Stephenie Smith Wellness

Day 17: Earnslaw Burn Track

In all my first trimester glory I forgot to post our final hike of NZ…. From back in January…

If you are choosing to do one hike on the South Island, let it be this one. I am not exaggerating when I say that it changed my brain chemistry. It was the most beautiful, awe-inspiring experience.

The first 9km is hell - the most technical trail we have ever done, but I PROMISE you it is worth every trip, every bruise, every fall, every second of soaking wet muddy feet.

It was cloudy, and we thought it was going to be another disappointing hike with no view, but we have never been so wrong. As we turned the corner to come up to the glacier the sky slowly started opening up to show us the glacier in all its glory. I honestly had tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t comprehend the immensity and beauty of what I was seeing.

I truly hope I get to have that experience again because it was amazing.

Distance hiked: 27km 🥾

Our little rainbow baby is on the way 🌈

Baby Smith due December 2026 ❤️

📸

Happy 8th wedding anniversary 💙💙 Here’s to many more 🥂

Happy Mother’s Day to the best momma out there 💙 I don’t have much to say because she just is the best…. I think most people would agree! I love you 🫶🏼

Day 16: Lake Marian & Key Summit

“Root root city b*$%h” - the anthem for the hike up to Lake Marian 🤣

We started the hike to Key Summit from the opposite side of the Routeburn Track, and it was easy peasy in comparison to the other hikes we had trekked. We could also see Lake Marian (where we had been that morning) from the top of Key Summit, so that was pretty neat (picture 6)!

It was a perfectly beautiful little day for some hikes 🫶🏼 Sun was out, a little bit of a breeze, views for days!

Distance hiked: 13km 🥾

Day 12 & 13: Queenstown to the West Coast
… and more rain

1. The Wanaka Tree
2. The Wanaka Tree, but closer
3. The ocean by the dome we stayed in
4. A cute little fairy stream
5. Clouds (no shortage of those)
6. Lake Matheson
7. “View” from near Lake Matheson
8. Franz Josef Glacier (we also hiked to Fox Glacier, but you couldn’t see anything… classic)
9. Peter’s Pool
10. Foresty path

Distance Hiked = 18km (on day 13)

We also went and saw Callery Gorge, but I don’t think I got a picture of that one…