Day 105 - Rock Shelter Hut

An eventful night, the Keas were up to no good. They kept trying to come into my tent all night when I was trying to fall asleep. I knew better than to keep any gear outside, so I kept everything is inside. I continued to try scare them off into the night, but eventually I gave into sleep. I woke up at 4am cold, and went to put in my puffy only to find it wasn’t in my tent. It was outside my tent some 10ft away. It was then I saw the gaping holes in the side of my tent. The Keas ripped their way into my tent and took whatever they could grab. My puffy wasn’t the only thing, the hillside was littered with my belongings. My electronics, foods, clothes, garbage. My toilet paper is now confetti. So there I was running around half naked in the middle of the night on top of a mountain collecting my stolen items. Keas are dicks. 

Without anymore Kea damage the morning light brought some beautiful views. 

Up close and personal with Dart Glacier. 

I’m heading down the valley into the Rees-Dart valleys. A more trafficked tramping area surrounded by glaciers. I talked to a warden at Dart Hut and learned that I’m far from the first one that had a run in with the Keas on Cascade Saddle. So far this year over 20 tents have been broken into, and that’s just the ones that have been reported to him. 

Over Rees Saddle. 

I reached Rock Shelter Hut. Here I assessed my tent damage. Luckily all fixable with some Tape, so I spent the evening patching the rips.