Freaking awesome!!!

Update:  Pic changed and extras added.

When I was here last year I left rather regretting the fact that I hadn't done more adventurous walks.  This feeling was enhanced somewhat after I bought a book at the visitor centre: "Photographing Aoraki Mount Cook. A guide to the best walks and photography locations" (Mark Watson).  I determined last year that I would return and challenge myself and had intended to get myself a bit fitter before the return but that goal that dissipated into thin air very quickly.  Still, here I was almost a year later and I'd picked out the Red Tarns walk as an 'easy' opener.  The book says "....follow the Governor's Bush track......then follow a steep track uphill to the tarns."  The DoC information indicates it's a "2 hour return [on an] easy walking track" and describes an 'easy walking track' as "...mostly well formed, some sections may be steep, rough or muddy..."  What I hadn't gained from any of this information was that the entire track was steep and stepped and the only 'walking' to be done was from the car park to the start and the last 200 or so metres!

I spent the morning reviewing my decision, watching the weather and planning what time to leave and what time I'd need to return.  I certainly knew that their '2 hour' indicator would not apply to me!  I'd packed up my camera gear, extra layers to protect me from the wind and any rain that may fall.   If things went well I hoped to catch the late evening sun on Mt Cook.  My wee adventure began just before 5.00pm......

It wasn't long before I began to understand more fully the "stepped" description.  It took no time at all to move from 3 or 4 steps with 5 or 10 metres of 'real' walking in between to continuous steps with no walking at all, just step, after step after step after step after....

Of course, the good thing about steps is that you rise very quickly and the views of Mount Cook village well below soon came in to view (see extras).  With Mt Cook as a backdrop it really was quite spectacular.  Nevertheless, the continuous steepness was a real challenge for me and - not surprisingly - I was struggling.  One of my mental plans had been to be sensible.  I knew it would challenge me and I didn't want to take any risks.  I'd determined that if I felt at any stage I wouldn't be able to complete it I would turn back and simply be happy with the views I'd had and the effort I'd made.  

After about an hour of climbing and numerous short breaks, I heard a couple approaching from below.  They stopped and chatted, telling me they'd done this several times before and that I should keep going as it was well worth the effort and I was over half way.... HALF WAY???!  Off I went again, progressively more slowly and with my 'Small Attainable Goals' getting ever smaller when, after another 20 or so minutes I spied what I assumed to be the track w-a-y up higher......it appeared to traverse a scree slope and yes.......it continued to go UP.  It was at this point that two things happened - I sat down and said "I think I've done my dash" just as another couple appeared from below.  We chatted (I think she was pretty exhausted too) and during our chatting we heard a bird call from what sounded to be be very close by.  Assuming it to be a kea, we weren't overly excited until the man said "Hey - it's a New Zealand falcon.....look....there..." And sure enough there he was, looking straight at us from some bush a few metres away!  Of course, I had completely the wrong lens for capturing him well, but I did manage one shot before he took to the skies (see extras.)  Oh boy - what a sight!  He swept downwards first before curving sharply upwards then gliding way above us.  It was a spectacular sight and one that left me very happy with my decision to finish my walk there.  The young woman and I chatted a little more whilst he continued on up a bit and then she left.  I began to contemplate my descent and whilst doing so, I heard him calling down to me: "You're here.  You've done it".  I looked up and could see him above me and he was pointing......."I can see it.  You've done it."  The abandonment plan was abandoned and with renewed energy I stepped upwards and onward - maybe 100m - and then from out of nowhere a DoC information board, totally invisible from where I had been, appeared.  I don't think I've ever been so happy to see a DoC sign!  It indicated that I was now standing on a shelf and the tarns were just 200m further on - 200m of 'real' walking and then......wow!  There they were - smaller than I had imagined but very distinctively red.  And the odd thing.........I never saw either of the two couples I'd met again, despite the return trip being along exactly the same track as we'd come up.  I thought the first couple may have headed up the 'scree' track I'd seen (which I later found out was another track to another tarn.)  The second couple I assume completed the loop of the Red Tarns quite quickly and we crossed paths out of sight of one another on opposite sides of the tarns.  Either that or they were my guardian angels, sent to make sure I achieved my goal.  

So there I was, utterly exhausted and trying not to think about the steep descent ahead of me but rejuvenated by the falcon and actually being there, where I'd pictured myself being.  Exhilaration and immense pride bubbled up in me and I spent a thoroughly enjoyable 30 or so minutes looking, photographing, feeling proud and simply enjoying just being there.  

The descent was, not surprisingly, a lot quicker with only occasional stops to look at the changing scenes or to engage with a wee fantail that was cheering me on.  I arrived back at the van at 8.30 shattered but thrilled that there was a DoC utilities block with showers right there at the car park!  What a treat :)  Quick drive then back to the camp ground and bed........... zzzzzzzzzzzzz.

This replaces a temporary blip that was posted earlier.