Mt Cook

So on the 4^th Feb. I arrived at Mt Cook. It’s been an extrodinary section, no trees, bouldery riverbeds, high passes and amazing scenery. I find myself feeling pretty privileged to be doing the trip that I’m doing and being where I am. It’s pretty satisfying to follow one’s dream.

In some ways it’s been pretty hard, tough ground at times (feel like I’ve just walked on rocks since Arthur’s pass) and I’ve discovered that managing my fatigue is the biggest challenge of the trip, but ‘m learning to pace myself and stop when is needed. Weather days are always welcomed.

For those of you interested the final route was: Up the waimakari and white river and over white col into burnett stream, down the Wilberforce and up moa stream and over into boundary basin, dropped into the south mathias and up west mathias to go over observation col into cattle stream and onto the rakia, over butler saddle and down the Lawrence to Erewhon station with amazing hospitality from Colin and Christine. From there crossed the Clyde and Havelock rivers and the up Murphy’s stream to go over into the McAuley river, up to upper Tindall stream and into the north branch, across the godley up the rankin and over into cass river and then up over alias pass into the Murchison, some moraine bashing on the tasman and into Unwin Hut.

And so now I think that I’ve passed the halfway point and so far have managed to walk over 700km and climber approx 21,000 meters since the journeys beginnings.

This journey space is quite an extrodinary one to be living in just day after day of simple pack/walking living, and a trip that feels that it never ends. I’m loving it. I’ve had my friend Jason with me since Arthur’s pass, it’s been great to have him along and time now to travel on my own again. Of course with Max the summit monkey.