YIC has just returned from climbing Mt Armstrong. At 2,174 metres, this is YIC's highest peak in NZ to date. The tramp involved a 1,700 metre climb straight up from Haast River, then a night at the scenic Brewster Hut. The views from the top were fantastic. Staying at the hut were also Barry & Kay and Brian & Sue from Lake Kanieri (West Coast), and several cheery (and loud!) folk from Auckland. After the tramp, YIC cooled off with a swim in the Haast River - no photos of that, readers will be relieved to hear.
looking along the ridge on Mt Armstrong
Mt Brewster from Mt Armstrong
The Southern Alps stretch into the distance to the east
at Brewster Hut
Kay doing her bit and giving the hut a spring clean
another loo with a view - and in better shape after Kay had given it a clean
Brian - the cheery ex-Liverpudlian bus driver on Atomic Shuttles which YIC has used for transport to the Wilkin Young and Mt Armstrong tramps. "Travel with Atomic," says Brian, "they're the best!" And indeed they must be, judging by the quality of jokes on board. Here's a joke which YIC heard from a young girl on the bus: Why was 6 afraid of 7? Because 7 ate 9. When YIC riposted with the one-eyed dinosaur joke, the girl simply stated: "I'm not laughing."