Arthur's Pass, Part I
At first, we had a bit of bad luck with the weather in Arthur's Pass. The DOC officers told us that we were still in the spring season which meant that a storm would hit the area every three days. Our initial idea was a four-day off-track trip, but the guidebook for this trip was written before the big earthquake in 1994 that changed the face of the entire park so we had to look for something else.
Unfortunately, a big storm had just brought 700 mm of rainfall to the park, sending all rivers into full flood. To wait for better weather and more information, we decided to first do a small day trip up Avalanche Peak. It was nice, but a bit overcrowded. At the top of the peak a pack of seven kea waited for us, tried to steal our lunch, open my boots and pick at our backpacks.

Avalanche Peak

Back at the DOC office we were told that the rivers were still too bad to cross, so they proposed the Casey-Binser trip to us. It was easy, had some “nice” forest, but was neither spectacular nor challenging. We almost did the entire two-day trip in one day...

Von Casey-Binser

Finally we got some sort of good weather forecast. Just two more days of bad weather had to pass and then we'd get three fine days. We decided that instead of doing nothing and waiting we could just as well drive on to Christchurch.


Christchurch
The big chain of high mountains that goes through the entire South Island is
called the “Main Divide” because it divides the island into two entirely different
climates. West of the Divide, there is rainforest, with some parts of the West Coast
getting more annual rainfall than the Amazonas Basin. But all the wet air is blocked by the Divide, so east of it there is a warm and dry climate.

So when we started in Arthur's Pass, we had pouring rain. After the first few kilometers it decreased to a gentle drizzle and once we arrived in Christchurch it was a perfect summer day. We stayed in a backpacker's in Somner, a picturesque suburb at the beach with some mediterranean feeling. Next morning we stood up really early, went for a swim at the beach and then drove into the centre of Christchurch.

We checked out some of the outdoor stores and got some new books to read in huts. Then we explored the Art Centre with its many art shops and went on to the Botanical Gardens. From here, we visited the Art Gallery, had real ice cream and went back to the car to drive back to Arthur's Pass.In Christchurch we realised that Christmas is getting close because of the Christmas decoration everywhere. Christmas while you wander around in shorts and T-Shirt, eat ice cream and go to the beach feels pretty strange.

Christchurch

Arthur's Pass, Part II
Back in Arthur's Pass, our plan was to do the Waimakariri-Harmann route, which turned out to be one of the most spectacular trips we have done so far. It is a four-day tramp over two alpine saddles and through nice river valleys.

On the first day of the trip we got a ride to the northern end of the track. The normal and easier way to do this trip is from south to north, but the big Waimakariri River at the south end was still uncrossable because of the recent rain. From the start of the track it was a short and steep way out of the bush and onto the Kelly Range, a broad and open mountain ridge. We had lunch at a cute little hut and then went on over the range where we got beautiful views of the surrounding valleys. Our map showed here no track at all but still there were enough markers to find the way down into the bush again and on to Dillons Hut.

Waimakariri-Harman 1

The next day led us through the beautiful valley of the Taipo River from Dillons Hut to Julia Hut. We expected an easy day because the route description said it would only take six hours. The last few storms, however, had done quite a lot of damage to the tracks where we had to climb over heaps of fallen trees. To get across the Taipo River we had to use a Cableway where on person would sit in a carriage while the other person winds it across to the other side. When we arrived after nine instead of six hours at Julia hut, we went down to the river to search for the hot springs that are found near the river but sadly the river was so high that the springs were flooded and so instead of warm water we only got the sulphuric smell.

Waimakariri-Harmann 2

The third day was the most versatile and interesting day. First we followed a track further up the valley but once we got to the bush line, the official track ended and we had to find our own way up, crossing Mary Creek when necessary and hopping over big boulders. Eventually, we came to a grassy flat and found a few markers which at least told us that so far we have been on the right track. We also noted that it was easier to follow the markers if you were going the opposite way but this way it was more fun being a bit challenged with the route finding. On one time, the valley narrowed to a very steep gorge and we had to climb up a steep grassy slope to get around it. From here a lot of markers led us all the way up to Harman Pass where we had spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. The way down was even more spectacular because it led through the narrow Taipoiti Gorge with heaps of waterfalls thundering down at the right side of the river and here and there still blocks of snow. Again there were no markers because they wouldn't survive long in that gorge anyway, so we hopped down the valley on what seemed to us the easiest way. Once down we had to cross another fat river and then came to Carrington Hut. This is a massive hut with place for 36 people but we were all alone there.

Waimakariri-Harman 3

The last day was the one we were most worried about. In 1994 a big earthquake destroyed the flood track that leads around the Waimakariri River, leaving only steep bluffs behind. Thus we had to cross the Waimakariri River twice and after all the heavy rain in the last time it was not entirely sure whether the river was low enough again. We had enough food with us to wait for a few more days but since it had not rained for the last three days we set out to try it, because for this day more rain was predicted and the sky was full with threating clouds. Carrington Hut had a radio so we talked to the DOC centre in Arthur's Pass and they didn't say it was impossible to cross the river but that we should be really careful. At first we followed a short track through forest and then just walked along the river, looking for a good place to cross it. Luckily this proved to be not as hard as we had expected. With the usual care we managed to get over it, walked further down the valley and then crossed the Waimakariri again to reach Anti Crow Hut (I've got no idea how they came up with that name). From there it was another hour and a half to get out to the road. We first tried to hitchhike back together, but no one wanted to pick up two dirty trampers with their packs, so Steffi waited with our packs at Klondyke Shelter where she had to defend it against a kea while I hitchhiked back to Arthur's Pass to fetch our car. Apparently hitchhiking is quite common in New Zealand because it didn't took long until a friendly old man offered me the seat his poodle had occupied so far.

Waimakariri-Harman 4

Now we are in a backpacker, outside is pouring rain and we're planning the next trip which might be the Edwards-Hawdon route, taking us again through nice alpine scenery.