After my unscheduled stop in Nelson I left for the Richmond Alpine Track on a scorcher of a day from the Hackett picnic area: A beautiful place, despite the Mongrel Mob crew who were jumping off the bridge into WATER trying to take selfies. “Bro my phone’s not working, what’s up with that?” Ermmm....
Richard started off at a cracking pace on his fresh legs, whilst I tried to keep up with my creaking body...We arrived at the hut to be greeted by a group of French guys who were smoking roll-ups and moaning about the price of tobacco in NZ. For reasons best known to them they had cranked up a fire, despite the 27 degree weather, so we elected to pitch our tents. It was then that I noticed that the French crew had a stove that, instead of a gas canister, needed lots of twigs to heat anything: A really lovely contrast to all the many jet boil stoves that most TA trampers use to heat water for their Backcountry meal pouches.
As seems to happen all the time on this trip, I met Stefan again on the track and was excited to see him. This was not only because he’s great company, when he sticks around - but also because he and Richard could zoom off at warp speed whilst I ambled on, listening for birds and looking at the views. Unlike the guys, I’m not training for an adventure race or wanting to join the Australian Police special ops team.
We had a verrrrrryyyy long day on the Alpine crossing route and after speaking to 3 other trampers who had decided to turn back because of mist, we headed on, screwing our courage to the sticking place (apologies to Macbeth fans, but I love the visceral image this quote conquers up).
Richard started off at a cracking pace on his fresh legs, whilst I tried to keep up with my creaking body...We arrived at the hut to be greeted by a group of French guys who were smoking roll-ups and moaning about the price of tobacco in NZ. For reasons best known to them they had cranked up a fire, despite the 27 degree weather, so we elected to pitch our tents. It was then that I noticed that the French crew had a stove that, instead of a gas canister, needed lots of twigs to heat anything: A really lovely contrast to all the many jet boil stoves that most TA trampers use to heat water for their Backcountry meal pouches.
As seems to happen all the time on this trip, I met Stefan again on the track and was excited to see him. This was not only because he’s great company, when he sticks around - but also because he and Richard could zoom off at warp speed whilst I ambled on, listening for birds and looking at the views. Unlike the guys, I’m not training for an adventure race or wanting to join the Australian Police special ops team.
We had a verrrrrryyyy long day on the Alpine crossing route and after speaking to 3 other trampers who had decided to turn back because of mist, we headed on, screwing our courage to the sticking place (apologies to Macbeth fans, but I love the visceral image this quote conquers up).
We were very lucky when we finally hit the top of Rintoul. The views reminded me of my brother Martin’s model war game set-up. That utilized cotton wool, paper mache and all the many hues of Airfix paint from tiny pots to create a realistic topography, complete with tiny figures and random features. It felt as if the ranges of mountain went on forever with so many different colour hues, rocks carelessly strewn around. The real version however also had the addition of a backlog of weather systems queuing up for prime position.
I’m still attempting to get some pictures from the Go Pro and hopefully will be able to post them in here soon but meanwhile have posted some from my phone, The small orange toilet below has the best view from a dunny anywhere in the world I reckon. Mind you Richard was a tad shocked when getting water, to see an arc of French piss heading his way, so maybe not everyone appreciates a good toilet view....
I’m still attempting to get some pictures from the Go Pro and hopefully will be able to post them in here soon but meanwhile have posted some from my phone, The small orange toilet below has the best view from a dunny anywhere in the world I reckon. Mind you Richard was a tad shocked when getting water, to see an arc of French piss heading his way, so maybe not everyone appreciates a good toilet view....
There may or may not have been a 14 hour ‘shortcut’ along a Ridgeline covered in Redhill rock gardens culminating in a descent in the mist then dark, down a gorge and river, featuring many boulders and possibly moans from a non adventure-racing TA tramper.
...Anyway we made it out to be met on the walk out from Redhill hut by a young American guy wearing ‘comfortable’ shoes (aka slippers) and carrying the ever-popular Warehouse $20/5kg tent...As he was looking tired on the 4 wheel drive track, I hesitate to guess how he managed the Alpine section...I fear that I will hear about him again, as the trail has its own internal communication system: I was asked many times if I had heard about those "3 English women in Rocks hut, one with a bung knee..." Latest update via the ‘grapevine’ suggested it took them 11 hours to get out on a 4/5 hour section. But at least, hopefully, they are now safe!
Ka Kite
Rache
...Anyway we made it out to be met on the walk out from Redhill hut by a young American guy wearing ‘comfortable’ shoes (aka slippers) and carrying the ever-popular Warehouse $20/5kg tent...As he was looking tired on the 4 wheel drive track, I hesitate to guess how he managed the Alpine section...I fear that I will hear about him again, as the trail has its own internal communication system: I was asked many times if I had heard about those "3 English women in Rocks hut, one with a bung knee..." Latest update via the ‘grapevine’ suggested it took them 11 hours to get out on a 4/5 hour section. But at least, hopefully, they are now safe!
Ka Kite
Rache
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