Retreat

I was every so excited to be heading into the hills with ice axe and crampons today.

Not the brightest of weather forecasts but not dire either, so off we went. I was the only girl with 5 of the big boys. I managed to keep up with them.

We had a circuit planned from Dry Stream Creek, just beyond the turn off to Porters Pass ski field. It's rough country in the back of the Torlesse Range and our plan was to go up one ridge, sidle around onto Foggy Peak, then around to Mt Plenty and down the opposite ridge, cross the road using the culvert that takes Dry Steam (currently a wet dry stream) beneath highway 73 and back to the cars.

Within an hour rain coats were on. But there was little wind and good visibility so we continued on. With elevation the wind came up and temperature dropped. We sheltered behind big rocks in the saddle beneath the last slope up to the summit of Foggy Peak.

As we downed a quick bite and slurped on hot drinks we decided to continue on and reassess. It was definitely cold and bleak but still a great place to be.

It soon became apparent the wind coupled with lashing rain, sleet and hail wasn't in our favour. Here we are the retreating with the boys in the foreground and southern end of the Craigieburn Range behind.

Large is colder and you can see the tussocks bending in the wind.

It was still a good day and I was glad to be out in the elements (and just as glad to correctly turn back when we did). Ice axes and crampons got wet and cold but we turned back at about the point where we would have needed them.

Early winter trips are always a good opportunity to check out gear and sort a few things. From now on I'll remember to always take my balaclava and my big industrial strength mountain gloves.

Yesterday is back blipped. - The folly of youth

Some would say today was folly ;-)