Around 5am the rain began again but by 7:30am a low mist hung from the trees. By that time it was enough daylight to start hiking. The temperatures were still warm so we knew the cold front was still to come. An hour into our climb to the ridge line, the wind began to gust, thunder crackled, and a cold rain came down. The climb was to a tree covered ridge so we decided to continue. Neither of us wanted to turn back. Toward the top I spotted two more goats. They don't look like mountain goats in the States. Fluffy white with horns. These look like regular farm goats. By lunch the rain had subsided and we stopped at Tarn Hut for lunch by a mountain lake. We were lucky for the clouds to rise long enough to get a photo.
Our final goal was Mt. Rintoul Hut at the base of Rintoul itself and the beginning of an 8 mile alpine/ridge walk. About 2 miles from the hut it began to rain and the wind blew again. This time we were on Purple Top an exposed mountain made up of purple rocks. With the visibility decreasing we struggled to see the cairns. Once back in the tree line we raced the last thundering mile to the hut. With nothing to say to each other we were quiet. The wind and rain damped the noise of our steps. A tree had fallen and under it's root canopy a goat had taken shelter. I raced by, scared the goat, he ran out from under the root umbrella right In front of Shadow, and scared the crap out of him.
We made it to the shelter, salvaged some wet wood for a fire, changed out of our wet clothes, and made a cup of warm powdered milk to drink. The view from our hut window is down to the Tasman Sea. Ships would use Mt. Rintoul as a navigational aid. We are so close to the North Island, but stuck here until the weather improves.
I had enough cell phone signal to check the weather. The forecast seems to be the same for tomorrow. Our clothes hang above the wood stove to dry as we ration our food for an extra day out and listen to the Weka outside.
Tree Fungus.
Lake at Tarn Hut.
Best view of the day.
Climbing Purple Top.
Cairn on Purple Top.
Country Mouse and Shadow
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