Excitement is never far from the Milford Track. Here is a press release from the Department of conservation on the 9th of January.
Storm closes Milford Track
The Department of Conservation advises that the Milford Track has again been closed for the day due to high winds and heavy rain. This follows an earlier closure on 1 January 2013.
The rain in the Clinton Valley has been extremely intense with the river level rising from near normal to above the flood threshold within 5 hours. This has resulted in the Clinton River bursting its bank and the tramping party turning back to the Clinton Hut due to waist deep flooding. In addition 85 mm of rain has fallen in the Arthur Valley in the 5 hours up to 10 am with a further up to 200 mm forecast. The Mackinnon Pass is being battered by storm force winds, with wind conditions expected to peak in the early afternoon.
DOC spokesperson, Annie Wallace advises, “A storm warning came in yesterday, with the event expected to peak this afternoon. Trampers on the Milford Track are safe and well with most trampers from Dumpling Hut proceeding off the track today before water levels peak and other trampers remaining at the huts a second night. The parties that have decided to remain at Dumpling Hut include families with children.”
No new independent walkers have started the track today, with today’s bookings cancelled as the track is fully booked. Families and operators expecting trampers to return from the track currently should expect a day’s delay until Saturday, 12 January.
And here is more from the Southland Times...
Thirty independent trampers on the Milford Track will be shuttled by helicopter across a section of the track after a bridge a was badly damaged.
Trampers have been left stranded at Marlene's Creek, a few hours walk from the Clinton Hut.
The Department of Conservation is facing a tough task logistically on the fully booked Great Walk with the issue of moving trampers along the track compounded by a lack of communication.
DOC Te Anau visitor assets manager Annie Wallace said the bridge over Marlene's Creek had been buried by river rocks and the bridge had moved as water gushed over it during the night.
To make matters worse, communication has been hampered after lightning struck the DOC VHF repeater on the Milford Track.
It was still possible to communicate with DOC staff in the huts but on the track there was no communication, she said.
The department would contract Milford Helicopters to shuttle the 30 trampers heading from the Clinton Hut to the Mintaro Hut on the second leg of the four-day tramp this afternoon.
Ten other trampers who had spent two nights in the Clinton Hut had decided to cancel their trip and walk back out, Ms Wallace said.
Read the full article here .....
