(written on April 2nd from notes)
It was another late start today, but no road construction peeps this time. Not that there was really any wait yesterday: it was more just the surprise of seeing any construction people in such a remote place. 🙃
Then of course, it was back to Peg Leg Falls to try and catch the waterfall in the sunlight.
I chilled for a little bit in the dirt parking area, and then headed up, realizing before I even started that either I’d missed the sun again, or that because of the time of year, the sun sat too low in the sky to even make it in to that part of the canyon.
🤷
Still… always beautiful. 😊
One more example of how impactful timing can be on the experience of the place and how lucky Chase and I were in ’22.
I didn’t mention it yesterday, but just like yesterday, after my little rock hopping river hike, my back pain increased noticeably. The increase was enough to have me wondering whether or not I should do the River hike up to the other hidden falls Chase and I had gone to.
I went anyway. 🙃
After a quick trip to the recycling bins at the train station in Arthur’s Village, I parked on the dirt turnout area where I’ve camped a few times down by the train tracks and started on up.
Just like with Peg Leg Falls, there wasn’t much water, which made the hike a lot easier. Back in ’22, I think there were some more sketchy parts because of the higher water level at that time?
I don’t remember how many times or if I got my feet wet last time, but I’m guessing that I did quite a bit of walking through the river itself last time.
This time, I only got one foot wet once, and I believe that was because of a poor choice, not because of a lack of options.
Beautiful hike. 😊
And relatively short.
I screenshotted my pedometer to gauge both distance and time travel, just like I’d done with the other falls. This one was about a half a mile of zigzag river walking, compared to the quarter mile for Peg Leg Falls, and a bit under 30 minutes compared to a bit under 15, reflectively.
Beautiful waterfall. 😊
My bank was definitely unhappy, though. 😕 I think it’s just the increases in compression hopping from one rock to the next. If I had to guess, I’ve got 12 bulge discs, and hopping from one rock to another probably compresses the disc and pushes out some of the disc material into the nerves, irritating the nerve, and causing the pain.
🤷
Not fun.
After getting back down from the hike, I wanted to get some pictures of what the hike looks like from below, how you can’t even see the waterfall from below unless you walk all the way out into the glacial wash. So here you go (If you’re looking for it, you can catch a brief glimpse of the top of the waterfall from the bridge in the picture below as you’re driving by, but otherwise, it’s pretty hidden.).
I had to make a couple of shallow river crossings to get where I wanted to go to get a picture of the waterfall from the glacial river valley, balancing on little rocks that were just a slight bit above the water.
If I’m remembering correctly, I was madly successful in the effort across the first and harder section, 😎 though I did step in the water once during a later crossing.
I thought about doing the hike back up to Devil’s Punchable waterfall, which is the waterfall most tourists hike in Arthur’s Pass. Chase and I had hiked to it back in ’22, and I didn’t really feel the need to do it again this time (although I’m sure it would have been beautiful the second time around as well).
After heading out, I didn’t really stop much again the rest of the way across the pass. I stopped for all… probably just a few minutes in the Cave Stream parking lot.
I drove right on by Castle Hill, passed our little Christmas spot, and by Lake Lyndon, all without stopping, just remembering.
I did stop to take pictures at Waimakariri Gorge Bridge, which was very high above the water below. Definitely too high for me to jump off of. And I think the water might have been maybe a little too shallow for that height? Certainly, both the height and depth would need to be precisely measured.
I made a quick pass by the grocery store in Oxford and then the public toilets before making my way back to the Warren Community Reserve for the night, the place I’d stayed the night at before flying to Fiji and after getting back.
Lift the world.
Bring it on.
~ stephen
Lift the World 