Scaling the Glacier

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Glacier Walking today!! Got a fairly early nigth so was bright eyed and bushy tailed ready to face my 3/4day on a very rare glacier. It runs through rainforest...very few glaciers are in rainforests apparently. So its a warm glacier. which means wet!
The day basically consisted of 4 hours on the ice and about 2 hours gettin kitted up and actually along the valley to the base of the glacier. We were all issued with boots and ice-talonz and waterproof jackets and overtrousers plus mittens and hats.-Toasty Warm!
We reached the ice of the glaciers terminal face (i think that is the correct term)!
The initial climb was steps cut in to the ice and guided by hand ropes. Very easy and gave us all a chance to adjust to the ice-talonz. We continued up and down a series of steps and got ridiculously wet as it was raining and, as afore mentioned, its a warm...wet glacier!!! Yey puddles. nice wet feet...boots leaked. As did my overtrousers and jacket!!!
Spent 4 hours in the rain on a big block of ice...cold and wet. But it was still pretty amazing. It the cloud the ice looks blue giving the whole lot an ethereal quality.
We had lunch on what is affectionately termed 'the football field';a relatively flat part. I.e. not a vertical ice face. We then continued about 20 mins to out 'high point' before attempting a descent. Our guide, Dan, was cutting new steps as we went and Lee, Kelly and I all fell on our arses!!!
But we did, however, survive the day and returned to the hostle for a soak in the hot tub. More than a little reluctant to get out for tea but we finally did then headed to the bar, with the open fire for a few celebratory drinks.

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