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It was a very chilly morning, but with the prospect of hiking Gertrude's Saddle we were both up and dressed (very warmly), leaving the campsite as first light brought the morning into focus. We climbed back through the tunnel with the scenery looking even more imposing in the weak morning light and turned off shortly after to park the Enema where a DOC sign proudly announced 'Gertrude's Saddle'.
It was still decidedly nippy when we set off and Bob looked like a determined Oompa Loompa in her down jacket. As a cursory acknowledgement of the temperature I wore my bobble hat and we started the ascent. We walked up the dry river bed into the colossal amphitheatre of rock which surrounded us before starting to scramble towards the saddle which became visible around the corner.
We climbed level with a pretty little hanging lake and our initial summit proved to be false. A huge wall of granite hid behind the imposter with very little in the suggestions as to how to scale it. At this point the wind decided to make itself felt and an Antarctic blast whistled up the valley. With frozen hands and noses we scrabbled higher, eventually reaching the saddle which rewarded us with a stunning, crystal clear aerial view of Milford sound just as the sun came out.
After a chilly lunch and trying out Chris's tripod for some somewhat mistimed erratic airborne photos, the temperature made itself known and we started to descend, with a friendly Kea (a large parrot) for company. After about 100m the cold sunshine was replaced by a particularly unwelcome flurry of snow which made us very glad that we had come prepared. After an hour or so of slithering and with some particularly unhelpful advice from a North American idiot we were back at the car.
Bob drive us back to normality and with sore legs we spent the afternoon planning out next few moves, wandering Te Anau and getting fish and chips for supper.
Having looked at the weather forecast we stayed in a cabin as it was only an extra $20 and allowed us to do a load of washing and spread the maps and guides out. As the crystal clear night opened up and the temperature plummeted, the little fan heater had to work hard to keep the room warm and were very glad not to be in the Enema!
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