We couldn't decide where to go this weekend. After getting up way too late and finding it was sunny in Christchurch, we headed up to Lewis Pass to see where we would end up. There were basically three options; The Zampa tops from Ada Pass (my blue sky request), Lake Christabel or Lake Daniells (the easiest).
In the end we choose the easiest. The weather (it started raining at the top of Lewis Pass) and time (it was well gone lunch time when it started raining) helped make the decision. Admittedly, by the time we had dropped a hitch hiker at Springs Junction the sun had come out again, but then it was only a few kms back to Marble Hill which is where the Lake Daniells track starts from. It turned out to be a great little over nighter.
In the end we choose the easiest. The weather (it started raining at the top of Lewis Pass) and time (it was well gone lunch time when it started raining) helped make the decision. Admittedly, by the time we had dropped a hitch hiker at Springs Junction the sun had come out again, but then it was only a few kms back to Marble Hill which is where the Lake Daniells track starts from. It turned out to be a great little over nighter.
The track to Lake Daniells is of a high standard all of the way and took us around two hours without trying particularly hard. All of the streams are bridged, though we were up to our ankles in water on some larger puddles simply from the amount of rainfall. Strenuous it most certainly isn't.
We soon reached the 24 bunk Manson-Nichol's Memorial Hut, right by the lakes edge. The hut is named in memory of three trampers who were killed in a mud slide on the opposite shore in 1975.
The setting is superb and it is hard to believe that you can get to somewhere this beautiful so quickly. We had read that the hut can get particularly busy and with the location and ease of access it is easy to understand why. We were only 6 in total, a very friendly and good group of people which made for a very pleasant evening, in front of a warm fire playing cards.
If anything the early morning light was even better than the evening before. At least one of the other trampers made it in for a swim, but we weren't that brave. However I tried increasing my cold water resistance later at the Maruia Hot Springs by testing the cold pools there (managing about two seconds before jumping back in the hot pools). We rounded off the trip back with coffee and cake at Pukeko Junction cafe, which finished off the weekend nicely.
