Lake Mackensie to Howden

Once again I awoke to a lovely morning, very early as there were some serious snores in my part of the hut, snores that even earplugs couldn't block out!

My legs felt ok, a little sore in the calves, so I went for a 45 min walk around the Lake to Split Rock without my pack. So light! It was a mossy beautiful walk, and the moon was still visible over the Darran Mtns.

The lake was really still and peaceful

with lots of birds chirping from the trees

And once again all the trees and rocks were covered in moss. This is Split Rock, about 40 min walk around the lake, its about 30 metres high!

I felt great this morning, perhaps not having a pack on helped!

The it was time to load up and start the 40 min fairly steep climb up

The track was rougher than previous days, so I was glad that I did  warm up walk. It climbed to gain the height lost in descending to the lake yesterday

And when I got to the top it took my breath away! It was a crystal clear morning, and the view across the valley was unbelievable

There were mountains as gar as I could see to the north and south

The picture is back down the Valley that I had walked yesterday

There were so many picture moments that I went very slowly

Every time I came to a gap in the trees the mountains looked different, as the clouds moved about

Pyramid Peak was especially beautiful, I was lucky that it has snowed early in the season

And of course Moosie was there to

Being lurked by a dark shadow

Obviously my self timed photography has not really improved

But finally I got it

Then it was just a long steady descent, passing many lovely little falls

And the magnificent Earland Falls, which are 80 m high

The trees were magnificent, and I especially loved the Beech, with its architectural form it looked like giant Bonzai!

And the to Howden, on the shores of another pretty lake. This hut only had 20 bunks( tiny for this track) and I had the choice of them all. About an hour latter another trekker showed up, and with 19 other bunks to pick, chose the one next to mine!! ah, getting away from it all!

I enjoyed another evening walk, a bit sad that this was the last night