Copland Track

Copland Track was the craziest adventure of the semester by far. Looking back at our experience, I laugh at all the crazy things we did. After another big night on the town Thursday night, we headed out of Dunedin midday on Friday. We drove up towards the West Coast and camped at Lake Paringa. This is when all the rain began. It down poured the whole night and we woke up in a giant puddle. We packed up camp and drove to the trail head just down the road. We suited up in every waterproof article of clothing we had and started our journey into the rain forest.

The trail wandered through the forest and went along the Kārangarua River. Usually, the Copland Track is impossible to complete when there is heavy rain due to the extreme stream crossings. When we started our hike, there was steady rain and the trails were wet and muddy. For most of the track, we were walking through trenches and up small streams that had formed on the trail. 

About half way to the hut, we encountered a major stream crossing that seemed impossible at first glance. We considered turning back because we didn't know if we would encounter more impassable river crossings even if we made it across the first. Luckily, the boys adventured down stream and finally found a place that was safe for us to cross. Luke, Dave, and Tyler stood at various points along the way and helped us cross the rushing river. It was really cool to see everyone work together and make sure everyone was comfortable and safe.

After this point, we were committed to making it to the hut. We had several more considerable stream crossings and some amazing swing bridges across the major rivers. We were completely drenched and exhausted, but after about 7 hours of trudging through the mud and water we finally made it to Welcome Hut.

Welcome Hut was welcoming to say the least. As soon as we got there, we jumped in the natural hot springs and warmed up. That night we had the hut to ourselves, and we had one of the best nights of our trip. We dried out all of our gear, cooked some great food, drank the beer and wine we carried there, and stayed up late playing games and telling stories. Downstairs, the hut had a huge kitchen and eating area and upstairs there were heaps of mattresses lined in a row that made a massive bed. 

After a great sleepover, we woke up, made some breakfast, and took a last minute dip in the hot springs. Our hike back was a completely different experience. The sun was shining and spirits were high. We stopped for lunch on a bridge overlooking Copland River and made quesadillas. There were so many parts of the hike that I didn't recognize on the way back because the trail wasn't flooded. We finished our hike in about five hours and saw the sunset as we drove along Lake Wanaka. That night we went out for burgers and stayed in a hostel in Wanaka. After a great night sleep, we got some delicious breakfast and hit the road. It was another beautiful day in Peggy, and we all reminisced about the epic adventure we survived.