Green Lake Overnighter
Date: 8 Jan, 2022
- Distance: 56.17km
- Elevation: 4,228m
- Moving Time: 16:27:18
- Elapsed Time: 30:24:22
At the carpark I farewelled my mates heading out to Green Lake hut along the main track, hoping to meet them there later. I took off north along the flats towards Borland Lodge Road and after about 10km started the climb up Eldrig Peak Track. The forest eventually opened up. There was a yellow sand which I wasn’t expecting. Must be something special going on here.
This then turned to some cracker ridge scrambling requiring my focus and attention to Eldrig Peak and Mount Burns. I hadn’t read or seen if anybody had done this route so was flying in the dark. It was just the right level of challenge for me. Sidling was an option for a lot of the way but for the most part I could take the ridge.
After Mount Burns I started my decent to Green Lake, stopping for a dip in a tarn before the main decent and the final slow slog into the hut through all the hidden creeks under the tussock on the flats.
Bunkered in with the girls and another hiker for the night, sharing our days stories and banter that goes with, said farewell again in the morning and took off up and over Mt Cuthbert, Rocky Tops and Cleughearn Peak. After the initial scrub bash, this leg was a bit smoother on the tops compared to the day prior, though fatigue had hit me pretty good. It was a grind..
The flats from Rodger Inlet Hut back to the start took a lot longer than expected. Got a classic Fjordland dumping of rain and made it back to the car within 10 minutes of the others!
#trailrunning
