Section 7: Motatapu Track
27 Ocak, Yeni Zelanda ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
Dr ursprünglich plan wär gsi, zäme mit dr Natalie (woni übere Te Araroa Chat) kenneglernt ha, dr Two Thumb Track zmache. Scho bitz besorgt wägem vile räge idr letschte täg, het mi d Natalie in Christchurch am busbahnhof abgholt und si zu ihre hei gfahre. Nach e bitz research und abwäge, hämer eus entschide, dass die vile flussdurchquerige ufem Two Thumb Track z gföhrlich si. Mir hei aber e super alternative gfunde: dr Motatapu Track zwüsche Wanaka und Arrowtown (bi Queenstown). S wätter schiint dört super zsi und d trailnotes verspräche e sehr asträngende aber nid gföhrliche track.
Dr Motatapu Track isch landschaftlich sehr unterschidlich gsi zu de bishärige sections. Dr wäg isch durch praktisch kei wald, drfür durch wunderschöni graslandschaft. Insgesamt goht dr wäg über vier hügel mit steile uf- und abstiig. Via verschiideni grat mit witer ussicht, gseht me idr färni immer was no vor eim ligt und scho früe hetme d hütte für die nöchsti nacht gseh. Die letschte beide täg si denn im und entlang em Arrow River durch es alts gold mining gebiet gange.
So simer am nöchste tag richtig Wanaka losgfahre, hei ufem wäg no für pie inere bekannte bäckerei aghalte und hei s auto in wanaka deponiert. Am nomitag hämer denn dr ufstiig zu dr erste hütte in agriff gno. Scho uf däm erste ufstiig hämer e gschmack becho vo de steile ufstiig. I ha au s erst mol mi körper bitz mehr gspürt. D wade hei scho gli zue gmacht und hei vilm dehne brucht über die nöchste täg. Idr erste hütte (Fern Burn Hut) hämer bekanntschaft gmacht mit dr Camilla wo NOBO (north bound) wanderet. D Natalie het ihre mit ganz vill vertraue dr autoschlüssel gä und dr deal gmacht, dass si die nöchste täg dörf s auto bruuche, solang si eus am schluss in Arrowtown chunt cho abhole.
Am zweite tag isch dr ufstiig ufe erst hügel witer gange. Eigentlich hät das sötte e churze wandertag si. Dr steil abstiig mit no witere chlinere ufstiig und grat abschnitt, het aber doch sini zit bruucht. D Highland Creek hütte isch voll gsi mit NOBO und SOBO wanderer. Mir hei grad no die letschte zwei plätz idr hütte ergatteret.
Dr dritti tag isch asträngendsti und längsti tag gsi vo allne. Zwei hügel hämer bezwunge, mit jewiils witere steile uf- und abstiig. Bsunderst dr ersti ufstiig het bitz angst gmacht. Mitem schwere rücksack hani e paar mol dänkt dasi grad widr rückwärts hingere dr bärg ab kipp. Mir si aber guet vorwärts cho und heis mit guete gfühl gmeisteret. D ussicht bim zweite abstiig isch unglaublich schön gsi. Die wite täler und ussicht zu dr Roses Hut isch wunderschön gsi. Usserdäm hämer i dere hütte glück gha. Si isch i dere nacht praktisch leer gsi.
Dr vierti tag het usem viertel hügel bestande am vormittag und denn us 6km wandere im Arrow River am nomitag. Für die crazy neuseeländer si nämlech flüss öpe glich gueti wanderwäg wie wäg.. s wätter und wasserlevel isch aber super gsi und mir hei richtig spass gha. S wasser isch maximum bis knapp über d chnüü cho, hei aber tiefi stelle müese um chlättere. Näbem fluss hei schöni lupine blüeht und mir hei immer mit eim aug nach gold im wasser usschau ghalte.
Die letschti nacht, sowie dr letschti tag zrug id zivilisation isch im zeiche vo goldmining gstande. Macetown (dört hämer zältlet) isch zu goldminingzite (ca. zwüsche 1863 und 1900) e richtigs städtli gsi. Jetz si numeno überräschte und zwei cottages übrig. Dr rückwäg isch ca. 4 stund, durch s Arrow tal gange. Mir hei au immerwidr dure fluss müese, was e willkommeni abchüelig gsi isch. In Arrowtown het denn d Camilla mitem auto uf eus gwartet.
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The original plan had been to hike the Two Thumb Track together with Natalie, whom I met through a Te Araroa chat. With some concern about the heavy rain of the past few days, Natalie picked me up at the bus station in Christchurch and drove me to her place. After doing some research and weighing our options, we decided that the many river crossings on the Two Thumb Track would be too dangerous. Instead, we found a great alternative: the Motatapu Track between Wānaka and Arrowtown (near Queenstown). The weather forecast looked excellent there, and the trail notes promised a very demanding but not dangerous route.
The Motatapu Track turned out to be very different from the sections I had done so far. There was hardly any forest at all; instead, the trail led through beautiful open grasslands. Overall, the route crosses four hills, each with steep ascents and descents. Along the ridgelines, with wide-open views, you can always see what lies ahead — and often spot the hut for the next night from far away. The last two days followed the Arrow River and passed through an old gold-mining area.
The next day, we drove to Wānaka, stopped for a pie at a famous bakery along the way, and dropped off the car in town. In the afternoon, we started the climb up to the first hut. Right away, the steep ascent gave us a taste of what was to come. For the first time, I really felt my body — my calves tightened up quickly and needed lots of stretching over the following days. At the first hut (Fern Burn Hut), we met Camilla, a NOBO (northbound) hiker. With impressive trust, Natalie handed her the car keys, making a deal that Camilla could use the car over the next few days as long as she picked us up in Arrowtown at the end.
On the second day, we continued climbing the first hill. It was supposed to be a short hiking day, but the steep descent, followed by more smaller climbs and ridge sections, took longer than expected. Highland Creek Hut was packed with both NOBO and SOBO hikers, but we managed to grab the last two available spots.
The third day was the longest and most strenuous of the entire track. We tackled two hills, each with steep ascents and descents. The first climb in particular felt intimidating — with a heavy pack, I had a few moments where I thought I might tip backwards down the slope. Still, we made steady progress and got through it feeling strong. The views during the second descent were incredible: wide valleys opening up and a stunning outlook toward Roses Hut. We were lucky there too — the hut was almost empty that night.
The fourth day consisted of the fourth and final hill in the morning, followed by about 6 km of walking in the Arrow River in the afternoon. For crazy New Zealanders, rivers are apparently just as good as trails. Luckily, the weather and water levels were perfect, and we had a lot of fun. The water was mostly just above knee-deep, though we did have to scramble through deeper sections. Beautiful lupins were blooming along the riverbanks, and we kept one eye on the water, half-hoping to spot some gold.
The final night — and the last day back to civilization — was all about gold mining. Macetown, where we camped, used to be a proper town during the gold-mining era (roughly between 1863 and 1900). Today, only ruins and two small cottages remain. The walk back took about four hours through the Arrow Valley, with multiple river crossings along the way — a very welcome way to cool off. In Arrowtown, Camilla was waiting for us with the car.Okumaya devam et



























Gezgin
Me gseht s wägli und dr grat vom nöchste ufstiig
Gezgin
Ganz e anderi Ussicht, mega toll 😃
GezginWoow wüki wie bi Herr der Ringe 😍😍