Helicopter Hill (again)

Shanti reports…

We’ve been going walking in the mountains nearly every week, plus more long walks around home. Mum’s been carrying a heavy pack too. Says she’s training for the Old Ghost Road walk, but there’s something about her tone that tells me I’m not invited. But today I clearly am.

We’re off in the car to Craigieburn for another revisit of Helicopter Hill. This is my third summit of Heli Hill. The route today is fairly simple - up the Mistletoe track and down the Luge track. This will be my first time exploring the Luge track. Oh boy - more smells!

The Mistletoe track winds up through a pretty forest to Lyndon Saddle, then you take a right turn and head up the ridge, through a little stand of trees and out into tussockland on the summit. It’s not very high and not very hard, but still has great views.

Here we are on the summit - treat time!

Heading back down already. This is Liz, Mum and me. Apparently it is their final training walk for the Old Ghost Road and their packs are heavy, but they didn’t want too long or hard a walk - something about training tapering off and rest days. Sounds complicated. 

Mum has bought me a pack from Further Faster but I haven’t given it a test run yet. It sounds like hard work so I might try to keep it that way.

Quick as a flash we’re back at Lyndon Saddle and heading back to the car. The Luge track is pretty similar to the Mistletoe track - but kind of heads in the wrong direction, so we had to walk back along the road to get to the car. And, and - we played a little fetch stick in the river before heading home. It’s rather cool being an adventure dog sometimes.