05.02.2010
Plan was to leave late in the day for this 8h return trek to arrive on top in the evening, then pitch the tent to take some nice sunset and sunrise pics and walk down next morning.
Most of my stuff was waiting for me in DOC center, to be picked up afterwards. Then I just wanted to make the 30kms to Fox.
That was the plan and it does still sound nice and I still wold recommend it to everybody who's equipped for it.
Left Franz Jo village at 1 midday. Start of the trek is 4km outside (typical for NZ was the fact that they advertised for an "eco friendly shuttle service" by bus to the start. Couldn't figure out what exactly made it eco friendly, as everybody who's fit enough for the trek itself would sure be able to walk that bit on the roadside aswell ;) )
was a cloudy day so far with only few holes in the clouds during the morning. Still the trek and the atmosphere around was great
love treks like that! Some roots and rocks everywhere to keep it interesting :) Was sooo funny to meet Katie (we worked together in Punakaiki) right at this spot again :D She was on her way down already. We didn't even know we were in Franz Jo during the same time :)
perhaps Santa was hiding in the clouds somewhere. Couldn't find him though
Without the clouds it might not have been that nice actually
then on top it really looked like it was about to clear as I was hoping. Was only a thin layer of clouds above me
and then the very moment I had made myself comfortable - with some nuts and raisins to reward myself for the climb - it cleared right in front of me :D
thats Franz Josef glacier just in front of me :)
was just soooo perfect!!! Was really excited about pitching my tent up here later for a nice clear night. Nobody around at all (last person I saw was Katie some 3 hours ago and won't see anybody for the first few hours of my way back down aswell)
but then while walking round on top in search for a nice spot for panorama picture I tripped into a little, grass covered hole in the ground and twisting my left ankle badly. Realized directly it was not necessarily broken but still not to be ignored :( After 30mins of waiting and thinking bout the opportunities I had, I came to the conclusion that the only thing to do, was to go down again and try to find a doc in Franz Jo or at least some ice. It was supposed to rain next day and I had to get down anyway. Even if somebody elso was around, the track was way too narrow for walking besides each other. Was clear that biking to Fox and over Haast was not possible anymore, so hitching a ride or fetching a bus to Wanaka - as that would be the nearest place for a hospital or at least somethng like that.
That was then the only pic I took on the way down (started 6.30 in the evening and took till 2 at night including twisting it a 2nd time even though I taped it and was “walking” with the help of a stick). It was - as far as I could tell – a perfectly clear night, the sunset must have been just stunning on top, not to mention the sunrise the following morning... ;(((((((
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