The Emerald Pools
I was looking at this thinking how awesome it would be to have a swim in, but disappointedly imagining how toxic it might be, when I saw someone start wading in! A bit stunned, I watched a while to see if their legs melted off ( robocop stylie ) or if they slowly sank in never to emerge again ( Terminator 2 ). I didn’t hear screams, so Cookie and I legged it down and stuck our fingers in to see if it was warm. A decision we may live to regret, as I’ve just remembered from Champage Pool that there was probably arsenic in there. Whoopsie.
Rotoiti Lake – on the Edge of Civilization
After a couple of days blogging like maniacs, ( writing, cropping, html-ing, and painfully uploading on hairs-width-band internet ) our brains were fried and our bodies still battered and scraped from our expedition across the Richmond Alpine Ranges. After stuffing our faces with nutrients, and as much sleep as we could squeeze in, I still felt well rough. The weeks of dehydrated food has been messing with my insides in ways i could never have imagined. And so with a runny bum, and jelly legs I convinced Cookie that instead of nailing it up the valley to the first hut, we get the tent up and chill. And so with a ‘bottle of medicinal’ we unwind in the setting sun… Covered in sandflies :)
Walking around Lake Rotoiti
Today was a slow amble rather than a fully recharged surge up the valley. Weak and wobbly i stumbled on determined to make some progress despite my belly’s protests! Well the effort was worth it as we ended up with the massive Lakehead Hut to ourselves for Valentine’s night. Yey!
Extremely short day today, only 3 hours out of St. Arnaud! But Even that was quite good, we almost turned back altogether, Nicky wasn’t feeling too well, she’s got the poos you know.. Nothing that sleeping all afternoon can’t resolve though ;)Blue Lake
They weren’t wrong when they named this ‘Blue Lake’, it’s bluey green waters were mesmerising. After freezing my nuts off in the water draining from it last night, I didn’t bother having a lunchtime dip. Didn’t really have the time anyhow, we had plenty of progress to make today if we’re going to get over Waiau Pass!
STEEP!
Yep, bloody steep. I hate heights. This was not my favorite bit of the day!Not a very pleasurable end to the sidling was this particularly steep and unstable descent. It never looks quite as steep in a photo than real life does it?!Crucible Lake Nestled Below Mt Alba
Quite a small lake, but nestled right in the middle of some BIG scenery, hard to capture in one shot as the ramparts of Mt Alba tower above the lake in every direction other than the way we came in.
Amazing Blue Water
W.O.W … I know I use that word quite a lot but – just look at it! I can see why so many people make the effort to climb up the steep slopes to get here. Makes you wanna have a swim… But it’d be freezing surely ?Swim? Wasn’t the first thing that crossed our minds I can tell you! But after being ribbed by a group of elderly trampers we passed on the way down for not taking a plunge, the idea set in that perhaps we should? Well this isn’t the last lake we’re going to pass on this section ;)Photography Frenzy!
Peeeoow Peeooow Peeeow! Shots firing off left, right and centre. Two slick Canons and one almighty meaty Nikon are stomping round these mountains, recording every detail, getting the best angles, and capturing the perfect ‘magic hour’ light.
Right a bit, left a bit, hold it…that’s right – if the glacier could now just show a bit more profile over the horizon and the sun keep moving down the lake to the west…perfect, we’re all set! Snapsnap!