riverECHO

By Saturday afternoon we had our car packed with food, backpacks, and warm clothing. Because the weather forecast was changing about every hour, we didn’t have any details planned other than we were going to start walking at the Raspberry Flats Carpark at the end of the Matukituki Valley outside of Wanaka and we needed to be back to the car by Monday evening. If it was pouring then we would stay in the Aspiring Hut for two nights, only a 2.5 hour walk from the car, and spend the layover day reading and playing cards. If it was sunny, we would travel further up the valley or up Cascade Saddle. But as we pulled into Wanaka Saturday evening, we were greeted with a huge crowd directing bicyclists and cars. Challenge Wanaka is an international Iron Man race that takes place every year and we had arrived just in time for the first racers to cross the finish line. We decided to postpone our hike and enjoy the festivities in Wanaka for the evening. That night we camped along the Matukituki River about half way to the trailhead.

On Sunday morning, we began hiking under partly cloudy skies with a chance of rain. We felt a few rain drops but no downpour like we were used to and decided to continue past the Aspiring Hut and further up the Matukituki Valley. The waterfalls were raging and as the sun started to come out we felt like we were in a rainforest paradise. Toward the end of the valley I had spotted a bright orange dot high up on the south side of the canyon. According to our map the orange dot was in fact the Liverpool Hut. It didn’t look too far away and our feet were only kind of damp. We continued up the valley, over a few swinging bridges and across a couple flats, to the turnoff. It was here that we read “Liverpool Bivy: 2 hours” followed by a sign that warned how steep, slippery, and exposed the track was, especially in wet or icy conditions. We weren’t really sure how a bivy differed from a hut but we were sure it would be cheaper than the $25/night they were asking at the Aspiring Hut.

The description of the track wasn’t kidding about the steep and slippery climb. It was straight up the hillside and we used roots and rocks as handholds to assist us to the top. The bivy, despite the very faded orange paint job, was actually nicer than we were expecting. There was one window and the door was sized for a person half my height. Inside there was a small shelf where you could cook, two wooden stools, and a loft that divided the room vertically into two. Three people could sleep in the loft and three could fit under the loft with enough room to sit upright and not much more. We spent most of the afternoon and evening (except a brief stint of playing gin rummy inside when it rained) outside of the hut, staring out across the valley and waiting for Mt. Aspiring to reveal itself. At times we were able to see the very top, but never the whole thing until the following morning. Later in the afternoon we were joined by a German named Klaus. I am guessing he was probably in his late 50s and although he was tired from the hike up, he was in great shape. We spent a quiet but enjoyable evening with him and he convinced us to come to Munich, his home town, one day. At one point he sneezed and without thinking I said “ghezuntite,” what I always say after a sneeze. Klaus spun around and said, surprisingly, “That’s German.” All I could think of in response was “yes it is.”

The following morning we had a very loud wake up call (see video below) by a local kea who came screeching and flying right to the top of our bivy. He walked across the roof squawking until we came outside and paid him a little attention. About 15 minutes after our “alarm” went off, the clouds disappeared and Mt. Aspiring stood bright and clear. The kea apparently knew this was going to happen and thankfully woke us in time. We spent a relaxing morning sitting in front of the bivy, drinking coffee, reading, looking at the view, and talking with Klaus. Waving goodbye to Klaus, we began our steep descent and very hot valley walk back to the car. It was a short adventure but our feet were thankful for flip flops at the car and we were thankful for a cold beer back in Wanaka and, of course, another evening with Indian take-away.