THE MILFORD TRACK THEN, NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE

Climbing Mackinnon Pass with an alpine plant guru certainly took my mind off the physical effort. Dr (now Sir) Alan Mark and I pottered uphill, stopping every few metres for him to show me another gentian, celmisia, ourisia, raoulia and more.

This was 1984. The sun was shining, the views were amazing, and I felt lucky to be walking the Milford Track with Alan in our group. He taught me a lot; if only I could remember it.

This year, I climbed the pass in misty gloom with no guide to distract me. My own party included some learned botanists but they’d set off much earlier. There was absolutely no view on the damp, freezing pass and I was glad to find a modern, enclosed shelter rather than 1984’s rough A-frame shack. Trampers heated soups and brews on the gas cookers inside and, mindful of our hut warden’s advice not to wait around for the weather