Copland track
For English translation please have a look below.
Z Makarory jsme se vydali rovnou po zapadnim pobrezi na sever. V mestecku Haast jsme se na informacich v DOC informovali o dalsim treku a to o Coplandu. Zjistili jsme si taky pocasi a zjistili jsme, ze se za tri dny ma zhorsit. Proto jsme nikterak nelenili a pripravili se na dalsi turu.
Na zacatku jsme museli po kamenech preskakat potok Rough creek a potom jsme se ponorili do mistni buse/ destneho pralesa. Sli jsme az k soutoku rek Karangarua a Copland a dal pokracovali udolim Copland. Prosli jsme okolo malicke chaty Architect Creek Hut a postupnym stoupanim jsme se dostali az k chate Welcome flat, kde jsme si za chatou postavili stan. Tento trek je hodne popularni a neni to uz jeden z “Great walku”, coz znamena, ze se neda rezervovat misto v chate. Plati pravidlo, kdo driv prijde, ten driv mele. My jsme si s sebou brali stan a kdyz jsme videli pekne vysekane placky na stany za chatou s naprosto uzasnymi vyledy na okolni hory. Zustali jsme ve stanu.
Stavime stan (Puting up our tent)
Chata Welcome Flat a Copland track obecne jsou hodne zname diky termalnim bazenkum, ktere vyveraji kousek za chatou. Jen co jsme postavili stan, prevlikli jsme se do plavek a sli jsme se zaslouzene nalozit do teple az horke lazne a nechat odpocinout svalum po celedonnim vyslapu. Bylo to moc prijemny :-).
Horke bazenky (Hot pools)
Lucka se vyhriva (Lucka in a hot pool)
Vecer jsme si v chate pripravili veceri a dali se do reci s velice milymi skoty. Nabidli nam i sklenicku vina, coz jeste rozproudilo uz i tak zivou konverzaci :-).
Rano jsme si zase pri snidani velice dobre popovidali s Frankem a Lad. Poradili nam velice zajimavy vylet k vodopadu na rece Scott a pozvali nas k nim do Christchurche. Puvodne jsme mysleli, ze do Christchurche uz nepojedeme, ale nakonec jsme zmenili plany a na konci unora jsme je navstivili a bylo to moc prijemny :-).
Po snidani jsme tedy vyrazili smerem k Rock Douglas chate a jakmile jsme dosli ke Scott’s creeku vydali jsme se nahoru jednim jejim korytem. To bylo bez vody, ale za chvili jsme prisli k rece a sli podel ni. Dosli jsme k prvnimu vodopadu, ktery jsme obesli a pred sebou jsme uvideli vodopad asi 20m vysoky, ktery spadal do snehove plotny. K nemu jsem dosel sam a videl, jak voda spada a mizi pod snehem. Reka pak vytekala z pod snehu o 100m niz.
Vratili jsme se stejnou cestou zpatky a u reky jsme si jeste udelali piknik. Jakmile jsme dosli k Wellcome Flat chate, neodolali jsme a znovu se prevlikli do plavek a sli se vyhrat do horkych bazenku :-).
Az pozdeji odpoledne jsme si sbalili stan a sli cestou zpet. Dosli jsme k Architect creek chate a zustali tam pres noc. Je to jen mala chaticka pro dva, ale pro nas byla na noc idealni.
Vedeli jsme, ze treti den se ma pocasi zhorsit a ma prset. Dopoledne bylo jeste dobre a cestou nam jen obcas poprchavalo. Vetsinu cesty jsme sli zase v busi. Ale jakmile jsme dosli k parkovisti a autu zacalo prset drobne a vytrvale. Nasedli jsme a vyrazili k ledovci Fox.
We went to the north from Makarora and we drove to Haast and informed about weather and next planed track – Copland track. We found out that weather was supposed to get worse again in three days. We decided then to walk the Copland track already the next day.
The beginning of the track up to confluence of Karangura and Copland river was quite easy and flat. Then we started not steep but steady ascension along the Copland river. In the afternoon we reached the Wellcome Flat Hut. There are hot thermal pools just right at the Wellcome Flat Hut and we did not know if we have a bed in the hut we took our tent with us. It was a good decision because the view from the tent site was astonishing. We were surrounded by beautiful mountines. As soon as we pinched our tent we changed to bathing suit and jumped into the hot pools. It was a very nice reward after the day hike.
We could use the hut facilities, so we have cooked our dinner in the hut and had opportunity to talk to a very nice scottish family. They have offered us a glass of wine and after that the mutual conversation was even warmer :-).
In the morning we slept longer and as we were having our breakfest we meet Frank and Lad. There were also very nice and we were offered great coffee :-). We talk together and they advised us a very nice day trip to Scott’s creek and its watterfalls. They have even offered us the possibility to stay at their house once we will be coming to Christchurch. In fact we did not plan to come to Christchuch anymore but this changed as we were picking our German friends Markus and Carmen from the airport in Christchurch, we stayed two nights at Franks and Lads place and it was so nice we felt like at home.
That day we went to Scott’s creek and walked up to the watterfall and climbed furhter to the second watterfall which was falling into the snow field. I dared to walk up to the watterfall and have a look how it disappears under the mass of snow and appear just 100m behind me.
We walked back to the Wellcome Flat hut and once again took a bath in those hot pools :-).
Later afternoon we packed our tent and walked back the same way we came. We just stopped at Architect creek hut and stayed in this very small hut just for two over night.
The third day we new it supposed to be rainy. As we were walking out it was drizzling from time to time and as soon as we reached carpark and our car it started to rain. We got in our car and went off to Fox Glacier.
