Milford Day 2 - Pompolona Lodge to Quintin Lodge
An early start on the trail heading to the upper reaches. It was going to be uphill for close to six miles before heading downhill for the remaining three miles to Quintin Lodge.
There were lots more suspension bridges, a small lake named the Mirror, and lots of zig-zags. Another perfect day filled with sunshine and heat. This couldn't have possibly been the same Milford Track we slogged through last time! So perfect, that MacKinnon pass was easy to pick out and the views fantatastic from the top. Again, we never saw a thing in '84 between the rain and fog. It's time to tell you a little about that obnoxious Kea bird. The Kea bird is an endemic Mountain Parrot of New Zealand. According to experts, the Kea is not only the world's only Mountain Parrot but has a level of intelligence that rivals the most sophisticated monkeys. And that's the truth...the peskiest, smartest birds we've ever encountered. Their powerful beaks are lethal and all equipment in the mountains has to be made Kea-proof or beware.
The Keas have no fear and one of their favorite pastimes is taking boots, shoe laces, anything that a trekker has forgotten to bring inside the hut and just rip it to shreds. Extremely destructive and even scary birds since they refuse to fly away when you come near. If given a chance, they'd probably shred the boots on your feet! Those beady Kea eyes would look you right in the eye and I could almost hear it thinking..."come on baby, make my day"...
This time we could enjoy the views from the top of Mackinnon pass with views spreading everywhere, lots of small mountain ponds (called tarns) along the way, and lunch at Pass Hut. The last time we saw pass hut, Group #34 was huddled inside trying to get warm from all the rain. I did eat my sandwich inside though because of all the Kea birds lurking and waiting for their chance to steal food or rip something apart.
Downhill is always a knee-killer but this portion had the most scenic views of the day. Rock cliffs, moss covered forest, glacial fed streams and after reaching Quintin, most people took the 1-1/2 hour roundtrip walk to see Sutherland Falls, the world's 5th highest waterfall. We didn't. Been there, done it. There was a helicopter coming in bringing supplies to Quintin.
Another big Track surprise was the amount of boardwalks installed all along the trail. Flat boardwalks and stair boardwalks instead of the old dirt and stone trails. It made the trail a lot easier.
