“On a Mish” #305 Camping in a Blizzard (Part Two). Routeburn / Key Summit Track to Whiskey Trail. Fiordland National Park. 12.10.2021. A long time ago when I was a young fella I played Ice Hockey. I believe this has led to my fascination with ice and the cold that comes with it. Every now and then I like to put myself in a wintered environment and really feel the meaning of the word cold. Of course, I will be wearing clothing to prevent the chill reaching my skin. And I also come armed with my tent (Marmot Tungsten), which is crucial when camping in a blizzard…
The boost of being where you love to be is incredible. Months of moping about were erased when I re-discovered the outdoors by camping near my car. I am so lucky to have had an injury in a country that has easy access to so many very cool places. Back in the day (pre-injury) I wouldn’t have dreamed of camping anywhere near my car, but it became ‘the way’ when my legs couldn’t get me up a long valley or onto a mountain ridge.
The Key Summit Track is never steep and very easy to follow thanks to the amount of maintenance it receives from the Department of Conservation. My hip and back were sore from the drive, so it was good to get out onto a track where I didn’t need to put much thought into where I was going. My relationship with the Routeburn Track began in 2008, and it has been awesome to watch it evolve into the tourism drawcard that it is today.
Eventually, after nearly two hours I dragged myself up to Key Summit. Normally the trek to the top is around 45 minutes, but I wasn’t looking at breaking any time records on this mish. A pause at the high point of the loop track was reward with grand views of the surrounding area. Even though the tops of the Darran Mountains were shrouded in cloud, the deep valleys and high cliffs still satisfied my soul in the way I seek whenever I get near or go into my favourite mountain range.
Above Key Summit I followed the track (the Whiskey Trail) which travels along the tops at the northern most tip of the Livingstone Mountains. The track starts in a patch of subalpine forest and thanks the recent snowfall the beech tree branches hung low over the track. I had to bash the snow off each branch, and it was entertaining to watch the arms of the trees ping back up to their normal resting place after knocking the snow off. As entertaining as it was it did slow me down considerably, but my aim was to get to a spot with enough power left in my legs to set up my camp.
Having prior experience of where the track was rather helpful because above the trees snow covered everything. Every now and then I would sink into a deep pocket of snow and the jolt would send shocks directly into my spine. My love of the outdoors was really starting to get tested.
Not long after getting above the trees I came across a tent which explained the other car in the Divide car park. It was a little bit weird to be in such a remote location and come across someone else in less than favourable weather. I now knew I wasn’t alone but there was no sign of the owner of the tent. My trek continued with the thought that I might bump into someone else on the wide windswept snow-covered ridge.
My original plan was to camp in a spot I had been to before, but after getting through the forest and out in the open I knew that was a footstep or two too far. Luckily there are many flat places along the ridge, so I got to an appropriate place and to the delight of my back and hip, I dropped my pack down knowing I wouldn’t have to carry it any further…
