Day 24 - Camp spot to Anne Hut

It's always a delight to wake up with zero condensation on my tent. I finally got the sleep that my body needed, and I was feeling ready to tackle the 30km walk to Annes hut.

I put on my still wet socks and boots, and started my journey through the valley. Within 50 meters of leaving camp I was crossing a knee high ice cold stream and singing with pain. That's one way to wake your feet up in the morning. This was only the beginning of my stream crossings today, and I knew that my feet were going to be wet for the full 30km march. Wet feet are something I'm already used to, and not something I'm conserned with. I've had people ask me "don't you get blisters hiking in wet feet!?" and the simple answer to that is "Yes." but as long as you tape them up as soon as you feel them starting they don't get infected, and that's all I need to avoid. Blisters are just part of the journey.

The walk today was as flat as my feet, following the Ada river valley through fields of golden grass with beautiful white, yellow and sometimes red flowers. Bees bumbled around flowers, and small ground butterflies followed my every step. I felt as though I was walking through the afterlife. Neverending thoughts of euphoria filled my empty hiker stomach. It was refreshing to say the least. My music and hiking had finished their arguing from yesterday's climb, and today they were more rhythmic then long lost lovers. 

Although my hiking legs were set, 30km is still a big distance to cover, especially when you're in an open valley and you can see exactly how far you've walked and how far you still have to go.

By early afternoon heavy winds had picked up, and I knew that rain was on its way. I was just hoping I could make it to my hut before it hit. I must have had to make more than 10 knee high water crossings - including the Ann river - and I was very thankful that I was missing any sort of rain that was soon to hit. Kat told me that she met a guy who had to pull his locator beacon in this very section because the valley flooded. Just goes to show how fast this place can turn from timeless to traumatic in just a few hours.

I followed a four wheel track for most of the day before breaking off on a foot path toward the trees. I was within 4km of Anne's hut at this point, and the winds were blowing harder than ever. I followed the path up a hill until I landed in front of a swing bridge. All the swing bridges I've crossed have been straight and have had little swing to them when I'd crossed. This swing bridge was shaped like a snake from all the heavy wind. I took my steps slowly and held on tight as I was thrown around on this backcountry rollercoaster. I made it to the other side just fine, but it added a nice bit of adrenaline to the end of my day.

By the time I saw Anne's hut the sky behind it had turned into a grey wall of rain that was coming straight for me. I hurried my final steps to the hut just before it hit, and I was happy to arrive dry, aside from my feet.

Niles, Wietse, and Karima where all here, my small group of TA friends who I've been on the same hut schedule with from the start of this section. Later on Justin and Dylan showed up. The perfect amount of people for a 24 bunk hut.

Weather forcast was for over 100km gail force winds with some heavy rain tonight. Wietse, Justin, Dylan and myself all decided we would all be heading for Boyle flats hut tomorrow. Only 17.5km, so basically a half day of walking. Might even sleep in if my body lets me!