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