Walking off the Map

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Walking off the Map Matt Comeskey Huey was sending US a message. and Centennial Hut, weighing up our With grim determination. and an almost Dave climbed up onto the crest of the chances of beatingt the weather. In the animal-like desire to sniff the snow for ridge and we looked across at Mt final analysis desperation won over sign of passing humans, we pressed Tasman. A grey, lenticular cloud had discretion, and despite not having the on. The occasional lolly wrapper sent completely enveloped the mountain right map we made a sprint for it. US into raptures of joy. Where there's andit wouldn'tbel long before the wind rubbish, there's people. would be whipping around US. We The cloud descended faster than we abandoned the summit of Haidinger anticipated and we weren't even over We veered left, then right, correcting and romped back to the hut before it the Pass before we were groping and over-correcting. Things weren't all got too ugly. around linl blindness. Fortunately, there lookinggood; the chances of spending was a line of tracks that appeared to the night in a dry bunk were looking ioneer Hut is in a special place. lead in the right direction. Wet followed bleak. We cursed our stupidity at The view from the loo is these, watching our compass to ensure walking off the map. Despite all that, outstanding. A full panorama of the we were traversing the glacier and not we pressed on. Retreat wasn't an Main Divide from the comfort of the descending it. It was snowing heavily option and somehow we felt things throne, and 20 metres of fresh air and soon the tracks began to would go our way soon. It seemed between your knees that gives a whole disappear at intervals, only to reappear hopeless until a'sweet smell passed new meaning to longdrop dunnies. as slight depressions in the snow. across US. The unmistakable sign of human occupation shit. Huey chose Unfortunately, over the last few years Attimes, intuition andl Iblind faith guided that moment to lift the veil of cloud and Pioneer Hut has suffered from its US and we were relieved each time the there it was, nirvana, or at least popularity. Thehutl leaks, it smells, and tracks reappeared. We would stop at Centennial Hut, perched upl high on a what lurks in the bottom of the water moments of crisis and debate turning rock spur. tank is too scary to imagine. The back, but by now our own tracks were thought of being crammed into a rapidly disappearing and we were We passed the next few days reclining damp, smelly hutt for a prolonged spell totally committed. We didn't have a in the spacious, clean confines of the of weather didn't appeal to US at all. snow shovel or tent SO digging in hut with some charming and We ummed and ahhed about racing wasn't tan option. It was Centennial Hut interesting people. We even managed over West Hoe Pass to thel Franz Josef or bust! to snatch a climb between storms. Crossing Franz. Josef Glacier Matt Comeskey TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING