“On a Mish” #125 Where the Water Comes From (Part One). Water Tank Ridge. Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. 25.1.2015. Towering above the western side of Aoraki/Mt Cook Village is Mt Kitchener(2042m), and even though it is the closest ‘big’ peak to the village, it receives less attention than it deserves. By far the easiest way to access the mountain is via the route to Mueller Hut, then traverse over the rounded dome of Mt Ollivier(1933m) and continue the short distance to the summit. With some rare time on my hands, I needed a short, sharp mountain challenge and the Water Tank Ridge on Mt Kitchener was the perfect time filler…
A shorter and steeper route to the summit of Mt Kitchener (and sometimes on to Mueller Hut) is via a ridge directly behind the Hermitage Hotel. The mish starts with a well-cut track up to the Hermitage Hotel’s water tanks. Even the short stroll up to where the water comes from is worth your while. The added elevation gives you incredible views of the very popular Hooker Valley and of all the giant mountains that surround it, including the Mountain King himself, Aoraki.
The track zigzags to the tanks on a well-constructed path but once above and beyond this point is the lower reaches of the aptly named ‘Water-tank Ridge Route’, and the going underfoot and above head gets a lot rougher and tougher, and the progress forward/upward is much harder.
I had always looked up at the ridge from the village, and as soon as I knew I didn’t have work again for a couple of hours I was back home gathering gear for a mish. The anticipation and excitement were building with each wasted minute down in the village, I wanted to get as far up the ridge as possible and that wasn’t happening while I wasn’t on it!
After jogging from my house in the village I scampered up the track to where the water came from and then I was on the ridge beyond the huge tanks for the first time. I had studied this route many times over in the area guidebook and now I had the soles of my boots on the very special soil. I followed a rough old track through the scrub and bush on the lower reaches of the ridge, and in places I had to push bush aside and bash my way through places where the track disappeared into scrub.
At one point on my way up I looked up and saw a lone Kea staring back down at me. As I got closer, he seemed to become quite aggravated and began to show his disapproval of my appearance. I’m guessing I was near his family’s nest as he seemed fixed to one particular area, and he dared anyone to challenge, because he wasn’t going anywhere but here without a fight. I had come in peace and wanted nothing to do with where his whanau lived, so I moved away from his nest with haste in my steps. After passing the point where he stood his ground I was escorted further up the mountain until he felt like the threat (me!) had gone. I am very sorry Mr Kea! I am just passing through as I continue my quest up the ridge where the water comes from…
