Sandflies & Reeboks on the Kepler

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SANDFLIES & REEBOKS ON THE KEPLER Jo Thomson We drove down south after the heavyrainthatwipedoutalmost all of thei tracks we had hoped to walk. One that was open was the Kepler sO we set off earlyfrom Tel Anau andwalked the 5km along the road to the start of the track. t was al beautiful morning, clear blue skies, no wind; just the kind of weather you prayf for. We checked our map att the control gate and decided we would take the anticlockwise route. The control gate regulates the flowofwater from thel lake into the river which is green and swiftly flowing, something you wouldnot consider crossing. A German tourist attempted to cross it because he had read Lake Te Anau Andrew McColgan somewhere that Kiwis thrust their packs above their heads and stroll Itt took some convincing, but eventually that afternoon we were entertained by across. This would have been the warden let US camp in the bush. avery colourful tent which appeared in impossible aslcouldt barely lift my pack People were sleeping on the dining the camping area. It stood about 1.5m off the ground, let alone thrust it above room floor, heli pad, and veranda. We high by 1.2m square and was bright my head to fight my way across an had a peaceful night's sleep until was orange, purple, green, red, and yellow, expanse like that. He decided that the woken by Andrew shrieking that a kea andwasr minus sagroundsheet, pegs, or gate was a better option, once he had hadlanded lon our tent that'st the worst mosquito net. When the hut warden walked in up to his neck! wake-up line I've ever heard! saw it, he said that if two people could sleep in it, they could stay for nothing! We plodded along the track with hell We had breakfast at the hut and were Somehow they did sleep there and I'll packs, catching glimpses of Lake Te told that some people were out of their leave it up to your imagination on how Anau, and stopped at Brod Bay for an pits at 5am to get to the next hut before they managed it! early lunch before the big climb to Mt anyone else. We took our time and left Luxmore Hut Wet foundanice: spot, but for Iris Burn around 10am. After dinner that night, we talked with we, were not alone. SANDFLIES! Just a the other punters around the fire but sample of things to come. We hurried It's a short climb from the hut up to Mt couldn'tstandthes sandfliesandmossies lunch for fear of being eaten alive. Luxmore, then it's all downhill to Iris for long, so it was off to the pit. Burn. The views of the Fiordland Itv was ahard slog up to Mt Luxmore Hut mountains and the striking expanse of Next day we walked to Shallow Beach, andlwasg gladtofinallyr reacht thetopfor Lake Manapouri, and Lake Te Anau avery private, quiet camping spot, and that well-deserved view which made it behind were awesome. hadawell-deserved dipin thenice, cool all seem worthwhile. From the bush water. We had a pleasant evening by edgeitwas about 300 metres to the hut We arrived at Iris Burn early afternoon the fire, with fleeting visits from a wood which is a 40 bunker with gas and and got the pick of the tent sites. Once pigeon. flushing loo's. We chose a bunk and again the hut was bulging with punters socialised with the half dozen people from the night before, and groups Our last day was spent walking out who had arrived before US. When the trampinginfrom: the opposite direction. alongtheWaiaul Riverflats, rounds scree conversation dried up we went for a slopes and big slips, one of which was stroll to the caves nearby, only to come We filled in the afternoon walking to a caused by a huge rock avalanche in back 20 minutes later to find the hut massive waterfall 20 minutes down the 1984. It took a couple of hours to walk overrun with people. We took our pits track and got eaten alive by giant through the beech forest, following the off the bunks as didn't fancy sleeping sandflieslyes, wec didhaverepellent on, river back to the control gates, and the with 80 people in a 40 bunk hut. but they licked it off like honey). Later final walk back to Te Anau. TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING