...rental guys in Picton can't fix my mirror other than by duct tape and they promise to charge me big bucks for it if they can't find a second hand replacement. Oh well, lets hope they do.
...weather is stunningly amazing or amazingly stunning as I drive to my next trek at St. Arnaud. It's called Lake Angelus trail, takes two days to finish and is in the Nelson Lakes National Park. I make frequent photo stops, the South Island is just too beautiful not to...
...I arrive, get sandwiches and amazingly enough, I book the last bunk in the hut (high season, remember? Luckily for me someone just cancelled. Otherwise the place is booked up for weeks ahead)
...I pick up three young lads on the way, who hitchhike up the 7km gravel road from town to the parking lot. Locals all of them, very nice and one of them is named Luke. They're going on the same trail.
...I hike up the trail first in the forest and then on scree and rocks above the tree line. I follow a stream, which I have to cross several times, but luckily my boots are sturdy and keep me dry. In one impassable place there's a convenient "flood route" which allows you to climb over the crossing. You add some time and effort to your trip but keep dry. It's a great thing here, they have a lot of them
...I walk mostly alone and views are quite stunning but unfortunately it's foggy and starts to snow. As I climb the pass over which the hut lies (1900 m asl) it starts snowing quite bad and is cold. As I pass the highest point, I see one of the lads I had given a ride to. He's trying to get some bars on his phone to make a call
...from here the hut can be seen and it's an easy 25 minutes down to it. I dump my stuff with gratitude and enjoy the warmth. It is indeed full. There's no food to be bought but there are toilets and a kitchen to cook. It seems that someone who arrived without a booking took my bed so I have to kick her out into her tent unfortunately. Oh well...
...the sunset is mind blowing and the stars are innumerable, as always. It's a cold night but worth every step.