jutting up out of the mossy ground. I found the least damp spot I could, then pitched my tent amongst the impressive Tors and Tarns that are scattered all along the 9km ‘Hump Ridge’.
I had an excellent vantage point at around 990m above the beaches where the water of Foveaux Strait touches the southern tip of the South Island. I still had some daylight left so to enhance my views I climbed a large Tor (exposed rock on the ridge) to watch the clouds gathering in the valleys of South West Fiordland far below me.
The sunset over Ata Whenua (The Shadow Lands) was breathtaking, and for about 20 minutes I watched the sky slow dance with the land in a romantic collection of soft orange, red and lavender colours which slowly faded to purple. It was definitely a dramatic way for the night to announce its presence.
After the evening show I scrambled down the Tor and returned back to camp to cook dinner and relax. As I kicked back with my meal I was in the perfect place to watch part two of the presentation, the star show. Unlimited twinkles lined the clear sky above my camp and with zero light pollution the burning balls of gas blazed brightly. The evening certainly exceeded my expectations, and after a day of full on Fiordland festivities it was time to retreat to the warmth of my sleeping bag.
I woke early-ish the next morning to an amazing golden glow on the horizon to the east, and as the sun rose the sky was painted with the signs of classic Fiordland storm coming in from the west.
Even though I was about an hour’s hike from a very well formed track, my campsite felt more and more remote as the sky began to get dark with near black rain clouds. I quickly packed up my damp tent and as I did I felt the first spit of rain. The storm wasn’t going to wait for me to get down off the ridge before it unloaded its payload.
I had the option of waiting for that day’s helicopter and getting a ride back down the hill, or walking out. My decision was made for me as the ridge was swallowed by the storm, and getting a machine up the mountain was not going to happen that day.
I’m guessing that Mother Nature wanted me to do some extra training as now my only option was to continue back down the rest of the 21km track to my way home waiting in the car park many metres away at Rarakau.
Now with heavy rain falling I wandered along Blue Cliffs Beach happy to not still be up on the ridge. I looked back in the direction of the Hump Ridge only to see the whole range was fully engulfed by dark rain clouds. I was very lucky to get in and out when I did.
The rain had really started to pound down by the time I got up off the beach and back to my van in the car park. Some might be upset by the wet but it didn’t matter to me as I had just clocked up another epic mish, and had the pictures to prove it!
South Fiordland is a very special place and I highly recommend chucking on the boots and making the very rewarding effort to get to a place where you can consume its remote ruggedness!
I woke early-ish to an amazing purple glow in the sky as the sun rose, with the signs of classic Fiordland rain coming in from the west. Even though I was less than an hour away from a very well formed track, my campsite felt very remote. I quickly packed up my damp tent and made my way back south along the ridge so I wouldn’t get caught out in the rain. I had the option of waiting for the day’s helicopter and getting a ride back down the hill, but as some extra training I continued back down the rest of the 21km track to the car park. As I wandered along Blue Cliff Beach I looked back at the Hump Ridge to see the whole range engulfed in dark rain clouds, and it wasn’t long before I felt the drips of impending rain. The rain had set in by the time I got up off the beach and back to the car park, but that didn’t matter as I had already clocked up another epic mish. South Fiordland is a very special place and I highly recommend chucking on the boots and making the very rewarding effort of venturing into its remote ruggedness!
