Copland and Copters

I left Wanaka Friday evening and headed up route 6 to Haast. I was planning on setting up campage just outside town then hopping in the sunny nice and early to get to the start of the Copland Track.

Well it all went wrong for little old me as the road was closed due to land slidage. It was due to re-open 8am the following day so I camped at a nearby lake. The following morning battery was as flat as pancakes. Fook, not again! This was the third time. Damn you El Cheapo! Many thanks to Jay the trucker guy who helped a damsel in distress and located some jump leads. Jay was a roadie on the 'Lord of the Rings' and is still mates with Viggo and Sir Ian on Facebook.

So I got to the Copland Track in the baking midday sun, it took 5 hours to walk the 18km to the Welcome Flats Hut. The walk took me through forest, along river, across brooks and canyons and provided more stunning views of mootons.

This is the morning view before reaching the track. I liked the mist and shafts of light.

The rest of the photos are off the Copland Track.

Is it me or does this rock look like a seal? Check out closeup.

I took this picture because of the lighting although I'm not sure it has come out. It was like being trapped in a lime fruit pastel the green was so intense.

I call this photo 'mooton through canoopy.'

There were two of these suspension bridges over really deep gorges. A bit fooking hairy to cross!!!

But great views.

I hit the hut about 5pm and got chatting to a bloke from Littleborough called Adrian. He now lives in Christchurch and works as a structural engineer; I guess they need plenty of them!

I spent a solitary hour by the river, I did debate a dip but it was fooking freezing! The azure of the water being due to the glacial melt.

I did venture into the hot pools but to be honest I find them all a bit overrated. Too fooking hot  and they friggin' stink! Not to mention the sandflies, I had them crawling all over my face. To top it off there is a risk of amoebic meningitis if the water gets up your nose; fantastic!

The walk back to the carpark was uneventful, I left at 7:30am; zero kippage due to snoringtons again. Snoozed by the river for an hour or so and hit the sunny at about 2ish.

Sunday night I treated myself to a night in the 'top 10 holiday park' in Franz Josef Glacier. Hot showers, cooking facilities and I even pushed the boat out and used the laundry. Below is the view from tentage.

  

Monday I was helicoptered onto the glacier for my ice hike which was amazeballs. I did however share the excursion with a bunch of muppets who spent all their time taking 'pouting ice' photos of each other and slowing the rest of us down grrrr. Still it didn't deter from my awe and wonder. Below are my 'cheesy grin' photos, all 2 of them.

And the rest of bloggingtons is dedicated to glacier photos; please enjoy:D xxxx