Early morning scramble

Collectively we forgot to move our watches back 1 hour. That wasn't a popular discovery at the new real time of 6.30am! Neither was the Stoat lurking around the hut. It's a wonder the friendly Weka has survived that predator.

Being early meant we had time to decide how we wanted to spend the day. Those that wanted to had an hour to make a fast ascent of another small peak on the Kelly Tops.

It was great. Here you can see Lake Brunner in the distance on the right and beyond the Tasman Sea. The southeasterly breeze was cold but the view was outstanding. The Southern Alps stretched out before us, deep valleys below and the Grey valley snaking down to the Tasman Sea.

So much more of scramble large

We raced back down to the hut and had time for a brew and a bite to eat in the sun. Then it was back down to the car where the others who didn't do the climb were basking in the sun.

There was time to a yarn coffee and cake at the Wobbly Kea in Arthurs Pass. As we headed further east towards Christchurch and home the temperature dropped and cloud increased.

It didn't matter. I was still basking in my memories of the Kelly Tops :-)

Yesterday's Kelly Tops