The Tramping Report

Avalanche Peak Challenge 2010

I saw that the Avalanche Peak Challenge is being run on Saturday 6 March this year.

This 25 km alpine mountain run starts at Arthurs Pass village, 150 km west of Christchurch, and climbs steeply 1100 metres over the summit of Avalanche Peak, then down a rock-slide into the deep canyon of the Crow valley and finishes with a long run out to the Bealey Tavern on SH73. I've tramped over the route many times. In 2005 and 2006 I helped out as a route marshall on the run. It was a great experience both times:

• Avalanche Peak Challenge 2005
• Avalanche Peak Challenge 2006

 

I hope Chris Cox, race director, gets a good turn out and excellent weather this year. Though his bad weather option sounds a good one too. See the race info:

• Avalanche Peak

Big Tops Hut in the Koropuku

Pen sketch by Honora of Big Tops Hut (yes, that's a vacuum cleaner)

I first found my way into the Koropuku valley and visited Big Tops Hut in 1993.

The hut, and the valley, were sadly neglected and lucky to see a single visitor in a year. Access to the hut was completely overgrown and even 50 metres away it was impossible to tell you were close.

The Department of Conservation was quite clear that they wanted to remove it, and would do so as soon as they had funding for the task. The fact the hut was in near perfect condition had no bearing on it.

View of Mt Alexander and Lake Kaurapataka en route to Big Tops in the Koropuku valley

The Koropuku valley is unrivalled in Arthurs Pass National Park for its natural beauty, aside from the additional appeal that its feeling of remoteness gives. And the natural barriers that give it that remoteness are awesome and sublime.

I couldn't believe if people that loved the wilderness knew what it was like there that they wouldn't want to go there. I wanted to save Big Tops to make sure it remained a possibility for other people.

This brought me to a complete change in attitude. Before this I'd been one of the many that reflexively complained about DoC not doing this or not doing that. But I knew if Big Tops Hut was to be saved it was up to me to do it.

To start I cut back the vegetation, cleared the access, cleaned the hut up and carried out the rubbish of an earlier generation of trampers.

Next I set to publicising Big Tops to try to get people going in there again. And interest really did increase and the increase in visitors showed in the hut book within a relatively short time.

In the Koropuku access gully

But I didn't want to just leave it at that. I believed then that individual efforts weren't enough. I hoped one of the local tramping clubs would informally adopt Big Tops to keep access to it open and use their influence to put its case to DoC. So in 1996 I wrote a short piece for the Christchurch Tramping Club newsletter, referring to the club's past connection to the hut. However I hadn't realised there was strong opposition among older members to club involvement in such commitments, and I was treading on toes without knowing it. Such errors as are made in a spirit of enthusiasm and the best of intentions.

This is what I wrote:

Big Tops Hut & the CTC

Christchurch Tramping Club’s connection with the Big Tops Hut in the Koropuku valley goes back a long way.

At one time there was only a tiny Big Tops Biv at the head of the Koropuku Stream. Then when that great tramping benefactor, the New Zealand Forest Service, decided a hut was needed it fell to Ray Forsyth to select a suitable site for it. The condition of Big Tops today is proof that Ray was good at his job. Ray is now a member of the club and spends his time in the hills for pleasure.

The new hut became a Mecca for the more adventurous CTC members. There was even a suggestion at one time that it be renamed “McSweeney Manor” in honour of the frequent visits by then keen young CTC tramper Jerry McSweeney.

Official club trips didn’t go there though. There was even a deliberate move to keep people out. A note in the hut book in 1973 advised people to “…keep it unknown by not talking too much about its position.”

Over the next few years the hut book was dominated by the names of CTC notables of the time: McSweeney, Jones, Visser, Lassche, Rainsbury, Sheppard, Lewis, Hay, Cox, Dephoff, Caldwell, Saggers.

However it seems they all obeyed their instructions and kept quiet about the place. And this had a downside. As the hardier CTC trampers of that era began to focus on other life interests, the appearance of club names in the hut book came to an end. The trampers who moved to the forefront of CTC activities had a blind spot for Big Tops, rather than a soft spot. For ten years not a single name associated with the club was written in the hut book.

Even visits by non CTC trampers dwindled. There was one year when not a single name appeared in the hut book. The ribbonwood and harakeke grew taller, kiwis whistled at night unheard and the deer rubbed their velvet off against the corner of the hut undisturbed.

Rumours circulated among trampers that the track had grown over entirely and access was no longer possible. In discussions Big Tops seemed to acquire an almost mythical lost to the world aura. This was helped by reports that even DoC didn’t know where it was.

A story did the rounds that DoC, eager to claim any revenue due from their great NZ Forest Service inheritance, sent in two parties of workers to put a sign in the hut advising of the fees that were now payable. Neither party could find the place and eventually a helicopter was used to do the job. The signs duly arrived by air and were affixed to the wall but I’m not sure what return DoC hoped for to cover their costs.

Whatever, this incident increased the rumour that Big Tops had been reclaimed by the wilderness and that a journey to it involved major difficulty.

So what is the truth?

Well, a lot of people in the CTC know it now. Since my first trip in there in 1993 thirty-five people have been to Big Tops with me, on five different trips. Seven have been more than once. This club once again has the expertise on the area.

Routefinding into the valley can be a real difficulty. The descent down the access gully would intimidate some. The alternative bush route is fine but requires good bush navigation skills. Then when you get to within 50 metres of the hut, if you’re not confident using your map, you could still spend a night out (like many others) and come out with a story that you’d rather not tell.

Been to Big Tops: Susan, Honora, Ilan, Mike & Kerrie

As a postscript, what I actually learned from this experience was that individuals just getting in and doing things have a powerful effect. They actually inspire others all over the place to get involved too. And even more people take up the baton arguing in support.

The Real Mottram Peaks

Graham Kates now has a photo of the real Mottram Peaks, for his Arthurs Pass Mountaineering website.

Jeremy Parker got this shot of the peaks from the large basin under Echo Col.

Jeremy's photo is a good one. It makes me want to get back up there.

The basin where Jeremy took this would be good to camp in for a couple of days of summer peak bagging. Then finish by crossing one of the high cols in a two day circuit back to Klondyke Corner in the Waimak. Alternatively, any of the peaks could be reached as a day trip from Klondyke.

The main peak there is Gizeh, the high point in this skyline below.

 

I'm also keen to try out the other route to the Mottrams recommended by John Pascoe in his climbing route guide in the original Arthurs Pass National Park handbook. That one follows the spur up from the junction of the AntiCrow River and the Waimakariri. We might be able to make a circuit out of it by descending a scree into Greenlaw Creek.

When we did the Mottrams in December 2005 (see The Mottram Peaks) we climbed a scree in the head of the AntiCrow and went down a scree descending north to beech forest in the upper Waimakariri. 

That was a really nice jaunt. 

Hawdon hut replaced

The new Hawdon hut has been complete for a few months now. DoC hadn't formally announced it before now as they were waiting for their office people to complete the paperwork.

However it's now been announced. See this article in the Christchurch Press : http://www.stuff.co.nz/thepress/4336534a6047.html

Do take care of this one folks. Remember the previous one was burned down by a fool dumping hot ash from the wood burner under the side of the hut.

See this map for the new hut's location.  It's only 20 minutes up valley from the old hut site, and you can't miss it.

A Night on Mt Aicken

It was my fourth year tramping before I climbed Mt Aicken at Arthurs Pass. I hadn't climbed it before then because I couldn't see anything special about it to interest me (of the Arthurs Pass peaks only Mt O'Malley seemed to have less going for it).

To make it special, I climbed it on the shortest day of the winter in 1975. It did make it special, and it now stands out more clearly to me than my first time on any of the other easy Arthurs Pass summits.

I also discovered Mt Aicken really was a worthwhile place to go to.

In mid winter 1995 I suggested to Simon Hassall we go up and sleep out in the open, right on the summit. That fitted his style and he couldn't say no. Sitting up in our sleeping bags on the summit we could see the lights of the Bealey. They were watching "the game". We were living real life.

Honora and I talked about how we were going to best use the guaranteed anticyclone after weeks of dodgy weather. I wanted to sleep out under the stars, Honora had never been up Mt Aicken, It was mid winter...

Lake Pearson on the road to Arthurs Pass. Always picturesque, often stunning.

The advantage of an afternoon ascent for a night out was that we could drive to Arthurs Pass during the daytime and see the countryside at its best. There were high snow banks alongside the road over Porters Pass and many family groups were out tobogganing.

At Arthurs Pass we stopped in at the Lassche's cafe for lunch before our climb.

The snow was deep and frozen around the village. At this time of year the frost lasts all day where the sun doesn't reach in the deep valley. The footbridge and the first part of the 'Great Walk' style track to the Punchbowl Falls were slippery with ice.

We turned uphill on the Mt Aicken track. For a while we were following the footprints of others in the snow. But eventually they had turned back. The snow was knee deep on the ground and hung heavily on branches.

The snow had fallen onto bare rocks or frozen old snow. This made the footing slippery underneath and we took our time.

Honora selecting her mattress of snow on Mt Aicken

Above the bushline we came to a shoulder on the spur that had enough of a flat area for us to camp on. The sun had already gone down behind Mt Rolleston.

We used snow shovels to create a level platform to sleep on and a wall to give some shelter from the light breeze.

We cooked tea sitting up in our sleeping bags, and warm mugs of soup did double duty warming our fingers too.

Soon we were snuggled down and and looking at the sky crowded with bright stars. It wasn't long before I saw a meteorite streak across. Then another, and another, from every part of the sky. I saw the Southern Cross and Pointers, so I measured 4 1/2 times and down from the long axis, just to make sure the South Pole was in its proper place. One bright star to the south twinkled red and blue like a galactic police car. The Milky Way turned as I watched...

In the morning the peaks across the valley brightened with a pink tint. Then the first sun touched Rolleston and rapidly spread downwards.

Dressing for the day after breakfast in bed on Mt Aicken

We lay there watching the sun slowly bringing life back to the world. Only when the day was fully unfolded did we start into our leisurely breakfast.

The sun came over the ridge behind us and brought us warmth, but it was also a reminder we had work to do and got us packing.

The snow on the slopes above our camp was still deep and soft.  It was warm work climbing.

I only went as far as the first bump on the main ridgeline, but Honora went on to claim the summit of Mt Aicken.

Far below Mt Aicken is the broad valley of the Waimakariri.

A young man from Greymouth was up for the day. He was looking all around, asking questions and talking about his plans for future climbs. Everywhere I looked I already had memories of being there. The mysteries slip away one by one.  It's a sad thing to lose the excitement of the unknown.

I started down and eventually Honora caught up, returning from her summit. The valley below darkened again. The frost was intense when we emerged at the riverside.

After changing, we stopped in at Oscars Haus (the "wobbly kea") for a delicious roast dinner. A group from the tramping club had called in there to settle up their costs after a session on ice axe practice at Temple Basin. There were some good friends among them but when they'd gone it was good to quietly finish off our great weekend together in the snow.

Avalanche Peak Challenge 2006

The marshals were roused at 5.30 for the 2006 Avalanche Peak Challenge. Dave Watson was straight into his usual high energy mode, and it was infectious.

We'd all spent the night in the Arthurs Pass Outdoor Education Centre. It was the perfect place for us as it's right in the centre of the village and almost next door to the start line and helicopter pad.

The weather looked set for a sparkling day.

I was scheduled to fly early this year so was all packed ready to go while the runners were still snoozing.

After a flight of only a few minutes the helicopter hovered on the ridge right at the top of the Crow Slide to set us down.

There was only a slight breeze and the bright sunshine made it far warmer than in the valley nearly 1000m below.

I'd been assigned, with Sam, to the 'mid slide' position. Mid slide refers to a point part way down the Crow Slide.

When we heard the tramper contestants were on their way we headed down and ensconced ourselves behind the protection of a rock outcrop.

It took only an hour and twenty minutes from the start line for the first of the male trampers to reach us.

It did seem anticlimactic watching the solitary figure of Peter Dickson, quietly absorbed in picking his way down the scree. No fanfare or cheering crowds were there to witness the occasion.

He did have a good lead on the next competitor so no doubt he was enjoying the moment for himself.

The first female tramper down the scree was hot on the heals of the first two or three guys, all of them a lot more heavily built.

Our vantage point was perfect for seeing people's different styles in dealing with the treacherous footing on the loose scree slope.

Of course these front runners (I mean trampers) were doing it really well.

The male runners start time was two hours after the trampers. When they arrived on the scree they brought a different and obviously more competitive approach.

But the coordination, balance  and commitment on many was superb, and they flew down at an impressive rate.

The last people down the scree were a few slower trampers. That's different from last year when as 'tail end Charlie' I followed two runners down.

Once the competitors have all passed through generally the marshals follow on behind and walk on out to the finish line at the Bealey Hotel. However I thought I'd solve problems with my transport by walking 'backwards' over Avalanche Peak and back down to the village. Pat McIntosh was going out that way too so it was good to have some company for the walk.

I did make sure I took time to enjoy the spectacular, if familiar, views as I went.

At the Bealey Hotel it was 7.00 pm before the last of the trampers, and 'tail end Charlie' arrived. And like last year it was good to see race director Chris Cox there to welcome them.

It was a great day and an excellent event to be a part of. I'd recommend it.

Exploring in Koropuku gorge

Honora suggested tramping in to Big Tops Hut in the Koropuku valley.

A few years ago I'd been keen on exploring for a good way over Worsley Pass, between the Koropuku valley and the Poulter River.

The terrain is quite difficult and only a small number of people have forced their way through. But all of them came out with discouraging tales of gorges, chasms, waterfalls and bluffs. Others had got stuck and needed rescuing.

I wanted to find a reasonable route that avoided the need for death or glory heroics. We'd been on a few explorations from both ends but we still had about 5oo m to go to complete the line.

However other things moved up our priority list and it's been a few years since we've been back. Honora thought we should spend a few days and finish it off.

So on the 27th we spent the full day tramping in to Big Tops from SH73 at Aickens. I wasn't feeling as fit as I needed for the big climb out of the Otehake River, especially carrying a 7 day pack. But it was good to get back to Big Tops again.

On the 28th we spent the day doing track work.

In the morning we cleared a way through a large fallen tree blocking the Koropuku access gully (ngutu koawaawa). In the afternoon we worked on clearing the tracks and encroaching vegetation from around the hut.

The next day we headed down valley to check out the waterfall in the Koropuku gorge.

We'd never actually seen the waterfall before as our standard route up and down the valley bypasses the waterfall section of the gorge. We usually sidle high in the beech forest at about the 760m contour on the true left. Our sidle route starts opposite the foot of the Koropuku access gully (ngutu koawaawa) and finishes in a big open gully (koawaawa kowhera) at K33 063 194, or vice versa. This is mostly a good route except there's a short steep bit getting into or out of the big open gully. I was keen to explore for an easier way past the waterfall.

So we walked down the riverbed till the waters of the Koropuku dropped into the top of it's deep canyon. The slopes on the true right looked heinous. We climbed into the bush on the true left side and traversed the slopes down valley. We checked down each likely looking descent route but each ended in a vertical drop to the gorge below. Eventually we ended up at our standard descent route into our regular big open gully.

We climbed down into the gorge 160 m below and travelled up through the gorge to the bottom of the waterfall.

It's an awesome place.

The rock walls of the gorge towered vertically above us. The flow of the Koropuku spilled from a stepped series of waterfalls around a corner. Another waterfall fell from a sidestream spilling over the cliffs above, to join the Koropuku in it's splash pool in the gorge.

It seemed pointless to try looking at it analytically for a way through. It was enough to just stand there experiencing the drama of the scene.

After a while we turned and walked back down the gorge to where the big open gully entered.

It seemed the gully was going to remain our standard route for traversing the Koropuku gorge.

There was a band of dense scrub barring entry to the bottom of the gully. We set about clearing a pathway to make it more obvious, and easier to travel through. It was good to have something practical and useful to focus on after the gloomy solemnity of the gorge.

That done we climbed the gully and traversed back up valley to the hut.

By the following the morning, on the 30th, a sea of cloud had come up and filled the valley from below. Above, a higher cloud mass obscured the ridges. Rain didn't seem far off.

We packed and travelled back out over the tops to Aickens. By the time we reached the road the rain was coming down in a classic West Coast deluge.

We had hoped we'd be able to tramp up the Poulter River and cross Worsley Pass from that side. However when we checked the weather forecast at Arthurs Pass in the evening it showed heavy rain falling right across the mountains for the next few days. So on the last day of the year we headed home with 3 days of food still in our packs.

The Mottram Peaks

I love tramping into the head of the Waimak. Whether it's to climb a peak, cross a pass or just spend some time among its mountains I always get a keen sense of anticipation in the walk up the valley. This time our mission was to climb the Mottram Peaks.

We started with just an easy tramp in the twilight to AntiCrow hut, an hour and a half up the Waimak from Klondyke corner. As we crossed the gravel flats towards the hut, pairs of NZ dotterels fluttered their wings on the ground to lure us away from their young, which were nimbly running across the stones in the other direction. Magic!

AntiCrow hut had been fully refurbished only recently and made for a more pleasant night's shelter than it has in recent years.

In the morning, cloud drifted aside to reveal Mt Rolleston across the valley.

Magnificent Mt Rolleston across the valley from AntiCrow Hut in the Waimak valley

 

We walked a short distance along the bush track through mountain beech forest and turned up the AntiCrow river. The loose cliffs of the AntiCrow canyon towered high above us. The rocky stream bed alternated between rounded water-smoothed stones and angular blocks of shattered rubble brought down by earthquakes. We travelled easily, steadily gaining height under a warming sun.

In the head of the valley we stopped for an early lunch before leaving the ready water supply of the splashing stream. A young couple of trampers came down the route from Sphinx Saddle and paused for a brief chat. They'd just crossed over the saddle from a camp in the Avoca river. They went on their way and we on ours.

Creeping Ourisia (Ourisia caespitosa) on the Mottram Peaks

We left the stream and walked up a dry gully with masses of tall snow tussocks to either side. The gully turned a corner and we climbed slopes of short green grasses.

Small flowers spread everywhere. One mistaken for an eyebright, turned out to be a Creeping Ourisia. But just as lovely.

 

Above us a very large scree of loose stones climbed away to the ridgeline. The upper slopes shimmered under the high sun. We toiled up it, avoiding the looser patches where we could.

Frequent pauses to take in the changing view gave gratifying evidence of height gained as features dropped away below us. A key moment was when we first could see over Sphinx Saddle into the Avoca river.

Anisotome pilifera on the summit ridge of the Mottram Peaks

The 500 metre scree climb took us an hour and a half. We topped out at 1700 metres on a col between two of our peaks. A gentle breeze cooled

A hardy anisotome, the Bristly Carrot, grew right on the rocky ridge, flourishing in the harsh conditions.

 

We sidled to the west and climbed the lower Mottram peak. Views of the upper Waimak valley and the main divide peaks were fantastic.

It's always great to see familiar country from a new angle. Burly Mt Greenlaw hulked above Gizeh Col. The snowy summit of Mt Murchison topped everything. The full length of the Mt Harper ridge was in full view directly across Greenlaw Creek from us. Behind this Mt Davie raised its head and shoulders, the thin line of its summit tiara of loose chossy rock was clearly visible. Further round, the upper Waimak valley curled under the towering cliffs of Carrington Peak. Only our view of Mt Rolleston was partly obscured, behind the long and spikey Jellicoe Ridge, .

Honora, resplendent in her tramping sandals, on the 1789 metre Mottram Peaks

We dropped back down to the col and climbed to the higher of the Mottram Peaks at 1789 metres.

This now gave us an unimpeded view to the east, right down the Waimak valley to Mt Binser, as well as a complete survey right around 360 degrees.

 

For our descent we explored down a gully on the northern side, directly to the Waimak valley. Our route took us down scree, through shrubland and into the beech forest in a very quick descent of a vertical kilometre. We emerged on the valley floor a short distance from Greenlaw Creek. Cool, refreshing water was appreciated.

That only left us an easy walk down the valley to Klondyke Corner, with a short diversion back to the AntiCrow hut to collect our overnight gear.

What a great day, with a bonus night away too.

Mid Hill & Jordan Saddle

An hour's tramp from the Cora Lyn car park and we broke out of the pine forest.

The fantastic scene sparkled in dazzling sunshine. I took photos more to remind myself I'd been there. A camera couldn't really capture the scene we saw and felt.

Gareth, Cyril, Honora and I had driven up to Arthurs Pass village the night before and stayed at the Christchurch Tramping Club house. We needed an early start for the long day it would take traversing the Mid Hill ridge from Lagoon Saddle to Amphitheatre Creek in the Avoca River.

The track around the flank of Mt Bruce to Lagoon Saddle is very wet and muddy.

For the enjoyment of the groups that are tramping the ever more popular Cass - Lagoon track, it really does need boardwalking for the full 2km+ distance.

The waters resting in the gentle fold of Lagoon Saddle are one of the scenic gems of the Arthurs Pass area.

Beyond them our restful walk came to an end. The ground rose, gradually at first but increasingly steep in a 600 metre climb to the end of the Mid Hill ridge. I admit 600 metres is not much of a climb in itself for a fit group, but we'd already gained the same height in the walk up from Cora Lyn.

The final climb to the crest of the ridge needed hands as well as feet. However our worthy summit was nameless so Gareth dubbed it End Hill.

We had magnificent views from here right round 270 degrees. The look of the ridge onward wasn't so inspiring though.

The ridge along to Mid Hill looked jagged and cut by numerous notches. It would be slow travel.

Honora led from the front and probed for a way through. In the end we decided to save time and bypassed the section by traversing under it on snow slopes on the south side.

We summitted directly onto the real Mid Hill 1831m and exchanged congratulations.

From here the ridge stretched away for 2 km rising and falling only gradually around the 1800 m contour. It was easy travel the whole way over shattered boulders .

The magnificent views were a continuous distraction.

At the end of the Mid Hill ridge a spur ran down to a saddle at the head of Amphitheatre Creek. We discovered we still had boundless energy and ran down it too.

We slowed to pass close by a NZ Falcon sitting on a rock studying us unperturbed.

Fine scree led us down into the head of Amphitheatre Creek. The gully here is a giant earthquake rupture in the side of the mountain. Vast scree slopes shimmered in the sun high above us. Below late afternoon shadows spread a hazy gloom.

Muddy water ran through the small stones in the gully and fine gravel rained continuously from above. Afternoon convection currents swirled dusty wind about us.

We hurried on. The team were raising dust to get down to the valley.

Amphitheatre Creek spilled into the Avoca. We paced down river to the Basin Creek hut as dusk settled the day to rest.

Rain spots blew over the range as we left in the morning. It was good to be having an easy day of it.

We walked back up the valley and turned up Galilee Creek to Jordan Saddle. The sun shone out again as we descended the pleasant staircase of Jordan Stream.

Route Guide to Ranger Biv

This map shows the most straightforward tramping route to Ranger Biv.

Head north from the Casey and cross the Poulter to Fenwick Stream. Travel up the broad open gravel bed of Fenwick until it gorges at the side of the hill. A cairn marks the point where you take to the bush. The spur high on the true right of Fenwick Stream has excellent sections of deer trail. Honora and I have clarified the route linking these sections of deer trail so it's fairly straightforward to follow them all the way up to the biv.

Higher up the route goes through a stand of young beech pole forest. The line marked on the map is easy enough to get through and almost entirely avoids the windfalls.

Any place where it's not obvious the line of the route is indicated with plastic ties.

Get up there.