“On a Mish” #286 The Roar of Winter (Part Two). Gertrude Valley (Gertrude Saddle Track). Fiordland National Park. 5.10.2019. Wild, cold and brutal, winter is an angry beast sometimes. Until the construction of the Milford Road it was only the toughest travellers who trekked into the tallest towers of the Fiordland area. There were places that the early Maori would stay away from as they were well aware of the monsters that hang above the valleys waiting for unsuspecting victims to pounce upon. The roar of an avalanche is something that will get the hairs on the back of your neck standing to attention and if you’re in a safe place then the experience will stay with you forever…
After driving up and over the Divide (a low pass through the Fiordland Mountains) we made our way up the Hollyford Valley, passing piles of avalanche debris at the base of each gully and watercourse. Seeing the valley in this state really shows why the area is stripped of any trees and only the toughest plants and scrub survives.
We got to the Gertrude Saddle Track car park and within minutes of arriving we witnessed an avalanche, the first of many. This rumble of rubble was pouring off the north face of the Crosscuts(2263m) and the noise was screaming out “don’t come this way!”.
Boots on, car locked, business time.
We made our way up the frozen Gertrude Valley on the track that takes you to the saddle of the same name. The corridor-like valley hadn’t seen the light of the sun yet and we both looked like steam trains with our breaths thick in the cold winter air.
We hiked past the aptly named Psychopath Wall of Mt Talbot(2105m) just as the sun crept into the valley and dared to challenge the cold. The towering wall plus the ice and snow made the valley seem colder than ever.
We pushed on to a point near the head of the valley and then climbed up to the waterfalls above. Signs and common sense told us that any ground above the waterfalls was a place we weren’t prepared for. Unfortunately some people have ventured beyond here and it would be a mistake that would cost them their lives. Above the waterfalls is a place that the sun avoids during the winter, and unless you have the equipment and more importantly the experience then you should probably avoid the place too!
We enjoy breathing so we didn’t go above the waterfalls and instead enjoyed brunch and a drink in the epic environment. While we chewed we watched avalanches rain down on the other side of the valley. Entertainment so good we wondered where we should pay!
Satisfied that we had gone as far as we could, we turned back.
The hike back was just as impressive, and we knew coming here was definitely worth the effort. Knowing what we know made the trip a mix of excitement and nervousness. Once again it is hats off to the early explorers who heard the roar of winter and continued to trek towards it!
