Today was the last day of our Backroads trip and then it will be time to make our way back to Auckland.
After spending more than a week with these guys, I was a little sad to be saying goodbye to my new friends. Here we are headed up the trail to the higher elevations of this costal mountain.
A shot of the trail and a trick of the light to reveal these hiking ghosts.
Up we go. The clouds look a little gloomy in the photographs but is was actually a wonderful day.
This mountain is defiantly bigger than it initially looked!
Earlier we had split into two groups and took separate trails to the top. On top of the ridge we were able to look down on our other mates.
Sam, Larry, Susie, and Brian work our way above the trees. Brian was checking his watch because he was eager to get on with the next 5 weeks of his vacation!
Ingrid and Dennis powering up the mountain.
As we entered the cliffier sections of the trail we looked down on some of the 25 million sheep here in New Zealand.
This ridge got a little knife edgy.
Larry making his move on the Class III section.
More switchbacks to the top.
Parts of our crew nearing the top of our climb.
On top, we had amazing views of the area with the Pacific Ocean in the distance.
A view looking off to the north.
Directly below us was the Craggy Range Winery, one of New Zealand’s most famous, and the road we had ridden yesterday.
Filters applied for this image looking west.
One last image of Hawke’s Bay and a big thanks to our Backroads guides, Sam, Fabrice, and Nine. Also to all our fellow guests and new friends from around North America.
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