Author: lukemolé

I am currently a third year student at the University of Denver where I am studying Emergent Digital Practices, with minors in Leadership Studies, Computer Science, and Business Analytics and Information. My free time can be filled primarily with spending time in the outdoors. I particularly enjoy picking the brains of those around me in hopes of seeking new and exciting knowledge each and everyday.

Greenstone Caples Loop

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Final backpacking trip – nov 2024

Hiking in Fiordland National Park was something that I had been wanting to do the entire time I was in NZ, and it finally happened near the end of my time there! Myself and four other embarked on a 43-mile loop with 7500′ feet of elevation gain that took us through stunning scenery at every turn. It took us three and half days, which divided our days into 4 stints:

Day One: 6 miles from carpark to Mckeller hut

The first half day was not too bad as it was our shortest section and the weather was perfect. We got a good glimpse into what it would be walking for many miles at a time whilst holding food for three days. It was a new experience for me to be walking through the bush (forests) full of moss which covered everything around us. This area is known for having large levels of precipitation which makes it possible to have such moisture-dense bush. Most of the first day felt like we were walking through a wet, damp, and marshy rainforest, (the entire region had experienced a large rainstorm the day prior, so we also got a fair glimpse into what day two would be like which consisted of an entire day of heavy rain).

As I have mentioned in prior blogs, one of the more admirable parts of staying in NZ huts is meeting people from all over the world. We were very lucky to have been joined by a man named Tim. Tim was one of the most extraordinary people I was able to meet while traveling around the country. As we were eating an oversized dinner given we overpacked our food, Tim entered the hut. He was carrying an 85 liter pack, (mine is 55L for reference) and looked like he had just fought in a war. We walked for about 3 hours the first day, and Tim had just finished a day of being on his feet for 16 hours, 16 HOURS! He hiked to the top of a nearby a peak with some friends in the morning for sunrise, and then proceeded to walk another eight hours to the hut we had been staying at. Tim was a pack-rafter, which simply means he carries an inflatable boat in his backpack. To make matters more complicated, he pulled out a medical book to study for an exam he had coming up the following week. He works one week on, one week off in the medical field. He really did it all and inspired me in multiple ways. He loved his life and had no complaints whatsoever. He showed me that it really is possible to do what you love in and outside of work. An ode to Tim!

Day Two: 12 miles from Mckeller hut to Greenstone Hut

The second day of our trip was easily the worst, (but it was still amazing). From start to finish it was raining with temps around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It was certainly manageable and we weren’t in genuine danger at any point, however I would rate the uncomfortability an 11/10. Walking 12 miles with soaked socks, boots, underwear, pants, shirt, jacket, and our entire body is not something I would recommend. Every step was gushy and watery. To add to the already humorous nature of our circumstances, one of the group members had forgotten his waterproof jacket, so he had to endure this entire journey in a poncho. The weather conditions had required us to be moving as much as possible, not only to get to the next hut has fast as we could, but primarily to stay warm given our drenched attire made it much colder.

We walked a majority of the time in an exposed valley, an extreme contrast to the day before. Although the conditions were sub-optimal, the 360 views were great! There was a low fog which made it rather eery. There were wild cows around us at some points which added to the element of being fully off the grid. About halfway through the journey we started to get passed by others on this trail who had decided to run half the loop that day (there was a parking lot on each side). The biggest hiccup that we faced that day was running into a section of trail that led us in a false direction. It took another group and ours about 15 minutes to find the trail again which was not enjoyable while standing in the cold, windy rain. We eventually just embraced the fact that we couldn’t avoid the puddles of water and started to walk directly through some knee-high portions of water. It was humbling but wasn’t all that bad once we started to treat it as a funny reality of our situation.

Day Three: 11 miles from Greenstone Hut to Mid Caples Hut

Day three was one of the best days I have ever experienced in my entire life, and I am not just saying that in a cliche manner for full effect. The rainstorm had passed, the sun was out, and the vibes of that day were remarkable. One of the other group members best described that day as the perfect, most optimal NZ experiences you could get. Bright green grass and bush at eye level, mossy trees and shrubbery, and snow capped mountains all around us. We walked through fields of sheep and cow with birds chirping the entire time. I have never felt such serenity in my life. We stopped for lunch and took a swim while soaking in the nature around us. There really is not much else to say. It was an ideal day full of fun yet productive conversations and mutual love for life.

Day Three: 13 miles from Mid Caples Hut to carpark

The last day was in theory a really good day, but it was overshadowed by the reality that we were all hurting in different places and ready to get back to our society given that some of the group had final exams the next day. We also knew going into the day that it would consist of the most elevation gain that we had experienced yet. It was about 3000′ of gain over 13 miles which wasn’t too bad, but it still added to the dampened energy of that final day. We were in the bush again for majority of the day which was nice. It did start to rain once we got to the highest point of elevation and there were flashbacks of day two. We did get fairly wet, but it was nothing in comparison.

Walking along the saddle was the highlight of the final day. There was a large section of boardwalk which was a new and exciting element that we hadn’t experienced yet. We were still surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks and unreal greenery. There came a point in that final day that we all became separated from each other. It was every man for themselves getting back to the car. The drive home was strange because we all knew this was the last adventure that we all were going to do together, most likely for the rest of our lives. It was filled with great music and two rainbows. It was a weird feeling being a part of that car ride, however I would not change a single thing about any of the trip. I may have not described the whole trip in the brightest light, but it truly was incredible. There isn’t much I enjoy more than being off the grid with people I love and having such free conversation, playing cards at dinner, and doing it all in beautiful parts of nature.

Pictures and videos below!

Milford Sound & Australia

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The Milford Sound is one of the most visited tourist towns in New Zealand. It is an extremely small village that is in the North-East region of Fiordland National Park and connects to the Tasman Sea. Fiordland National Park is known for having many fiords, which are super steep mountainous areas with deep valleys that were carved out by glaciers. Seeing these formations in person can best be described as standing between incredibly steep valleys which require you to move your entire head and neck to see the top of. It was stunning and was easily the most incomprehensible place I have visited in this country. The main attraction is taking a 90 minute boat tour through these valleys and turning around halfway through once you leave the country’s “border” and start traveling into the sea. Another aspect that is important to note before describing the boat tour itself is the drive to get to Milford Sound.

THE STRUGGLES

I was able to do the Milford Sound cruise with two other friends that I have met since being here, however these two other friends and myself happened to be the only remaining exchange students that I knew of that had not done this tour. This is because our tour on October 25th was my third attempt. It is quite the effort to get to the Milford Sound. It requires roughly 2-3 days to comfortably complete the tour. It is a 5-6 hour drive from campus. The distance, far in-advance scheduling, and financial commitment it requires is just the beginning. Weather has been the determining factor in my struggles. The incredibly scenic drive on SH94 is the only way to get to Milford Sound. The road navigates through dangerous avalanche territory and can be closed by the NZ Transport Agency. The road is closed on average eight days out of the year. It just so happens that the two weekends we picked to travel were each closed the day before, the day of, and the day after, which accounts for 3/4th of the total average road closures. Planning to go with a different group each time, we were each lucky enough (or unlucky) to pick random weekends for the road to get closed. Considering that this boat cruise is one of the only things I was determined to have completed before leaving the country, it was indeed demoralizing.

THE STRUGGLES PAY OFF

With my third and final group we had decided to go October 25th, and this was the last chance I had to make it happen. Given my past traumas with this event I was constantly checking weather forecast and radars the weeks leading up to our planned date. My friends were quick to judge my attentiveness to the predicted weather as it understandably would not change anything no matter how many times I checked. New Zealand received one of the biggest rain storms of the winter on October 23rd and 24th, and with rain means snow at the elevated regions. This new snow significantly increased avalanche risk, especially on SH94. The road was yet again closed both on the 23rd and 24th. The group thought it would be canceled yet again for the THIRD TIME. We made phone calls to the transportation agency to see if we could to perhaps receive some sort of insight on the road’s opening on the 25th. We drove from the nearest town, which is 90 min away from Milford Sound, to the point at which the road closes. We have been here before, both times let down because the road stayed closed all day. We rounded the corner, and the road had just opened up, it felt like a miracle had just unfolded before our eyes. Myself and my friend Devon, (the only two that had gotten the tour canceled twice before) screamed and produced noises that I didn’t know were possible. We made it.

THE TOUR

Now that all of the anticipation had finally come to fruition, it was time for the actual event. To begin, the drive into Milford Sound was one of the most beautiful drives I have ever experienced. Given the rainstorm the day prior, the fiords that surrounded us were impeccable. Hundreds of waterfalls, daunting slabs of rock walls, snow capped peaks, and a low-ish fog to solidify the unique environment.

We arrived to the parking lot and ran for the tour boat. We got to the top deck and could not believe we were not only about to embark on one of the most scenic experiences in the world, but also simply that we had finally made it. The tour was filled with an ambient narration from the tour guide of the myriad of fascinating structures and formations, but I was honestly too engulfed in the scenery around me to care. This was one of those experiences that no photo or video can properly serve the environment it’s proper portrayal. Again, I have never experienced such dramatic walls of mountains before, all whilst being surrounded by waterfalls. The boat turned around once we got to the sea and we got to experience the same tour but in reverse. I am not sure that I will ever be able to accurately articulate the emotions that such an experience can invoke, and for that reason I will be forever grateful for being able to experience it in person. Core memory!

(We were unable to see penguins or dolphins of which the tour is also known for being one of the better ways to experience them)

AUSTRALIA!

I was fortunate enough to squeeze in a quick trip to Australia in the middle of my final examination period. I flew into Sydney and was immediately greeted with a public transportation system that was undoubtedly way better than anything New Zealand has to offer. I couldn’t fathom being able to so easily get on a train and go a significant distance, that process is something that is laughably absent in NZ.

I have a few friends who were studying in Newcastle which is just an hour drive north of Sydney which allowed me to have free tour guides for Sydney and Newcastle, (the only cities I was able to go to). The weather was noticeably warmer, and better, than NZ. This is something I appreciated especially when packing for the trip given that every NZ trip I’d been on required packing my heaviest clothes.

Seeing the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Opera House in person was quite incredible. Just like any sight, photos never do it justice unless you are able to see them in person. I was so impressed by these sights, and one of the more special parts of viewing them was from the ferry. Using the ferries to navigate the town was something that became one of my favorite parts. Seeing the entire city from the water was super unique for me.

We were able to go to the Tangaroo Zoo and see some new animals, which were namely Koala Bears, Kangaroos, Wallaby, Red Pandas, and more. I specifically enjoyed all of the food we ate, whether it was breakfast for dinner, a ginger ale accompanying every meal, or discovering Malatang, a Chinese cuisine that is basically hot pot but is much quicker in preparation. I was in the biggest Lego and Apple store that I’ve ever been in, both companies that I am a nerd for.

I had the privilege of being able to attend my friend’s end-of-year ball which came with meeting new people, free drinks and food, and a fun night out afterwards. I truly enjoyed getting to experience my friend’s lifestyles in their new home and learning everything that I could about Australian culture in the short time that I was there. Woohoo!

Photos and videos linked below!