Queenstown's Ben Lomond

Dad's birthday adventure hiking up the mountain.

I touched down in Queenstown a few hours earlier than Dad and Alex. It's the fourth time I’ve been here, but each time I'm awestruck by the view of the mountains. Soon we will be in them, hiking up the famous Ben Lomond Track.

The trip is for Dads 63rd birthday. He's been doing a lot of exercise and hiking lately, as his career winds down and retirement begins. The hike is both a personal challenge and a chance to do something fun and memorable together.

After picking up some food and supplies from the supermarket I arrived at the Airbnb. A terrace house, nearby the lake with enough space for the three of us. Dad and Alex arrived not long after and we unpacked and got ready for the big day tomorrow.

The morning alarm sounded at 4:30am, and we were up with anticipation. I had a strong instant coffee and an egg that Dad made, before Alex's friend Tighe arrived to pick us up around 5am. He had just moved to Queenstown for rock climbing, and was keen to join us for the hike.

We felt good as we started our way up the first trail in darkness, insects flying in front of our headlamps. The beginning was up a steep gravel road that took us to the top of the Queenstown Skyline, a route called the ‘Tiki Trail’. At the top we were puffing and dad decided that me, Alex and Tighe should go ahead and he would follow at his own pace.

We continued on through the undulating forest terrain, eventually coming out into a steeper rocky path heading up the side of the mountain. It was around 7am when we got glimpses of a brilliant pink and orange sunrise over The Remarkables in the distance. We stopped for a quick snack and took some photos.

Not long after, we reached the saddle of the mountain, 1326m above sea level. As we walked over it we saw one of the most brilliant rainbows, illuminating the clouds in front of us. This was enough to motivate us to push on, as the track got steeper and the winds picked up.

The next 45 minutes was a hard slog to the top. The rugged alpine terrain was exposed to the weather and we did our best to keep moving to avoid getting cold. I regretted not bringing a beanie, as my thin bucket hat did little for warmth.

We eventually made it to the 1748m summit in around 2.5 hours. 360 degree views of Queenstown, and the sense of accomplishment to go with it. We didn't hang around though, and scurried back down the trail before the cold numbed our hands any further.

A few hundred meters below we bumped into Dad. Hiking pole in hand, and still managing a small smile. Wisely, he decided to turn around and head back down with us, as going up alone in this weather would not be a safe decision. Valiantly, he had got to around 1500m high and was happy enough with the effort.

We traveled downhill a lot faster, periodically taking in the views and nature around us. About half way down we passed a few other hikers who were heading up. There was something quite magical about having the entire mountain to ourselves up until that point.

By the time we got back down to the steep gravel road of the Tiki Trail, we were ready for the hike to end. Each bend in the road was numbered, which turned it into a labored countdown to the final corner. It was funny watching Dad hobble down the last bit, visibly frustrated and verbally demanding we get him a gin & tonic (which we did on the way home!).

Overall the day was a success. I enjoyed the physical and mental challenge with the guys, and the sunrise is something none of us will forget any time soon. Dad didn't quite make it to the top, but that is even more reason for him to come back and do another challenge - Maybe Roy’s Peak for his next birthday.