I’ll preface this by saying this was my first solo overnight hike. I’m not a beginner hiker but I’m not the most confident in my abilities on certain respects so it’s taken me a while to crack on and do one. Normally I can persuade a friend to come along and, while it’s usually more fun with a pal, I had the best time on the Caples.
The track
My route can be seen here, covering 37km. I did hop on up to Key Summit but otherwise the route is end to end of the Caples. Day 1 is nice and flat overall with a bit of elevation gain at the start but no other climbing. Day two has a climb up to McKellar Saddle but it’s not very steep and you’ll be up there before you know it.
You join the Routeburn at the end. I’ve walked the Routeburn before and to be totally honest, I preferred the Caples. That will undoubtedly be controversial!
Is it hard to navigate?
No, it’s marked out a bit like a great walk. You’d be hard pushed to get lost but All Trails or similar will help you as needed. However, there is no signal on the track so make sure you have an offline map.
All trails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/new-zealand/otago/greenstone-caples-track-greenstone-wharf-to-the-divide
Where to stay
I’d highly recommend the NZDA hut. When I stayed, I’m writing this a few days after, it was $30 per night. The only annoyance is you need to collect a key from Queenstown. As o flew on the night before I roped in a wonderful and very obliging friend to do this for me. The team at the NZDA are fantastic.
You could also stay at the Mid Caples hut but haves other about 9km from the road end so unless you’re starting in the afternoon, I would personally stay at Upper Caples.
How do I get to the track?
TrackNet! You can also drive but for me TrackNet is my go-to. No car relocation, friendly people to chat to on the bus if you like. No, it’s not always the cheapest option but the lowest stress route, particularly if you’re solo.
If you are driving, the road from Glenorchy to Greenstone Road End isn’t the best so leave plenty of time. Lots of holes and narrow spots. Beautiful though!
Can I drink the water on track
In general, hut water is okay although you should make your own assessment. There are cattle as you’ll see in the valley so it’s best not to drink the water from the streams.
I didn’t boil the hut water and was absolutely fine.
Do I need to take a stove?
Not if you’re staying at the NZDA hut. A massive win. I would recommend taking a lighter though as, although there were three there, two didn’t work and one wouldn’t work for me. I’ve never been able to use a lighter (one sure fire way to make sure I never became a smoker!) and had to have a ‘lesson’ from my husband on how to use the one I have. I sound ridiculous but if you’re in the same boat as me you’ll understand. Matches get wet and the big push BBQ lighters generally aren’t allowed on flights.
How much water should I carry?
It was quite warm for me and I carried 2.2 liters, of white 0.5l was a hot flask. The flask was pointless and each day I drink it in the evening. If it had been cold I would have appreciated it though.
Are there river crossings?
Yes. But shallow and small – streams rather than rivers. I didn’t take my boots off and did not get wet feet. In the off season when there’s lots of rain this may not be the case though.
Could I do this on the end of the Routburn?
Yep! The walk from Lake Mackenzie to Upper Capples I’d guess to be around 6 hours with just the one climb over McKellar saddle. You could also stay at McKellar hut and head down the Greenstone way instead.
Can I stay longer at the Upper Caples hut?
Yes, and if you have time I’d recommend a second night as there are a few tracks nearby. The night I stayed there were two ladies who were on their second night there and been up Steele Creek track that day. They said it was beautiful.
Sandflies?
Sadly, yes! I did cover up and sit outside in the evening but had I had any flesh on show I would have been eaten alive. That said a quick paddle or dip in the river is chilly but doable, it was very shallow there when I was visiting.
When’s the best time to go?
I did the track in mid March and it was great. A bit of mud the second half of day 2 but nothing more. It wasn’t cold at all in the hut – so much so that we didn’t put the log burner on and I was still warm despite being a cold sleeper.