January 27, 2026
We woke up to a steady rain with clouds obscuring the mountain peaks. I had planned to do a view hike up to Mount Robert, but the forecast of all day rain caused a change in plans. We decided to hike along the lakeshore to a waterfall.
The Lakeside Track was about a 10-minute drive from our cabin. The trail was mostly level, but it was very wet and muddy in spots. We started later in the morning to allow the weather to clear a little bit. We did see a few patches of blue sky off and on, but it never lasted. Drizzling rain fell periodically throughout the hike.
Our destination was Whisky Falls, about 6.7 miles round trip. Very close to the end of the hike, we encountered a creek that was almost impassible due to all of the recent heavy rainfall. There was no bridge, and the stepping stones were mostly covered with rushing water. Heinrich found a walking stick that someone had left on the bank, and I was able to use it to pick my way across, but Heinrich didn't feel comfortable doing it. I did get a shoe full of water part way there. I made my way to the waterfall which was about another 5 minute walk ahead, took some videos and snapped a few photos, and rejoined Heinrich.
The waterfall was very nice with probably heavier than normal flow due to the rain, but it was unfortunate that we were not able to enjoy it together.
The return trip back to the cabin was even wetter and muddier than the way out. At the cabin we had dinner: pork chops, rice with salsa, and apple chinks (New Zealand's alternative to applesauce, which is practically impossible to find in grocery stores).
It was rather cold and damp in the cabin, so we built a fire and enjoyed its warmth that evening.
