Thursday 28 June 2012

The Snowcat ride from hell

So the snowcat waiting for us had an open back with makeshift benches, fuel cans etc and Jay and I squeezed in first-BIG mistake! They hoisted our big bags onto the forks at the back and with a shudder and jerk we were off! We were squashed so tightly and everyone was falling backwards onto Jay and myself.

The ride seemed exciting at first, but very quickly turned scary for me. It was so steep and rocky at places that we were slipping and sliding all over the place and I was panicking that we were going to go off the steep ridges!
We were definitely overloaded and he was not getting up these steep slopes with all of us plus luggage?!
By now I was squashed in the corner swearing and so scared I could vomit! All I wanted was for him to stop and let me off, I didn't want to be on this thing any longer.

On a very steep hill he tried a few times by reversing over and over again, but we slid down for what seemed like ages and that was it! I was getting off no matter what! We piled off onto boulders onto the side of the snow slope, but as I tried to step up I stood in a deep hole falling into it and sinking so deep only my chin was visible-haha.
At least I was laughing-must've been the relief of being off that machine!
I clung to a big rock for dear life and the driver tried over and over again, but it was not to be-a jerry can even flew off the back and slid nonstop to the bottom where it crashed into a rock!
So they said we must climb up to the left, he would go around on another track and collect everyone again!

Anyway I had already decided HELL NO I was not climbing back on that thing again so as it arrived we told Juri we would walk! It was a super steep climb over slippery ice, rocks and scree, but I wouldn't have had it any other way! The others all climbed on and Joe and I hiked up-we met them close to the top as they got stuck again, so we all arrived at the barrels together!
After unloading we were given barrel no 8-I got to choose my bed and took the last one by the window at the end!
It looked clean-ish and comfy, yay we have arrived!!!

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