Matukituki Winter

On a scale of 1 to 10 the inversion in Wanaka today was a 10. Even the top of Mt iron was obscured this morning so The Bossess suggested to The Boss that a trip up the Matukituki valley might get above it (it did for a short time) and he agreed so after mid grub time (theirs not mine) we took off via the local gas station up the valley. The Matukituki valley runs westerly from Wanaka and you get to it by driving to Glendhu Bay and forgetting to stop. This takes you right past the entrance to Treble Cone skifield, on a ruffish shingle road and some 30 kms later (and through a few fords filled with ice) you arrive at Raspberry Hutt and the end of the road. This is a spectacular drive and as far as the fords a regular car will take you there but at this time of the year the fords were filled with ice in large chunks and The Boss needed 4WD to get through the last one 'Cos the opposite side was steep and frozen. There was a car on the entry side and we passed some folk walking along the road so congratulations to them for sensible decision making. Anyone coming to Wanaka should try really hard to travel this road. Take my bark for this. The mountain panoramas are expansive and although the valley is farmed this in no way detracts from the splendour.
From the end there are 2 walking tracks that lead to the Rob Roy Glacier ( 2 hrs moderate up hill on a great track) or the Mt Aspiring Hut (2 hours mostly flat). The Rob Roy would be Wanaka's most spectacular walk where you come out of the bush to find the glacier hanging over you on the opposite side of an alpine meadow. Both these tracks are Tussock endorsed although I am not allowed on either of them (The Dept of Conservation rules and the Mt Aspiring hut is accessed via farm land.

Oh and Matukituki is pronounced Ma- took-e-took-e. OK... Kia ora (best wishes)

Not really a P.S BUT a hugh thank you to all the great folk that seemed to have hearts and stars to spare for "Oh" yesterday. You are all truly Barkeriffic in the extreme.
T