Ben Lomond Mountain
Back in Queenstown, I wanted to do the hike up Ben Lomond, which was rumored to have some incredible views. I dropped off my bags at another dormitory building, which seemed to be better than the first place I checked into, and walked along the lake for a little bit on my way to the track up the mountain. As the Tiki Trail, which was supposed to be the starting point, was closed, I started over at Lomond Crescent. I got to the beginning of the dirt trail, and after taking one more look at the lake behind me I started the hike.
This time I started without any companion, although I wasn’t bothered by it, being on my own again didn’t feel like a bad thing. As I walked up the twisty dirt path I had a constant view of the lake and the mountains, and that indeed was quite beautiful. It was a sunny day with great visibility, so the more I climbed the more I could see. Every now and then a car would go up or down the trail and make everything quite dusty. At a few points I stopped and waited for a while until it was clear again and I could keep walking. There were more trees along the road, partially obstructing the view, but I still had plenty to look at. After walking up the trail for a little while, I spotted a closed gate with a sign for the Tiki Trail. As I couldn’t go in, I kept walking on the original trail, going deeper into the forest which very soon completely blocked the view. I started seeing some people going downhill on mountain bikes (and one that was going uphill), but no one else seemed to be walking along. That is, until I got to a split in the road where there was a sign with a map showing the different trails on the mountain.
Pretty much at the same time that I got to the map, another traveler got there too, although she came from a different direction. We were both there at the same time by chance, and we both met before, at the first accommodation I stayed at. We teamed up, walking in the forest up the mountain, sharing travel experiences and talking about different things. Possibly for the first time since I got to the Pacific I was able to talk to someone, and that someone was another backpacker. It felt easier and less boring to walk around with a hiking buddy, and although the road was nice, there was nothing really special about it. We kept walking, talking, and occasionally laughing, until we got to another milestone of the hike- The gondola. This was the end of the Tiki Trail (had it been open) and the starting point of the trail to the summit of Ben Lomond.
After getting a bit confused about which way to go (and being told that on the way down to the city the gondola/cable car is free), me and my hiking buddy resumed our walk, and this time there were a few more people around us. We overtook some and were overtaken by others, although we didn’t try to rush it. We cleared one forest, briefly passed through another one, and from there on we were under the sun. We had views of the mountains, the trees, and the lake all the way down. We went along the trail and the views were quite beautiful, leaving me to wonder what it would be like at the summit, and how long it would take to get there. Even though it wasn’t very steep, we still went uphill, and occasionally stopped to breathe and take a couple of pictures. We saw even more people by that point, going up to the summit or back down from it, and then we saw the summit itself. A high peak quite some distance away from us, with a very steep looking road leading up to it. We weren’t completely sure how to even get there, but were assured the views are worth the effort. A short while later the road leveled a little bit and we got to “The Saddle”, an observation point with a bench overlooking some snowy mountain tops. That was the only rest area before getting to the top and from there on the road got steep quite quickly.
Not wanting to waste any time there, we just kept on going. The wind started to pick up a bit, but it wasn’t very strong and the physical workout of the hike meant I was still quite hot. The trail got more demanding, and I’d stop more often, trailing behind my partner for the day. Once more I was left to my own thoughts, which mainly about wanting to get to the summit, rest, and eat my lunch looking at the beautiful views all around me. I tried to not take too many small breaks, but I wasn’t so fit that I could climb up to the top in one go. It took me a while, and a few more people passed me on the way. I knew I was close, but I could only push myself so much. The trail went on, and somehow there was no one around me. Looking up and down, I couldn’t see anyone. I was alone, and I kept going until I finally looked up and saw someone. And then another someone. And then, at last, I got to the top, where my hiking partner was getting some rest. As I sat down I thought to myself that the rumors were true, the views from Ben Lomond summit were indeed incredible. The lake, the mountains, and the city, all visible from that high point, and I enjoy sitting there and looking around me.
Eventually it was time to get back. It was quite a struggle to go down the steep road from the summit to The Saddle, and we kept talking about how good it would be to take the gondola down to the city, and how great it is that it’s free. The few people we talked to about it were in the same mind, it seemed that almost everyone was planning to take it.
Going down felt longer than going up. It was a long road and we tried to be careful and not go too fast. Slowing down felt necessary, and it took quite a while to get to the bench at The Saddle. As tempting as it was to stay there and rest we kept walking along. The road became less steep and easier to walk on, although we were still tired and it still took some effort to keep going down. People who got to the summit of Ben Lomond after us were not getting ahead on the way to the city (including a couple with a little baby). We wondered how long we still have to go, then we passed through a forest, and saw a sign directing us to the gondola. An easy yet tiring walk was all that was left for us, and after getting a bit confused, we made our way to the gondola station. There, unfortunately, we were informed that the ride down is not free at all. It was a rumor that somehow started in the city, but had no real foundation. Sadly, that meant we had to go back all the way down to the beginning, at Lomond Crescent. As we exited the station we met another hiker, who was in New Zealand on a working holiday visa, and informed him that he’ll have to pay for the ride. Instead, he joined us for the walk down to the city. While it was pleasant to have company and people to talk to, at this point we were all tired. We planned to get to the city and have some ice cream, which is supposedly better than others. Eventually we saw a car coming down, and we got a ride with a kind man who got us all the way to the bottom. We thanked him and made our way to the ice cream shop. It was nice, although I didn’t think it was spectacular in any way. Then it was time to get some dinner and say our goodbyes. It was a nice day, which was made even better with great company.