Day 93 - Stag Saddle

Shuttle dropped me off at the beginning of the Bush track in the morning along with 13 other hikers. The shuttle is going to pick up still 10 more. I decided I’d like to get ahead of this chaos and put in a bigger day. Get in front of everyone and stay in-front. I hope to get to Stag Saddle tonight. The highest point in the TA. 

11am photo scrambling up the steep climb to Crooked Creek Hut.

Lunch on a saddle. It was a day high up walking in the grassy tussock terrain. The path comes and goes in the tall grass. Much of the day was me wandering off what I thought I was the trail then looking up and realizing I was completely off track. 

Near the end of the day I started the last climb to Stag Saddle. It was a surprisingly and welcome easy climb to the top. Here I decided to pitch my tent exactly on the high point, for no other reason other than it sounds cool. 

Part of the reason I wanted to pitch my tent here was to watch the sunset and hopefully tomorrows sunrise. I was not disappointed. It was a big day of elevation and strenuous hiking. But the push was worth it.

An older French lady shared the top with me. She went to bed right as sunset was getting good, her loss, but her tent made for a good subject. 

My tent with Lake Tekapo in the background