scotts saddle track runs from a point way up the mt hutt ski-road
to a picnic area at the very base of the mountain
today was a one-way expedition only - and the easy way
so the ascent to the starting point was done by motor vehicle
a quick survey of the mt hutt skifield in naked eye's distance
then onto the track and the start of a 3 hour descent
the weather had started out as overcast but had cleared beautifully
so the air was clear, crisp, fresh and very quiet
as you would expect near the top of a not-so-small mountain
the first part of the journey was spent climbing up the path
traversing across the peak of scott's saddle
and then gingerly following the almost goat-like track
cutting it's way across a quite steep shale-covered mountainside
well above the tree-line and in an area normally covered in snow
needless to say the views at nearly 4,000 feet above sea-level
were quite stunning and required constant stopping and assessing
particularly as the cloud cover continued to roll away
to expose more and more of the canterbury plains
laid out in a patchwork quilt in the distance below
there seemed no reason at all to want to hurry the descent
such was the timelessness of the journey
so it was a very leisurely couple of hours later
that the tree-line was finally reached
and then into a marked difference in temperature
there was also a strong odour permeating from the black beech forest
together with the sight and sounds of fresh mountain water streams
this being the runoff of the last of the snow melt still occurring up mountain
the early afternoon sun had become quite strong by now
so it was certainly quite comfortable being shaded by tall trees
a sense of almost-there had come over since stepping into the tree line
but in fact another hour was spent zig-zagging down the path
to finally arrive at the picnic spot
drinks and food consumed
stories exchanged
injuries compared
cars retrieved
smiles all round
happy
