NZ - Routebrun tips for a first time walker ??

[forest]

Hi I'll
On the 9th Nov this year I'm taking my wife on her first proper overnight bushwalk. To date she has only done day trips and never been a camper, but she is fit so I'm not concerned about the actual walking for her. The Routeburn looks amazing for a novice walker and I'm sure she will love it (She is excited)
Me, I love it and go bushwalking/camping as often as possible so can be a bit rough round the edges with "comfort refinement"

Plan is to get dropped at the Divide early in the morning by family doing the Milford sound cruiser etc (Been there before and done that)
Night 1 - Lake Mackenzie Hut
Night 2 - Routeburn Falls Hut
Picked up by family on the Queenstown end of the track at Routeburn Shelter.

While I'm confident on what gear we will require is there any tips or items I could take that will make this first walk "Special" for her.
Obviously being NZ good rain gear and warm clothes are high on the list.... Also bug spray as I hear the sandflies can be bad.
I'll lug our gear and she is just going to take a small day pack with some clothes, raingear and daily food/water.

Routeburn falls hut looks like it's in a great spot, is there any advantage to staying at Routeburn flats hut other than being closer to the end of the track, is it a nicer hut ??

[wayno]

make sure you have your places in the huts booked asap, they fill up fast
good news, lake macKenzie and the falls huts are 1000m above sea level. sandflies dont tend to get that high. so you're safe at your overnight spots.
they only get you when you stop and they dont like being in sunlight. so if you do stop when you're at lower altitude aim for a sunlit spot if there is one around
take sunscreen or make sure you cover up agains the midday sun above the bushline the sun is pretty strong at that altitude, the weather could do anything
november last year they were still having to hekicopter people around harris saddle and the hollyford face between mackenzie and the falls there was still so much avalanche risk, and there has been a lot of snowfall this year. the situation can improve rapidly around november though.
the weather could do anything. the hut wardens will advise you on the best course of action when they get the forecast at 8am
it's totally exposed between mackenzie and routeburn falls, so excellent views on a good day, lots of wind and or rain on a bad day, all the problem watercourses are bridged so you can usually complete it in the heaviest rain,
have plenty of water with you if it's hot, no ones got sick off the water on the track but in theory theres giardia in the water, theres a long stretch between mackenzie and routeburn falls where you dont come across much in the way of running water.
the water in the hut is safe to drink. you've got gas burners in the huts provided.
be careful in the wet when you're walking on the rocky areas they get slippery but its not a dangerous track. all the climbs are graded to a moderate lincline.
weather updates
keep your eye on the forecast for what to expect on the day,

http://www.metservice.com/mountain/fior ... ional-park

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/ ... casts/1000


it's my favourite track, scenery keeps changing as you walk, as good as any scenery anywhere

doc updates track conditions on their website
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recrea ... fiordland/
Routeburn Track

Winter tramping - no booking required

Travel between Howden Hut and Mackenzie Hut not recommended due snow and high avalanche risk.
Travel between Mackenzie Hut & Routeburn Falls Hut not recommended due to deep snow and high avalanche risk.
Fireplace/chimney at Howden hut has been damaged- no fire possible.

routeburn flats hut gets the sandflies, the hut has some views but is in the bush
routeburn falls has an incredible view, they dont come much better than here. the hut is placed to take advantage of it with a massive balcony seats and massive windows all looking down the routeburn valley from high above it. , and the waterfall next to the hut is spectacular to relax by in good weather. you're all downhill to the roadend from there so its an easy walk back to the road end...
the flats hut is a smaller hut, there are about 50 people at the falls, more likely to come across snorers etc. but it's a small price to pay in my view for the views you get at the hut. at the falls the bunk rooms are in a seperate building from the cooking and eating area to minimise noise at night. hut wardens discourage people talking at night in the bunk rooms, kids are usually the only transgressors and might have to be spoken to , to remind them of the rules.
the main thing i dont like about this track is it makes it harder to appreciate a lot of other tracks after you've been through such incredible scenery. i'm going back for my fourth trip and my fifth crossing.

http://www.odt.co.nz/news/queenstown-la ... eport-duty

[photohiker]

Pack some earplugs just in case.

I've not done the Routeburn, but heard stories...

Have a great trip!

[Lindsay]

Sounds like a good plan forest. I would stay at Routeburn Falls hut rather than try to push on to Routeburn Flats. You will have had a big day already climbing up from Lake Mackenzie and the view form the Falls hut is spectacular. This will also leave you a nice walk out to Routeburn Shelter on your last day. If you push on to the Flats hut you will have to hurry past the most spectacular section of track and only get in 2 hours walking the next day before reaching the finish.

[Bush Walker]

Just come back from the Routeburn Track myself, so my comments will not be of any use to you, but someone else may find them worthwhile.

The Routeburn Falls Hut is the larger and better of the two as it is high above the valley and you have spectacular views down the valley to The Routeburn Flats hut. You can get up behind the Hut, overlooking the valley by walking for about 15 mins back towards Lake Harris to just before the first bridge, and then follow the narrow unmarked track up and to the left. There are a few beautiful lakes hidden away. The whole loop takes about an hour from the Hut. You can stand watching the waterfall within 50m of the hut for hours.

The Flats Hut, is located on the river flats, and while nice doesn't have quite the same spectacular scenery.

[icemancometh]

make sure she is warm at night...sleeping bag/mat and take some good food and some wipes and alcohol wash things so she can clean up after a day out

[wayno]

mackenzie and howden hut have alcohol hand wash