Epic

... Is the entry mainly because I ran out of superlatives so slowly - but I always need some !!
Absolutely unreal beautiful nature that I was allowed to see during my trip to Mount Aspiring National Park! I have had to pinch myself several times and talk well. Oh well.

The journey to the Matukituki Valley was entertaining: the night before I found out that the insurance did not work when my car on the 30km long gravel road with 9 fords something happens. Maybe not the right track for a small car without four-wheel drive. Anyway, hitchhiking is easy, and I soon got a couple with a rental compact car without four-wheel drive, where everything was a bit more level. Shortly thereafter, they came across other small car drivers who were not keen on the risk of the first deep ford and who also wanted to continue hitchhiking. My drivers were also brave and after ten minutes of exploring the first ford was successfully translated. The other Fords afterwards were already routine ?

The first hike went to the lookout on Rob Roys Glacier. Although the end point is not a summit, but you "only" look at a valley: absolutely unreal scenery! I do not know how to describe it ... waterfall, rushing brook, green hills, alpine scenery, the glacier ... unbelievable. That can not bring a photo or video over.

Then I continue with luggage to Aspiring hut. Once I have to sleep in a mountain hut, even though I find the hauling of food and sleeping clothes rather unhelpful! You walk through the big Matukituki valley and feel like in a fairy tale: no cars, only lush meadows with the usual thousand sheep, here and there a waterfall ... Everything in its effect unreal beautiful!

At 9 pm I was the first of my 13-dorm people to go to bed and slept like a stone. I did not even notice a person going to bed or anything like that.
That's why I was well rested at 5:30 am and set out on one of the most beautiful challenges so far:

Hiking in the Cascade saddle. Most do that as an alpine crossing into the Dart Valley, but I'm back the same way, making the descent over the rocks more exciting. Well, down is always harder than up, especially if you have already made 1500 meters on the way up.
On the way to the highest point you have great views of the Matukituki Valley, in the saddle then the views of Dart Valley and Glacier.

Oh man, my posts here are like Alpinist porn. But was just great the trip!

Two days over 40 kilometers and a couple of miles were not so easy, but they were really fun!