{"id":532,"date":"2026-02-05T06:00:40","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T06:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/?p=532"},"modified":"2026-02-09T06:42:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T06:42:58","slug":"day-37-starting-the-motatapu-track","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/2026\/02\/05\/day-37-starting-the-motatapu-track\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 37, Starting the Motatapu Track"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>February 5, 2026<br \/>Wanaka to Fern Burn Hut<br \/>TA km marker 2640.7 to 2666.2<br \/>Hiked today: 25.5 km<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Granola and yoghurt cup made a good breakfast and, after that we were out the door and down the road as the sun rose. A coffee van just by our door was already brewing, and I enjoyed sipping on that as we headed off. First we were on a very easy bike track around Wanaka lake for about 13 km, then we headed along a gravel road towards the valley that sheltered the first leg of the Motatapu track. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_07512915843052691014223139-1024x472.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_07512915843052691014223139-1024x472.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_07512915843052691014223139-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_07512915843052691014223139-768x354.jpg 768w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_07512915843052691014223139-1536x708.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_07512915843052691014223139.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_0841311610275203197947213-1024x472.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-512\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_0841311610275203197947213-1024x472.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_0841311610275203197947213-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_0841311610275203197947213-768x354.jpg 768w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_0841311610275203197947213-1536x708.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_0841311610275203197947213.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>From the trailhead the track was 7km but estimated hike time was 3-4 hours, which gives some indication of the steepness of ascent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"886\" height=\"878\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_12324018428765283763849627.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-509\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_12324018428765283763849627.jpg 886w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_12324018428765283763849627-300x297.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_12324018428765283763849627-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_12324018428765283763849627-768x761.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 886px) 100vw, 886px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13042813756733376922054843-1024x472.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13042813756733376922054843-1024x472.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13042813756733376922054843-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13042813756733376922054843-768x354.jpg 768w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13042813756733376922054843-1536x708.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13042813756733376922054843.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"472\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13400012850525322780333601-472x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13400012850525322780333601-472x1024.jpg 472w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13400012850525322780333601-138x300.jpg 138w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13400012850525322780333601-708x1536.jpg 708w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_13400012850525322780333601.jpg 738w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 472px) 100vw, 472px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>We had plenty of time to allow for stops along the way but still made it to the hut in good time and were enjoying shoes off at the hut before 3pm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"473\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_14292112114722258177561747-1024x473.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-516\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_14292112114722258177561747-1024x473.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_14292112114722258177561747-300x139.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_14292112114722258177561747-768x355.jpg 768w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_14292112114722258177561747-1536x709.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_14292112114722258177561747.jpg 1999w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Fern Burn Hut and tomorrow&#8217;s climb (RH valley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"472\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_15285512090025849556378325-1024x472.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-514\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_15285512090025849556378325-1024x472.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_15285512090025849556378325-300x138.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_15285512090025849556378325-768x354.jpg 768w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_15285512090025849556378325-1536x708.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_15285512090025849556378325.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611-1024x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"February 5, 2026Wanaka to Fern Burn HutTA km marker 2640.7 to 2666.2Hiked today: 25.5 km A Granola and yoghurt cup made a good breakfast and, after that we were out the door and down the road as the sun rose. A coffee van just by our door was already brewing,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":513,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/02\/20260205_1444426719436555482607611.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=532"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":559,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/532\/revisions\/559"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/513"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=532"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=532"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudonweb.com\/ta\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=532"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}