Jane & Mt Cook

We spent the last week on a glacier travel and rope practice course, part of which was at Plateau Hut, immediately below Aoraki-Mt Cook. I could write about all sorts of things:

• How I feel like I’ve come home when I get to the big mountains (or any mountains).
• How I feel like crying when I leave precipitately, as is the case when your transport is a helicopter.
• How one feels hugely compromised flying in a helicopter to see the rate at which glaciers are retreating, but walking in is now close to impossible because of glacial retreat.
• How satisfying it is to learn new skills that make you feel more competent in mountain environments.
• How humbling it is to realise that your skills are not up to some of the things you might want to do.
• How much fun it is to share time in the mountains with other people.
• How going offline for several consecutive days gives you back your brain and a whole lot of time.
• 
  

That’s enough writing for now. I’ll let pictures tell the rest of the story.

Aoraki-Mt Cook at sunset

Off the mountain – Will, Oscar, Jane, Pablo the guide, Chris