We took a six hour hike today up the Bealey Spur trail from the Wilderness Lodge, climbing up to some of the high meadows above the Waimakaririri River valley. The day started cloudy, but we had some nice views up and down the valley as the clouds rolled in.

We turned around at the Musterers Hut, an ancient shepherds hut now turned into a backpackers shelter. Although there was a peak you could scramble up in another forty minutes, the cloud ceiling was dropping and the peak was already obscured. And besides, we wanted to make it back to our lodge room for a video chat with our children.

So we scrambled down the mountain in the increasing rain and had a restful afternoon. Wilderness Lodge feels like our Rivendell, with its tall and animated host, peaceful mountain surroundings, plentiful food, and good company of travelers.