Magic

A perfect day.

It's not often you can sit on top of a mountain and eat your lunch. The Southern Alps were stunning with not a cloud in sight. Lunch was a physical and visual feast.

Check the Southern Alps large (without the sweat ;-)

Going up we kicked steps in the snow. Going down it was a mix of kicking and cutting steps with ice axes and then using crampons.

We returned via a different route, taking a wonderful basin I wished I'd had skis with me to attack. The plan was to descend the basin, then cross a steep slope to gain a ridge where we could cross back over into another valley that would lead us back to the cars.

But the steep slope we needed to cross was too dangerous. Instead we descended down and down - which meant we had to climb up and up to get to where we needed to be.

We virtually climbed half of Mt Cloudsley again, a large physical and psychological demand at 3pm. There aren't a lot of options so it's switch off and put one foot in front of the other. It was some of the loosest and rotten rock I've had to negotiate for a while, with the odd bit of snow and ice.

Happily once I was showered and tucking into my dinner prepared by the hunter, I was left with the memory of stunning views and the satisfaction of safely completing a great day in the mountains.

8.5 hours.