Took myself off the the Pretty Valley area behind Falls Creek with my skis and what is for me a lightweight pack.
Pack started out at 14 kilos but blew out to about 17 by the time I added in a water bottle a spare walking pole [ Yeah I know wasted weight] and my zip bag with my medications and stuff.
It was a slow ski to the hut area, it's only 6 kilometres from Windy Corner but it took me almost 3 hours.
Got to the hut and dropped my pack outside and went in to make a cuppa and do some blisters starting on my heels and I'd picked up the wrong ziplock bag. No band-aids or blister tape. That's OK I thought they are only tiny blisters and will harden up. Made my cuppa and went looking in the the pack for my Crocs, whoops! No camp shoes or my fuzzy socks.
No problem I thought. Stamped out a small space for the Minaret and put the tent up and moved my gear into it. made dinner and sat and cogitated for a while and got ready for bed.
I don't often go Ultra light but I thought I was well prepared and had enough gear for the worst of the usual winter weather but I was not prepared for the after effects of my recent illness. I was cold. But even more I couldn't get to sleep. I've been on a CPAP machine for the last couple of years but a few nights in the bush without it are not a problem, well not usually anyway. Every time I started to fall asleep I'd start to choke a bit and wake up.
So two nites like this and I knew I needed to come home. So home I am now.
So my big mistake was not really knowing that I wasn't fully recovered and that the doctors sometimes know what they are doing and the doctors idea of taking it slow and easy wasn't my idea of slow and easy. Still the clean air and altitude did seem to make the ear infection less painful and ditto breathing.
Minor mistake #1 was not taping my heels first, minor mistake #2 was not taking more food because I was very hungry all the time and ate 3 days food in 2 days, massive sugar cravings. Major mistake #1 was taking the light weight clothing combination and not my big down parka as I usually do, it simply wasn't worth the weight saving and I should have carried the extra 600 grams.
Second specialist appointment on the 10th and then I'll head back up. this time I'll pack my usually heavy load for extra comfort and security and add an hour to the ski in
Camp shoes in snow are not a luxury but a real need and I left them in the car and they are usually right on top just under the storm clothing.
Hopefully I will be thinking a bit better in a weeks time.
I like this Osprey pack I bought S/H here on the forum but it really is too small for my normal winter load, 85 litres is just a tad too small and actually seems closer to 70 in the main compartment