Dusky Track in Fiordland<\/a> had been on my bucket list for a long time, and I knew it would be challenging. To complete it enjoyably and successfully, I needed three things: good physical condition, essential gear, and favorable weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTwo months before the trip, I began training with serious intent\u2014doing multi-day tramps in mountainous areas with a heavy backpack. I managed to keep up with, and even beat, DOC track times. In addition, I committed to weekly day hikes with a full pack to further build my strength and endurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well prepared and blessed with good weather, I set off with two friends on the Dusky Track. From the start, the biggest challenge was the terrain: much of the day was spent climbing up and down nearly vertical sections, weaving our way through a maze of tree roots. On the flatter sections, the mud demanded careful balance and constant focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the difficulty, it was exhilarating. The views from the peaks were spectacular, and every tough stretch felt worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Halfway through our journey, we spent an extra day in a hut due to heavy rain\u2014the track would\u2019ve been dangerously slippery. It turned out to be a good rest for our muscles. But I didn\u2019t realize then that it wasn\u2019t enough for one very important muscle: my gluteal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the second-to-last day, I began to slow down noticeably. One leg could barely support me, especially on descents. Somehow, I stumbled to the hut for our final night. We only had five hours to walk the next day\u2014surely I\u2019d recover with rest?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But after just ten minutes of sitting, my muscle completely gave out. I had to crawl on all fours to the toilet. The morning, it was worse. I couldn\u2019t stand, let alone walk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, my rescueME PLB1<\/a> became my lifesaver.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I love tramping. The physical effort of reaching mountain summits is always rewarded with breathtaking views. It makes me proud to know I can achieve this on my own. Exercising in beautiful natural surroundings has a calming effect\u2014and it guarantees a good night\u2019s sleep. The Dusky Track in Fiordland had been on my bucket list […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5498,"featured_media":29246,"template":"","survivor-stories-category":[14],"survivor-stories-cause":[42],"survivor-stories-event":[76],"survivor-stories-rescue":[],"survivor-stories-terrain":[23],"class_list":["post-29253","survivor-stories","type-survivor-stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","survivor-stories-category-hiking","survivor-stories-cause-medical-emergency","survivor-stories-event-challenging-terrain","survivor-stories-terrain-mountain"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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