For those following along, you know I've mentioned New Zealand is often more than breezy. At times, the President Trump winds (read insane) are both scary and deadly. I've read accounts of huts being blown away (with unhappy campers inside), trains getting pushed off their tracks (passenger trains, not freight) and roofs getting peeled off like an orange rind. That's freaking windy.
So what did I do?
Go for a hike up to a ridge line where Mount Holdsworth (4,687") resides, on a day when the winds were forecast to be more than refreshing.
For a change, the trail was in amazing shape. I made great time getting to the altitude of petering out trees. With no green matter to block the gusts, I was exposed to a dramatic wind chill. I quickly donned my trusty Windstopper jacket. That helped. Eventually the only living things up on the ridge were grasses (blown horizontal) and me. The grasses didn't have a choice to be there, I did. After a Mach One gust brought me to my knees (literally). I went into full retreat.
Later on, I discovered winds were in excess of 75 MPH. According to Summitpost.org : "65-75mph: can barely walk forward, gusts of this type will knock you on your ass!
75+ Go Home."
'Tis better to retreat at times, to live to see another mountain.
Another safety tip from the W W Jew,
Cheers!
Jeff
Stay safe out there Jeff!
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