This is one of the best one day walks in New Zealand, although is not suitable for the unfit or faint-hearted. There is a vertical ascent of around 800 metres.
Initially we follow the Gertrude Valley, surrounded on all sides by imposing granite cliffs and a 1500 metre high valley headwall. Especially in early summer, we are surrounded in a sea of alpine flowers, all taking advantage of the short growing season. The Mount Cook Lily is the most famous, being the largest buttercup in the world. We then branch left, scrambling alongside a creek to Black Lake. The track then steepens, and in places, a cable is bolted into the smooth rocks. Crevices are exploited by plants such as Dolichoglottis, with it’s yellow and white flowers, contrasting starkly with the grey granite, which resembles rhino hide in texture. You can still see the striations from glacial scouring of the rocks, such is the preservation of the glacial landscape. At Gertrude Saddle, views to Milford Sound open up. The peaks of northern Fiordland including Mount Tutoko, Fiordland’s highest, are numerous and resemble the wave crests of an ocean frozen in time. Mitre Peak, normally dominating views from Milford Sound, looks pathetic in the grandeur of the scene. This is a place we linger. TRACK INFORMATION Gertrude Saddle
Grade: Difficult Time: 5 hours return| Spaces are limited as only two departures per month - $250.00 per person |
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