The Milford Track: Day Three on the trail and Milford Sound

The third (last) day on the trail led us 13.5 miles from Clinton Lodge. Contending with sore muscles from the MacKinnon pass ascent/descent, we still let ourselves be immersed in the dense greens of trees and moss, and the deep blue green waters of streams and waterfalls.  Sunshine followed us for the first time on the hike, creating less drama than we had experienced in the mist.

We reached Sand Fly point on the far side of Milford Sound by mid afternoon. Aptly named, these tiny, tiny flies feasted on unprotected skin. A boat transported us to Mitres Peak Lodge, one of the "best view" lodgings we have enjoyed anywhere.

The Ultimate Hikes' experience includes an excellent boat trip in the Milford Sound. The Sound's geology is fascinating, starting 400 million years ago with tall mountains rising as tectonic plates collided.  They rose, fell, rose again.  Most recently, these volcanic formations were subjected to an ice age which left the sharpness and ruggedness that only glaciers can create.

View from Clinton_Lodge, Ultimate_Hikes

Arthur River

Kea

MacKay_Falls, Milford_Track, Ultimate Hikes

Giants_Gate_Falls, Milford Track

Milford_Sound, Mitres_Peak_Lodge

Mires_Peak, Mires_Peak_Lodge, Milford_Sound, Ultimate_Hikes

Milford Sound

Stirling_Falls, Milford_Sound

Stirling_Falls, Milford_Sound

Lady_Bowen_Falls, Milford_Sound, Ultimate_Hikes

Milford Track. The descent from MacKinnon Pass

Each day on the track, Ultimate Hikes sets out an array of ingredients for lunch. Before descending from MacKinnon Pass, Meg and I enjoyed our sandwiches at a warming hut at the top.  One of the guides kept hot water going, so one had a wide choice of drinks.

Leaving the hut, we were hit by a strong wind that diminished as we dropped into the canyon below. Avalanche danger still existed on the standard descent--we heard one that sounded like a sudden resonating clap of thunder. So, we were required to take the "emergency route," a one mile trail where each step was over/on top of/between rocks and trees, and dropped us one to two feet for each step.  Fortunately, our hiking poles kept us steady, but we were sore by the end of the day.

We stayed at Quintin Lodge, in the heart of Fiordland's mountains. Sutherland Falls, the highest in New Zealand and fifth highest in the world, stunned us with its size and volume.  If you saw Hobbit 1, the movie ends with the giant eagles flying over these falls. The top of the falls and its drop was filmed by helicopter and the eagles digitally inserted.  You can see this scene on You Tube.

Descent from MacKinnon Pass

Falls, Roaring Burn (river)

Sutherland Falls

Sutherland Falls