We knew there was heavy rain and a cold front coming later in the day, and this was confirmed by the spectacular colours in the sunrise as we packed up camp very early to get up and over Scorpion and off the range.
Whilst it was almost 30km back to the car, it was mostly easy walking, which was possibly why Balti absently tripped on the shortcut section of Kappa Moraine and opened up his knee.
Fortunately it was the first time we’d had to delve into our medical kits, and we managed to clean things up and stem the bleeding without too much surgery. Pan was a huge help carrying his pack all the way back, and we even managed to keep the wound mud free. Unfortunately I’m pretty sure that this was also where I accidentally left my nice SLR camera, but hopefully someone finds it one day with an intact and dry memory card!
With the weather sombre, it felt surreal returning from Middle Earth, back to the gloom of ordinary earth.
As the first drops of rain arrived (and a helicopter rescue was underway for another party up on the range after another fall causing a broken arm), we made it back to the car mid afternoon, and were soon back on the road to Maydena for a shower, a beer, a steak, a fire, and a comfy mattress.
This was definitely the most beautiful hike or ski tour I’ve ever completed, up there with Antarctica in its effect on my spirit, and whilst it is also one of the hardest, I would do it again in a flash - especially if we could be guaranteed the same conditions. We count ourselves very lucky indeed, what a trip, what a place.
Whilst it was almost 30km back to the car, it was mostly easy walking, which was possibly why Balti absently tripped on the shortcut section of Kappa Moraine and opened up his knee.
Fortunately it was the first time we’d had to delve into our medical kits, and we managed to clean things up and stem the bleeding without too much surgery. Pan was a huge help carrying his pack all the way back, and we even managed to keep the wound mud free. Unfortunately I’m pretty sure that this was also where I accidentally left my nice SLR camera, but hopefully someone finds it one day with an intact and dry memory card!
With the weather sombre, it felt surreal returning from Middle Earth, back to the gloom of ordinary earth.
As the first drops of rain arrived (and a helicopter rescue was underway for another party up on the range after another fall causing a broken arm), we made it back to the car mid afternoon, and were soon back on the road to Maydena for a shower, a beer, a steak, a fire, and a comfy mattress.
This was definitely the most beautiful hike or ski tour I’ve ever completed, up there with Antarctica in its effect on my spirit, and whilst it is also one of the hardest, I would do it again in a flash - especially if we could be guaranteed the same conditions. We count ourselves very lucky indeed, what a trip, what a place.
(Whilst the stars were amazing, the aurora and star shots were actually taken from the Prom the following weekend. Its still a top priority to get a Tassy aurora atop a snowy Tassy peak!)
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