Mt Alfred

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Couldn't sleep past 3am so rose at about 5 and made it out as the sun rose behind the remarkables.

Drove the daily route to Glenorchy as the clouds began to rise up the mountainsides. Got to the start of the Mt Alfred track and only light drizzle in the air so the promised downpour (they now claim 400mm in 24 hours) hadn't arrived yet.

Made it up to the summit ridge and then turned back from the last part as the rain was coming in and the snow tussock gets rather treacherous. I think I'll have to count that as an "asterisked summit" as Ed Viesturs would say. Luckily, I'm not counting my summits so it doesn't really matter. Made it back down with only mildly complaining knees but the rain held off just long enough for me to change my soggy t-shirt and get into the car.

Very tired now but back in a rapidly flooding Queenstown - the Fiordland downpour has indeed arrived. Dull tasks like washing are under way and then I need to think about packing and seeing what kind of repair job(s) I need to carry out on my various bags to get them through the rigours of international transport.

Today was kinda spoiled by thoughts of having to return back to the "real world" of the UK. Will be weird to leave this place again.

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Comments

[Rob]

3 A.M.
No jetlag on the way back home then?