13 Feb, very cold southerly, breezy wind. 14 km

The full hut came to life at 6:30, I was last to leave at 8:00. The spare chair put outside overnight to fit people in on the floor had been shuttled back inside.

The walk started at Avon Burn stream so wet feet from the get go. It continued in a steady climb up Mt Martha 1680m. The track was a 4WD that went right over the top so an easy track to walk on, but gradual continual climb up toward the avalanche path beyond the saddle.

The track rambled on through mountains of scree and rock until the avalanche path.

The top it began to snow lightly. Visibility was poor and improved as the descent across the avalanche path.

This was wonderful to walk on. A gradual downward slope surrounded by scree. Great views of the expansive area of rock.

The descent was easy along on an unmarked bulldozer track to reach tussock. This was a swamp as it crossed streams to get to Timaru Creek at the bottom.

I arrived at the hut at 1:30 so a good day finished early.

I was 6th into a 6 bunk hut. Two more arrived later, Nick and Ginny. They read the note left in the previous hut advising full huts ahead and were expecting to camp. Four more were expected and turned up just before dark. Two 74yo and two other women. Ross gathered their water from the stream across the river as they set up camp.

Warm in the hut but still a cold wind outside.

6 inside and 6 tenting outside. There was ice on Nick and Ginny’s tent fly in the morning a cold night outside.