For a friend’s birthday, we decided to walk the up to Welcome Flat hut in the Copland Valley to enjoy the hot pools. We decided to stay 2 nights at the hut, so on the middle day while everyone else bathed in the hot pools and ate the feast we carried up the 19 kilometre tack, I started my walk up to the upper end of the valley. I started at 6am (still very dark), I stopped for some breakfast in Douglas Rock Hut on the way. I was determined to get as far as I possibly could in 1 day, and get back to my friends just after sunset. This panorama marks my turning point. I was on the move for 11 hours that day. I did hope to have made it much farther, but the deep snow was slowing me down and the last few kilometres were quite tough. I made it back to Welcome Flat hut and my friends has come about an hour up the track to meet me and one even carried my pack the rest of the way back! We then had a steak dinner and some cider and wine. It’s difficult to imagine better food in such a remote location!