Queenstown Holiday - Part 1

Several of our friends have access to family "baches" (otherwise known as holiday homes) - or in the south island they actually call them "cribs". Don't ask me where the names come from. We have been making the most of these "friendships" and taking advantage of the baches. As I had a work conference down south of New Zealand we decided to take the opportunity to go to Queenstown for the week. Queenstown is in the middle of the Southern Alps and is a big tourist destination - especially at this time of the year as there are several ski fields near by and it was opening week and the Queenstown winter festival. Unfortunately for the ski fields there wasn't any snow yet.

Our friend's bach was a typical 1970-80's bach, just outside of Queenstown on the sunny side of the lake - right next to the newly opened Hilton Hotel! So in a prime location.

View from the deck of the "bach"

Although it was opening week for the ski fields there wasn't any snow and they hadn't been able to make very much as the temperatures have been very mild so far this year. So there was no point in going skiing. We took down our tramping gear and explored some of the local tracks around the area.

We went over to Wanaka and headed up the spectacular Rob Roy hanging valley to check out the glacier at the top.

Crossing the Matukituki River to get to the Rob Roy valley

The Rob Roy Glacier

The next day we headed up to the Remarkables and walked up to Lake Alta through the ski fields desperately trying to make some snow. Surprisingly Lake Alta was frozen, and there was some natural snow on Double Cone above the lake.

Frozen Lake Alta at the Remarkables

Double Cone above Lake Alta