Copland Pass - Hermitage

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COPELAND PASS - HERMITAGE. Triday, December 28th. This day saw the full party of five - Trev Walsh, Rocky Garbutt, Duncan Boswell, Phil Boswell and myself gathcred on the front porch of the Franz Hostel. Our original plans were to go over Grahams Saddle, but as the weather and snow conditions were against us we decided to go over the Copeland Passo So, after an argument with the bus driver about carrying our box of food and packs on the bus, we left for the Fox Hostel. When we were about to leave Fox Hostel for the Karangarua bridge, three bright red objects appeared around the corner of the building I Barry, Denis and Hazel who apparently had experienced good weather while crossing the Copeland Pass. Camp was made alongside a strean near the beginning of the tracko As darkness came on, so did the largest, most up-todate, night-fighting mosquitoes. There were four, two and single engined models and some jet propelled fighters thrown in for good measure. Not much alecp was had and it was not hard to rouse everyone for an early starto Saturday, 29tho We left camp at 5.55 aomo on what started as a beautiful dayo It was casy, flat track travelling to Architecte Creek where we were held up for a while, getting over the bridge. Only one person could get on the bridge at a time, as only about 10 feet on either end is planked; the middle 50 cr 60 odd feet is crossed by walking on a single strand of cable and balancing yourself by two handwires, Quite easy three feet off the ground, but not so good when about 80 feet up in the air. Just as we arrived at Welcome Flats Hut it started to drizzle and by the time we left for Douglas Rock Hut, it had started to rain in typical West Coast style as if someone had turned a fire hose on us.

After some fun in one of the side creeks we arrived at Douglas Rock Hut at 4.45 Pomo more drowned than alive. Sunday, 30tho Contrary to expectations, the weather was perfect this morning with not a cloud in the skyo Leaving the hut at 5.45 aomo, we started for the Passo The track from Welcome Flats to the Zig-Zag is in very bad condition and badly overgrown. After crossing one of the side creeks we lost the track and had to bush-push through the Alpine scrub for about two hours before finding the track againo We started up the Zig-zag at 9.5 aomo and reached the beginning of the snow field at 10.10 a.mo After a rest and something to eat, we plugged our way up to the Pass err.ving at the top at 2.10 pomo in very thick cloud, with a cold wind blowingo Visibility was about 25 yards. After roping up at the top of the Pass, we started down the ridge to Hooker Hut, arriving there at 5.30 pomo On the way down, we came out of the mist and got some wonderful views of Mto Cook and the Cook Range. On arrival at Hooker Hut, we found Tony Nolan in residence; having a rest after coming solo over the Pass in the previous day's stormo Monday, 31sto The weather had started to pack up during the night and by morning it was raining and blowing about 60 Mo P.Ho We had quite a time getting over the first swing bridge. The wind would hold off untill we got half-way across and then it would do ite best to blow us off into the rivero We nearly lost Boso off the second bridge, when an extra viscious squall blew him over in the centre of the bridge. We arrived at the Hermitage 21 hours from Hooker Hut and after getting our rooms at Soaley Cottage we went and had a good clean-up before teao Being New Year's Eve, there was a dance on at the Hermitage and as Tony was leaving for Malaya and it would be the last we would see of him for several years, it turned out to be quite a good sort of nighto Tuesday, lst Januaryo As our food had not arrived at the Hermitage we spent the day sitting in the lounge, playing cards, table tennis and billiards. It was cloudy and raining so it didn't matter much anywayo

Wednesday, 2ndo The food had still not arrived, so we bought some bread, butter and one or two other commodities and moved up to Ball Hut. After the Glacier party had gone back to the Hermitage, we went out into the kitchen to cook teao While rummaging around out there Phil found some flour and baking powder, so we had a batch of hot scones for suppero About 6.00 pomo, we rang through to the Hernitage and as our food had arrived, we made arrangements for it to be sent up to Ball Huto The weather was still cloudy Aad raining with no sign of improvemen ito Thursday, Brdo On wa' ii.g we found it had been snowing for some time and the snow WS about three or four inches thick outside. The bus arrived at about 11.00 a.mo and by 2.00 pomo We had everything sorted out and packed for a smart getaway on Friday morningo Later in the day, the weather cleared enough for us to get several good photos up the valley, but about 7.00 pomo it had clouded over again and by 8.30 it was snowingo Friday,4th. A beautiful, fine day, so we left Ball Hut and started up the Tasman Glacier for Malte Brun Hut I about four to five hours tramping on ice and moraine wallso About half-way up the Glacier, we met a party of ski-mountaineers on their way out, who told us that they had been weather-bound in De la Beche Hut for about three dayso Great care was necessary on the Glacier as many of the crevasses were covered in snowo We made preparations that night, for an early start on Elie-de- Beaumont. Saturday, 5tho The alarm went at 1.00 a.mo and owing to Trev not being able to find it in the dark, woke nearly everyone in the huto The weather did not look at all promising, so we set the alarm for 2.00 aol mo By this time the weather was worse and by 4000 aomos it was blowing hard and rainingo As this was the last day that we could do any climbing, we decideded that as soon as the weather let up, we would 30 back to Ball Hut. At 2.45 pomo we left Malte Brun for Ball Hut. The rain and wind had made the ice of the Glacier very slippery and we found it hard to stay on our feeto