Koropuku Falls
Apr. 26th, 2024 10:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
canyonwalkerAfter hiking McLean Falls this afternoon it wasn't clear if we'd make it to the last waterfall on our list, Koropuku Falls. Fog was rolling in near the coast where we were and rain was falling more steadily. It was already after 5pm and dusk, usually closer to 6pm, was arriving even earlier. We worried we'd be hiking in the dark... or at least in too little light to really appreciate the falls. Oh, and the directions were imprecise. "Drive 10.2 km from this location"— a location we'd passed before stopping for the previous hike and thus weren't tracking— "And pull off at the small, unsigned parking area, barely big enough for 2 cars." We more or less decided we'd skip it.
Well, somehow I spotted the small, unsigned parking area. Actually there was a sign there, though it was a small one.
I was driving along and noticed a wide spot on the opposite shoulder of the road, with a human-sized gap in the trees and a small wooden sign in front of it. "I'll bet that's the Koropuku Falls trail!" I said as we drove past it, too late to pull over.
We turned around a mile or so further and doubled back. Indeed it was the trail for the falls. And it was still raining out, but we reasoned (a) the rain would affect us less under the dense forest canopy, and (b) we'd been risking getting wet in the rain all day anyway. "In for a penny, in for a pound," we agreed and pulled on our rain jackets.
We put our heads down and sort of force-marched our way along the trail. It went by faster than the 1.5km (each way) distance estimated by the guideblog we were following. The forest was thick and dark, but at least there was (barely) enough light to see. It did protect us from the rain.
Soon enough we reached a grotto at the back of the canyon. Here there was a beautiful bridalveil fall with a drop of at least 6 meters and just enough of an opening above it to let more light into the area.
Once again I hadn't carried my tripod on this trail, but I sat on a small wet bench across the grotto from the falls and braced my camera on my knee. I'm pleased with how the pictures turned out in these far less than ideal conditions.
After sitting for maybe 10 minutes we force-marched our way back through the forest. Again the distance went by faster than expected. We climbed up the bank to our car, shucked off our muddy boots and wet jackets, and settled in for a length drive in the dark to Te'Anau.
Well, somehow I spotted the small, unsigned parking area. Actually there was a sign there, though it was a small one.
I was driving along and noticed a wide spot on the opposite shoulder of the road, with a human-sized gap in the trees and a small wooden sign in front of it. "I'll bet that's the Koropuku Falls trail!" I said as we drove past it, too late to pull over.
We turned around a mile or so further and doubled back. Indeed it was the trail for the falls. And it was still raining out, but we reasoned (a) the rain would affect us less under the dense forest canopy, and (b) we'd been risking getting wet in the rain all day anyway. "In for a penny, in for a pound," we agreed and pulled on our rain jackets.
We put our heads down and sort of force-marched our way along the trail. It went by faster than the 1.5km (each way) distance estimated by the guideblog we were following. The forest was thick and dark, but at least there was (barely) enough light to see. It did protect us from the rain.
Soon enough we reached a grotto at the back of the canyon. Here there was a beautiful bridalveil fall with a drop of at least 6 meters and just enough of an opening above it to let more light into the area.
Once again I hadn't carried my tripod on this trail, but I sat on a small wet bench across the grotto from the falls and braced my camera on my knee. I'm pleased with how the pictures turned out in these far less than ideal conditions.
After sitting for maybe 10 minutes we force-marched our way back through the forest. Again the distance went by faster than expected. We climbed up the bank to our car, shucked off our muddy boots and wet jackets, and settled in for a length drive in the dark to Te'Anau.
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Date: 2024-05-01 06:55 am (UTC)no subject
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