Some Milford Track facts courtesy of Tourism Milford Ltd:

On October 16, 1888, Quintin Mackinnon and Ernest Mitchell crossed the pass that was later given Mackinnon’s name, in bleak and miserable conditiions, conditions that many walkers experience to this day. (They didn’t have to tell us about that…we lived it.) The Milford Track Guided Walk operation was sold to Tourism Milford Ltd, a privately owned New Zealand company in 1992. In the 1983/84 season, 4,000 walkers were guided over the Milford Track for the first time. Just think, when ex-Marine and I walked this in 1984/85, we were part of the first 5,000 walkers.

A barge transports food and freight (about 3 tons per lodge per week) for Glade House and Pompolona. From there, helicopters service Pompolona and Quintin. All rubbish and sewage is flown out.

Milford Track map, New Zealand
Operating in a National Park that receives in excess of 360 inches per rain a year is difficult. Floods, avalanches and high wind are factors that have to be taken into account. At times, helicopters are used to transfer walkers over flooded sections of track, preferable to having walkers delayed. (Where were those helicopters when we needed them in 1984?)

The 5-day/4 night Track experience is graded Medium, children under 10 are not allowed, if you are over 70, a doctor’s cerificate is necessary, a maximum of 50 participants are guided on each departure. You should be able to carry a medium-sized packpack containing your personal belongings for 6-8 hours each day. The distances range from 9 to 13 miles on mountain tracks.

The guides are trained in first aid and are always in radio contact with each other, the lodges and Queenstown base.

The food situation was wonderful. Snacks and cold drinks when you arrived at the lodge; three-course dinners with dessert, tea and coffee as well as beer and wine for sale. Breakfast always had a selection of fruit, cereal and fully cooked breakfasts of bacon and eggs. We ate picnic lunches and the guides brewed up hot drinks at all lunch stops.

The lodges all had drying rooms, flush toilets, hot showers complete with soap, shampoo and conditioner and hairdryers. Electricity is turned off at 10:00pm each evening, and, the original bunkrooms that slept up to 24 people have been replaced with smaller rooms sleeping 4-6 and the kitchen, dining and lounge facilities at each lodge have also been rebuilt. Some private bedrooms have also been added.

Another new option was a choice of entree at each of the Lodges! Ribeye Steak with Rosemary Sauce or Salmon Fillet; Baked Chicken or Penne Pasta; Rack of Lamb or Breaded John Dory (a native fish of these waters Wow…what a difference from 1984…

How could trekking get any more luxurious than this…and you wonder why I don’t like to backpack…