Walker Pass

Walker Pass is one my favourite spots in Arthur's Pass National Park.

Here we're pretty much standing on the Main Divide of the South Island of NZ. In front of us the stream flows towards the east coast and the Pacific Ocean. Behind us the streams flow the opposite direction, eventually joining into Taramakau River and flowing into the Tasman Sea.

I always experience a tingle of delight and awe when I cross/stand on the Main Divide. I feel like I'm on sacred ground and really I am. It's the spine of the South Island and eroded by high rain fall at the same rate as it's thrust upwards by two tectonic plates colliding far below.

Up to Walker Pass is a side trip I've led as part of a qualifying tramp for a group of people joining my tramping club. The mix ranges from people who have never done an overnight tramp to burly blokes with experience.

What seemed like a chore turned to magic and success as I witnessed the delight and achievement some felt on arrival at the hut. After lunch and a brew we all headed up higher. It's steep and slippery stuff, more than some had ever attempted. But with no heavy pack and new found skills and confidence everyone was happy to go as far as the waterfall.

While some headed back to the hut with one of the co-leaders to chop/saw firewood (chuffed with their latest achievement) and get the fire lit, the other co-leader and I headed up to Walkers Pass. The route on the other side, heading back down to the hut was ice on rock in many places. It was great (and I'd had the good sense to tell them Walker Pass is beyond the top of that section ;-)

The guys just loved it. Most them came into their element. It's rough as up there, rougher than this picture looks. Lots of stream crossing, rocks to slither over and scrub to trip the unwary. I think one or two looked at me with new found respect when they realised I was either equal to their fitness (or in some cases beyond it). Blokes can be funny fellows ;-)

Walker Tarn has more water in than I've seen for a while. With low angled sun behind the inclusion of our shadows was hard to avoid. I rather like that because I remember the grins on David and Brinsley's faces, the guys on either side of me and David (an ex-high country shepherd and regular mountain goat) turn and say to me "it's been a great trip but this is just the icing on the cake".

We descended back to the hut all in one piece (despite the ice) to a pre-dinner fine red wine, classy blue cheese and remarkably unbroken crackers.

Before I slunk off to bed I sat outside on a log, rugged up inside my down jacket. I drunk in the sweeping silhouette of valley and peaks against a ink black sky littered with twinkling stars. I thought my thoughts/prayers and felt at peace. It is a magical part of the world I live in.