Day 2: (Wed 12th Mar 2008) The Carrington hut was big and dry - just what was ordered. The rain had cleared and the river didn't look like we would need to use the Cloughy Cableway (visible in photo 200IB). The track then heads up the Taipoiti River where one just follows the bolders. Magnificent views up the White Valley to Mt harper and Mt Waheman and its snowfield are seen to the Southwest.

The sides become steeper with rock slides and there were a few dodgy river crossings. until we pass into a canyon-like section of the river, steadily climbing. (mainly misjudgement of the best spot). Carrington hut was big and dry - just what was ordered. The rain had cleared and the river didn't look like we would need to use the Cloughy Cableway (visible in photo 200IB). The track then heads up the Taipoiti River where one just follows the bolders. Magnificent views up the White Valley to Mt harper and Mt Waheman and its snowfield are seen to the Southwest.

The river became a little more like its name ("iti"=small) but still tricky and the temperature fell (see me "mit handschuh und lange unterhose" in 256JS and 358KB). Actually the polyprop long-johns were excellent for river crossings (warm and dry quickly), but I'll have to do something about the colour!

The river "valley" was becoming more a gorge by now with amazing waterfalls appearing since the rain. The river still demanded a greater attention and care with frequent crossings.

The composit view was taken at 1023am looking back so this is appears to be looking over the Fault Scarps of Camp Spur.

Finally we were up on the tops with alpine plants and great views. It was too late for the Mount Cook lily (Ranunculus lyallii) to be flowering (Nov-Jan), but I believe these are the leaves (either that or Forget-me nots!), and the berries are Little Mountain Heath (Pentachondra pumila).

The descent was not entirely without mishap. Jim left a fair bit of skin on a rock, the track disappeared and a number of inconsistent marker poles were spotted around the valley floor and I discovered that the clump of grass used to slow up my descent was a variety of Aciphylla ?subflabellata (Speargrass) - NOT advisable!!

Anyway we knew where we were meant to end up, so by a variety of hazardous routes, we eventually all got to the pleasant spot on the river for lunch.

Following lunch, the treck wasn't any safer. There were a number of crossings of the enlarging Mary Creek and climbing over bolders wasn't without risks as I found out when I lost my footing and feel down a few metres onto a rock,

dislocating a left middle finger, lifting a skin flap on the right hand and producing a massive bruise over my right hip (which I didn't notice until lying on my right that night!). At least my head was intact. I could reduce the dislocation alone so I applied the traction while the vet (Cathy) pushed it back in place. After buddy-strapping the finger and taping the flap back in position, I was fairly 'armless (well I could use elbows and forearms). Subsequent X-Rays revealed a small volar fracture.

I could still take photgraphs and my legs still worked, so off we all went. There was still crossings to make, a small climb and a swing bridge (quite hard with no hands) before we made Julia Hut.

The ring finger was also injured and so I needed to remove the ring once we got to the hut. I thought I would be smart and show everyone how to do this - it worked but was 10x more painful doing it than dislocating and relocating the middle finger!