Camp Saddle/Helicopter Hill - 16th November 2014

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 148.

Camp Saddle/Helicopter Hill - 16th November 2014

With several trips being canned over the long weekend due to heavy snow falls down south and gale force winds and heavy rains further north, a quite large bunch of slightly frustrated trampers assembled at Springfield on Sunday morning. A good mix of veteran faces and several newer and younger faces completed the mix of 18 bodies who set off at a brisk pace from the shelter/camp site below Helicopter Hill, charging up to Lyndon saddle in no time. A rest in the trees was had where more japes about Ron now being 70 were uttered including the mention that there was an undertaker in the group if needed. The next part of the day was to sidle around the hill for the next 2.5 kms to reach the ascent to Camp saddle, where another short break was had by some and a much longer one by some others, while several of the crew tackled some of the wilding pines growing in the gully. It was starting to get slightly breezy as we attained Camp Saddle and we hunkered down on the southern side and had a very leisurely lunch. From Camp Saddle we wombled up over points 1550 and 1525 with the breeze staying reasonably benign as we headed to the scree that was to take us some of the way back down to Lyndon saddle. Being an easy/moderate trip with pretty much all moderate trampers on the trip, we still had plenty of time to scoot up Helicopter Hill, where more wilding pines were dealt to and a nice lie in the sun was had buy most as some contemplated why they didn't do more of these easier trips and get to spend more time relaxing on the tops of hills. After being disappointed by the lack of helicopters on Helicopter Hill, we whizzed off back down the hill and back to the cars at a very reasonable hour of the afternoon.