By 3 pm the rain which had been increasingly sporadic finally ceased.

The stream adjacent to the hut had started to go down by lunchtime. It was gloomy, most un-summer-like.

I sat in my sleeping bag to keep warm, reading the hut literature and having the occasional nap. Just like you are supposed to do on a rest day.

I had had four days of fairly intense physical exertion with that heavy pack, including my dash yesterday, I guess my body was rejoicing with the little it was ordered to do today.

My next day of effort will be to climb from 680 m at the upper level, up to the unnamed pass, actually a little higher than the pass to get onto a ridge, at 1420 m, then dropping to Top Robinson Hut back at 690 m.

The two biggest stream crossings have walk wires, that’s a three-wire bridge. When it stops raining the short steep tributaries should prove no major problem in crossing.

Later, I’m lying in my sleeping bag once again. It’s damp and cool and I’m wondering about summer once again. Currently there is an excess of sun and heat in South East Australia, and a paucity in the Land of the Long Grey Cloud.

It cleared substantially, then at 7 pm there was another downpour. Maybe I’ll be sticking around for another night here, I’d like a decent day for the pass.

No matter, I did an inventory of my remaining food and it looks like I could cope with another 11 days without too much issue.

+++++horizontal rule+++++

A guide to the night’s accommodation: Lake Christabel Hut

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