Tag Archives: Routeburn Track

Keye Summit Hike_Day 9-10

Knob Flats Campground Day 9-10

We woke up to a beautiful morning at  Knob Flats, the rain finally moved on. It was going to be a beautiful sunny day.

Promising Morning at Knob Flats
Promising Morning at Knob Flats

First stop was  at  the Earl Mountain Track and a river crossing over a single strand wire bridge with a short hike to a waterfall. I have never seen another bridge like it but it worked just fine.

Wire Walkway Bridge
Wire Walkway Bridge

Of course you have to bounce up and down on it some to get the full effect.

Heading Towards The Divide
Heading Towards The Divide

This was the excellent view from our parking spot.

The next stop was at The Divide, where the Routeburn track meets with the Keye Summit Track. We were heading up to Keye Summit.

P1110983

The weather was warming up from the 5 degrees C last night and it was already 11C. Layers started to peel off.

From Keye Summit
From Keye Summit

The regular trail ended but the Frenzy Book told us to keep on going out past the marsh on a little used path.

Keye Unnamed Trail
Keye Unnamed Trail

It kept going and going and sort of petered out, but we kept going because it was too peaceful and gorgeous to stop. And the weather was absolutely perfect.

Keye Reflection
Keye Reflection

Hard to believe the beauty, isn’t it?

Beyond Keye
Beyond Keye

We were about three and a half hours in by now and it just kept getting better.

Keye Moss
Keye Moss

There were alpine plants and marshes way up there. We had climbed 1750 feet from the beginning of the trail. no body else was up there but us.

Looking Down From Beyond Keye
Looking Down From Beyond Keye

This is looking Northeast down from our unnamed  track.

Hanging Lake Beyond Keye
Hanging Lake Beyond Keye

This was near the top towards the North West.

Valley Lakes from Beyond Keye
Valley Lakes from Beyond Keye

The different hues in the water indicate glacial melt the closer turquoise cloudy lake, and rain catchment of the clearer, darker color.

Keye Tundra Pools
Keye Tundra Pools

There were these shallow, clear, warmish pools on the upper tundra that looked like a good place to see frogs, but we didn’t see any. Little early maybe.

Endless Trail Beyond Keye
Endless Trail Beyond Keye

How could you NOT follow this trail? It called to us.

Keye Perfect Mirror
Keye Perfect Mirror

We ate our lunch and soaked up a few rays and finally headed back down the trail,only because there is so much we want to see here. If you ever go you have got to do this trail out beyond Keye Summit.

Next post will be closer to Milford.

-Wendy Lee, writing at edgewisewoods