Spring thaw delights - part 2

Continued from Selai's blog...

Watching Selai fall through the ice bridge and up to her chest in water was one of those "oh shit" moments, much more so than sitting in the car while Alistair gently spun it into the armco earlier in the week.  I sprinted across the top of the beaver dam, well sprinted is a relative term as I was wearing snow shoes and the top of the dam is full of twigs and logs designed to trap snow shoes and with about 100mm of water spilling rapily over it.  By the time I had cleared the dam and some intervening snow covered bogs Selai was out of the river and giving me a strong thumbs up that she ws alright.  When she turned and began walking briskly for the lodge and road end I figured that she was better to keep walking than to wait or me, so I returned to the camp site.

Back at camp they had the tents up and a fire going.  The site selected was very sheltered and the temperature a balmy 7 degrees.  Far to warm for so much snow and we had to shift our tents before retiring as the snow base had transformed into a paddling pool.  I elected not to tell the others about Selai's incident as the obvious rising rivers were already causing enough concern.  Despite a cramped tent I had my best nights sleep of the trip (although there are rumours I was the only one to sleep so well).

Heading back in the morning we had to decide whether to use the beaver dams again, or try the route that the army had used, but about which we knew nothing.  After a brief team discussion we elected to use the probable army route and indeed the army decide to retreat about the same time as us and we soon met up with them. This time there were no beaver dams and the river was fast and a bit over thigh deep. However the army decided it was there mission to get us across with dry feet and in a a major joint NZ/Argentine team exercise, we built a very suspect log bridge.  

Second to cross the bridge was a somewhat overweight army skier who tried to pull himself across, sliding on his belly with his pack on his back and alpine touring skis still on his feet.  Less than half way across he slid off and it required the quick action of a couple of comrades to prevent a drowning.  With safety, if not dignity assured the captain stepped into the river to hold the water logged skier's radio out of the water.  Hopefully we have a video of this to post.

Our own crossing was relatively unevetful as we added a second log.  There was also an easier place to cross, that half the army group used.   Still - it was a great piece of PR from a bunch of really nice guys.

Ross

falling through ice!

yesterday 7 of us set out up the valle de lobos on snow shoes (raquettas).  ali-b chose to ski-tour and the beaver dam proved to much so he was left to entertain himself on the nearside of the river.  we set off for the refugio and were welcomed by the spanish military who had the potbelly burning inside and cleared a space for us to hunker down out of the wind and eat our lunch... the following is an excerpt from an email after leaving the refugio .....

we found a camp spot, then ross and i headed back down the wind blown valley, leaving the others to set up camp.  we crossed a big huge swamp rather nervously, ross put a crack right across the ice bridge for what seemed to span the entire swamp and each shelf moved independently of each other as i stepped across.  we fell through the ice toward the end, but was only shallow and the ice chunks managed to keep us mostly off the soft bottom.  we found the beaver crossing and parted company.  ross watched while i crossed back and stayed on the river bank to watch as i tried to cross the 2 dodgey ice bridges.  i had a walking pole, which i used to test the ice before me, it just kept getting softer and softer!  as i edged nearer to the far  bank more and more water was pooled on the surface of the ice.  I drove down on the pole to test the ice once more and went straight through!  at that point I could see that the ice was bubbled and soft right the way through to the water!  i knew i was standing too close but before i could step back a big chunk gave way underneath me, and i just kept falling further and further, all in slow motion it seemed?!  by the time i hit the bottom i was waist deep in stinging ice cold water!  my first thought was 'get out, now!'  my second thought was 'the camera!' i sort of flayed a bit and tried to gain traction forward to the far bank but the ice was being ripped away in front of me by the current, so i leant back on the ice behind me and hoisted myself up just praying it would hold me!  thankfully i got myself up and quickly scooted across the remaining part of the bridge to the other side.  i realised then that i'd dropped ross' pole, and tried to retrieve it.  i was conscious that i really needed to keep moving towards home to avoid getting too cold,  but i edged out to get the pole and once again the ice began to give way.  so i left the pole and carried on.  by the time i made it to the second bridge ross had come down to the first bridge - i'm not sure if he had better luck with the pole!  as i crossed i fell through again, but it was shallow and only one leg went through.  

i recovered myself and set back out aware that i now really needed to get back to shelter and warmth.  due to the melt it was difficult to retrace our steps an it felt at times like i was almost aimlessly wandering across the plain!  i knew which direction i needed to go in and that if the shit hit the fan i could always walk out to the road, so no big deal just a bother really!  i stopped and took a few pics of a rather cool bivy, but i don't think they'll be that great due to my wanting to keep moving so as not to cool off too much.  after about 40 mins i made it back to base where ali-b was waiting.  thankfully he had some dry clothes, so i quickly changed and the fire was burning, so we had a beer - one of the sweetest beers i've ever had!!

ciao

selai

First rest day

We have declared today a much needed rest day after skiing for seven of the last 8 days.  The need for the rest day was becoming increasingly apparent as we struggled to stay awake until dinner.  

Well it is almost a rest day, we went dog sledding this morning. There are several large kennels near Ushuaia housing 50-100 dogs each.  Snow in the valleys is getting pretty slushy but it is still quite a neat experience being pulled through the forest by a team of twelve dogs.

 Leena's progress at downhill skiing has been most impressive.  She came on the trip intending to focus on cross country skiing and saying she would not be downhilling "At All".  However on her last day she conconquered both the top lifts, skiing the blue and red runs with confidence and style.  Rumour has it that she had a good sleep before dinner, but she was first up this morning and out for a full days museum and art exploration.

This afternoon we will be packing for a two day tramp and leaving early tomorrow.  With snow on the valley floor we will need to hire snow shoes (or Rackets as the locals call them), but have checked out conditions with the locals and found a suitable track and target camp site.

Ushuaia is growing on all of us.  In summer it is a frantic place, full of impatient gringos heading for Antarctica, but at this time of year foreign tourists are rare and everyone seems to forgive our lack of Spanish and work hard to communicate.  So much so that we are still not practicing our language skills enough.

Spring has arrived today and temperatures are heading into the low teens.  It is positively hot after the snow of earlier in the week.  Part of the hot is caused by the heavily subsidised gas prices.  All buildings seem heated to about 25 degrees or more.

Ross

Admiring the View

Keri admires the view off the back of Cerro Castor.

Leena & Murray survive Ross’s Ski lesson

Leena and I, keen to test ourselves further on the slopes of Cerro Castor, enlisted the assistance of campo padre Ross Bidmead to advise on and correct our skiing technique. I being happy at some speed but not with height and Leena with height but not speed made for some interesting challenges for both Ross as tutor and us as the trainees.

First up was the introduction green run from the top of Telesilla Cuadruple (chair lift 4) provided general comments of approval from Leena, who had not yet coasted its tree lined powder. Next on the list was a repeat of the previous with an excursion down a step section of the blue trail (14), which Leena handled with some capability but for myself I had to bail as a fear of heights combined with landing myself on a largish patch of steep ice forced a climb up to the top of the green.

To be continued...

Muzza (Murray)

Ali B continues: The group decided to take the easy option and eat in at the hostel restaurant. After waiting until 8pm when the restaurant opening, we trooped on down and had very attentive service as we were first to arrive for the “tourist” sitting. We enjoyed an excellent dinner and dessert for most, although the Tiramisu was disappointing. By 10pm, heads were nodding, so it was time for the check and off to bed. Me include. Bye for now.

Ali B Crashes - And not on the ski field!

We had a good dump of snow overnight and left full of expectation in our two cars. The first leaving at 8:30, and the second leaving at 8:50.

At the permanent police check was a sign words to the effect of "snow chains are obligatory". The police said nothing except to confirm we were from New Zealand and tell us to turn on our head lights. So with our studded tyres we were away.

The snow deepened as we topped the pass and continued down the other side. It was a careful and uneventful drive. Then only a few kilometres from Cerro Castor Ali B let the car drift a little too far to the right and ran off the edge of the hard tarmac (hidden under the layer of snow). Driving back onto the hard surface there was a twitch and Ali's rear wheel drive reaction failed to help control the situation.

The result was a tango, with a gentle pirouette finishing with a kiss of the armour guard with a touch of Latin American bite! On the opposite side of the road facing the right direction (i.e. we'd done a 180 degree spin).

As we were sliding,

• Ross was thinking: Shit, there goes the insurance bond
• Erena was thinking, as we watched the Armco getting closer & closer: ‘crap, I hope we don’t roll!’
• Matt said: Ah, looks like we’re crashing....
• Alistair was thinking: Crap!

Fortunately there road was clear of traffic, and the speed was low. The only damage was to nerves and a small dent to the rim of the passenger rear tyre. Phew!!

Authors: All the occupants.

Match stick snow sliding

I put myself out there today and tried to slide across snow on two match sticks, along with keri, lena and muzza at a x country field nearby!  For a person who is accustomed to sliding on snow sideways this was a serious deviation from the force.  But the comedy that ensued had even the field dogs laughing at us, so I think it was well worth it (by 'us' I mean 'me').  I can now identify with how Obelix feels when Dogmatix laughs at him?!!  Much to my personal dismay I was keeping company with followers of the downhill match stick order, so they unfortunately appeared to take to this ridiculous excuse for a sport like ducks take to water.  I reckon I was within earshot of Keri for a total of 2 mins of the 4 hr expedition!  Under Lena's expert tutelage, my second circuit lap improved markedly, managing tofall over only twice, until the last 100m where I quadrupled my fall total!  Muzza reveled in the fact that at last he could slide over snow faster than I!  Not, however, without kissing snow too (he he heee!)!

Sooooo, in summay.  x country skiing:  mucho funny cos falling over doesn't hurt when you're only going 2km's/hr!!  And it's a great way to see the country side!  For all the less-than-graceful-descents into the snow, I still really enjoyed myself and you get a good work out, so I'll definitely blazing another x country trail in the time we have left in the land of fire!          

 
It's snowing outside!!


selai