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Snow, Slippery Rocks, and 14 Thieving Parrots: Two Hikers Bare All

From the brutal Coronallacs loop in Andorra to a soggy New Zealand hut invasion by bandit Keas, these survival tales prove nature never plays fair.
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Snow, Slippery Rocks, and 14 Thieving Parrots: Two Hikers Bare All · Avonetics

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October 5th dawned cold and still in the Pyrenees as one hiker began what would become a five-day battle against snow, stone, and sheer exposure.

The Coronallacs loop promised solitude — and delivered it in spades.

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But by Day 2, things got real. Nine hours and forty minutes of technical terrain tested every inch of resolve. Loose scree, knife-edge ridges, and slickrock sections pushed confidence to its edge.

"I'm not super confident with rocks," they admitted afterward.

Day 4 brought snow — soft at first, then coating everything in ice.

Yet somehow, they smiled through it.

Back in New Zealand, another adventure unfolded under gray skies.

Snowshoes worked well in soft powder. But weather rolled in fast.

No summit. Just a two-hour power nap instead.

Still, something magical happened:

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Fourteen Kea appeared.

Green parrots with attitude. Stealing snacks, mocking hikers, turning survival into satire.

As they descended into foggy valleys, one bird perched on a boot like he owned the trail.

Nature doesn’t care about timelines.

It only cares about respect.

And maybe sharing your lunch.

Want the full story behind these wild hikes? The hosts break it all down on the latest episode of Off Grid.

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