Milford Track Day 1: Glade Wharf to Clinton Hut part of the New Zealand section on muellerworld

The 53km Milford Track is best enjoyed if you accept the fact that it is a 
highly regulated tourist attraction where every step is controlled... 
 
Keep this all in mind when considering the Milford: if regulations, high cost 
and lack of wilderness outweigh its outstanding scenic value, skip this track.

--Lonely Planet Tramping in New Zealand 1998 Edition, Page 340

Everyone formed a queue (more like a mob) and grabbed their backpacks shortly after the Fiordland Express docked at Glade Wharf. The masses disembarked single-file, only to re-form a mob near the "Start of the Milford Track" sign abut 10 meters from the shore end of the wharf. The Department of Conservation (DOC) allows 40 independent Walkers and 50 Guided Walkers to start the trail each day. Ninety hikers seems like a lot, but they are usually spread out on the trail throughout the day. In my two times on the trail, I don't think I ever saw more then a group of 6-8 together on the trail.

At 3:15pm Tim and I slipped away from the crowd (after loosing each other for a few minutes in the confusion) and started towards the Clinton Hut, 3 miles and about an hour away.

The friendly blue skies in Te Anau had given way to clouds over the lake and they now hinted that they might let loose of some rain at any second. It was still warm and reasonably nice out, but it looked like it could go either way pretty easily. By the time we reached Glade House, a few harmless drops of rain had found me, but not really enough to take seriously.

Glade House is only 20 minutes into the track, and the first stop for the guided walkers. It is a fully-staffed and full-service bunkhouse that caters to those who want a wilderness experience without really doing much themselves. They still have to walk the 54.1 kilometers, but the don't have to carry food, sleepingbags or much else. I heard they even have forced-air drying rooms for wet gear at each hut. It also costs about 12 times more than the Independent Walker permit.

Immediately past the Glade House the trail stops being a road, and narrows considerably and then crosses the Clinton River on the first of many swing bridges. Tim and I had it all to ourselves and enjoyed the views from mid-span. A small set of stairs at the far end deliver you back to the trail. The first time I hiked the track, I had wondered if I really needed to bring a map and compass. I decided against it and was happy to find that the trail is nearly impossible to loose (even in low visibility during poor weather).

The trail in this section is nearly wide enough for two trampers to walk beside each other, but we fell in line with each other. The path is dirt and gravel and is about 10cm lower than the surrounding rainforest, which means that it is the first thing to flood with the rain moves in. The trail offers beautiful views of the river most of the time. Occasionally, it breaks away from the river's edge, but it quickly returns.

Today the Clinton River was pretty calm as we walked along its banks towards the Clinton Hut. The trail is very level during the first two days of walking.

Just as rain was seeming certain, we arrived at the hut. It had taken us just under an hour, at a relaxed pace. There is a small DOC sign with an arrow pointing to the left, up the side trail to the huts (there was also an arrow pointing towards Mintaro Hut, 5-6 hours away). One of the first things I noticed about directions when I moved to New Zealand is that everything is referred to in terms of how long it takes you to walk. In the US, the sign might have read "Mintaro Hut: 10½ miles".

The Clinton Huts

The huts were already mostly full from the larger group of independent trampers that had come over on the morning boat. Some were resting, some were cooking and some were wandering around. Almost none seemed to be talking.

The "Clinton Hut" is actually a 5-hut complex. The first one the side trail passes is on the left, and serves as home for the DOC caretaker. Just across from his hut is the smallest hut which is the bathroom. The bathrooms at the Independent Tramper's huts are pretty nice. They are community-type unisex rooms with 3 or 4 sink basins, running water and private rooms for the toilets. The main huts are arranged in a group of three with a large deck between them all. Tim and I selected a bunk in the middle hut against the center wall.

I grabbed my book after unfurling my sleeping bag and headed to the kitchen hut. I said a few quiet hellos, but no one was very talkative. I read for an hour or so, then we set to work readying our dinner.

I had selected a fine meal of macaroni and cheese with a generous handful of surprise peas and carrots thrown in for good measure. A cup of hot chocolate rounded out my meal and we waited for the DOC Ranger to arrive at 7:30pm for the nightly meeting that they have at each hut.

On average, the trampers were older than the group I hiked with in December. They also cooked better. I did myself a disservice by staring at a wonderful sweet and sour beef dish to my right. It was served on rice and smelled great.

Two guys from Adelaide had brought a bag of wine! I quietly ate my macaroni and slipped my hot chocolate.

Rata looked to be about 50 years old and he was soft-spoken and built for the hills. Tall and lean, and just the kind of man you'd expect to find in a hut somewhere. He told us that he was filling in for Colin, the regular hut ranger. Rata's usual hut was on the Kepler Track, but he was glad to get a change of view for a week or so.

One of the duties of the Clinton Hut warden is to inform trampers about some safety precautions as well what they are in for in the days ahead. Rata chose the "scare the hell out of them" angle, and proceeded to tell us about all sorts of horrible accidents that involved improper stove usage and what can happen when you use a candle in bed and accidentally fall asleep (all examples ended with people burning then dying, dying then burning, or just dying).

Too tough a sell? Maybe. But it definitely got our attention.

After the fire and brimstone part of the speech, he calmly started to talk about Colin's Stoke-kill program and all the problems with the Stokes eating the eggs of the local ducks. The one that the DOC seemed most concerned with was the nationally-endangered Blue Duck. It was pretty rare, but there were a few around (I never saw any, but a few people did)

"If you want to avoid being overrun with Guided Walkers, leave before 9:00am", he warned. "The Clinton Huts are their first stop."

"Also, incase you are being bothered by the sandflies (everyone was swatting, itching and applying creme by now), I just wanted to mention that it is the female sandflies that bite. Have a good evening"

The Forecast

Seven weeks previous we had been treated to 208mm of rain in the first day. The forecast seemed OK by comparison.

I was tired, so I washed up my dishes and headed to the bunkroom after the talk. I read for a few minutes, then was off to sleep by 8:00pm.

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