Te Araroa – Day 60

Wanaka to Bushcamp

19.2 miles

Mile 1618.9

After a lazy morning I finally got moving around 10:00 AM. On my way out of town I swung by Subway to grab a sub to pack out for dinner before hitting the trail.

I passed by the most photographed tree in New Zealand, before continuing on alongside the bank of Lake Wanaka for the next 10 miles.

The walk was pleasant enough…it’s a good looking lake!

When I reached Glendhu Bay, the trail finally veered away from the lake, beginning its climb into the mountains.

The final push over Jack Hall’s Saddle was a doozy, but the views on top were worth it.

An hour later I cruised up to Highland Creek Hut, and found it packed with hikers. It was an older crowd, and I gauged their snore potential to be high, so I pushed on another quarter mile to make camp near a small creek.

I was sad to find my sub in pretty bad shape…despite its haggard appearance, it still tasted delicious.

Cheers!