Mt Georgina

Over the edge is a big slope with enthusiastic Matagouri, Briar etc. Fortunately I chose reliable animal tracks. They pick the best line, the only trouble is they tend to go under Matagouri and scrub we can't. I didn't have to resort to hands and knees today. Mostly I could push through our go around and then pick up the animal track again on the other side.

Feels really big large (funny that ;-)

My merino long johns are looking worse for wear but the view from the top was worth it.

That's Lake Coleridge and a wee tarn in the middle ground. During the last ice age huge glaciers carved this enormous valley.

The Southern Alps look majestic as always but there isn't a lot of snow for this time of year. It the forecast is correct the coming week will change all of that.

It's big county in here. We're standing at 1000m and it's like a pimple compared to what's around us. From here we picked our way down the other side through more of the same matagouri etc, crossed a valley floor, ascended another ridge, battled thicker matagouri then descended to the Red Lake (which happens to be blue/green).

Then a pleasant wander around the lake, a few games of mock curling with rocks on the ice, before crossing tussock land to the Lyndon Lake Rd.

A 2-3 layer day for hpx. Ironically colder back in Christchurch with a freezing easterly.

Another good days in the high country :-)