A Year in the West

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A Year in the West Paul Richardson The West Coast laid on a traditional later we stood on the spacious summit welcome when I arrived in Greymouth last of Mt Hooker - Monarch of the Otoko. May, with the town almost being flooded On this fine day views of the Alps in in the process. The Grey River in high their mid-winter coating to the north, flood is an awesome sight. After this south and east of us were really superb bad tempered display the weather settled and we soaked it up as long as possible down for a few weeks with fine cool days, before reluctantly heading down. Marks a light breeze and the mountains plastered Flat was also blanketed by snow and with snow to the bushline. Hooker from this side would be a more laborious and colder climb. That My first successful outing was during night we returned to our campsite on Queens Birthday when I met Tony Gazley the scree and next day wandered out in at Murchison and we walked up the Matakithe continuing warm sunny weather. taki Valley to climb Mt Una in the Spenser Range. Despite fine weather Next on the list was La Perouse and some it was wintry cold and windy on top and weeks later when the Met Office boldly we didn't stay long to appreciate the predicted three fine days Graham and I panoramic view. We also had ideas on packed our sacks and tore down to the Humboldt but this proved to be deceptive- Cook River. Alas, Huey had other ideas ly far away even after a fast climb to for by the time we reached the upper about 7000 feet. valley a dense mist had fallen causing us to stop early at the bivy rock below In July there were a couple of fine weekthe terminal moraine wall. Doubtful ends and one of these was used to wander weather next morning persisted but we up the icy Mingha Valley to Goat Pass in set off anyway until we reached about Arthurs Pass National Park from where I 1500m when the snow flurries arrived and climbed Mt Oates with John Walter. the visibility disappeared. Huey had Daylight hours were ridiculously short showed his hand and we retreated to the at this time of year and the moon had bivy, getting quite wet that night in already risen well before we returned to the ensuing electrical storm. Our the Goat Pass 'Hilton'. On the Sunday attempt at getting out next day was we returned to Arthurs Pass and ploughed thwarted by the first side creek - a up Bealey, a grand viewpoint for all the raging uncrossable torrent. A remarksnowy Waimak peaks. able clearance occurred that afternoon and hopes soared but next morning oily Also in July I climbed Mt Adams with looking clouds creeping up the valley Graham Elder. We started from the Dry were ominous portents of a big storm and Creek highway bridge and followed the we fled. The drive home was through a river up to the gorge where an obvious torrential rainstorm which drenched Fox side creek flows from the steep crumbling with 200mm in 24 hours and closed the faces and gullies of the western ridge road. leading up to Point 2096m. Our route out of the creek was slightly tricky but Spring weekends passed in a succession once up to the big knob on the ridge it of warm wet nor'westerlies and the next was on with crampons and plain sailing successful trip was not until November from here to the summit, reached after when a couple of beautifully fine weeknine hours of non-stop climbing. After ends allowed John Walter and I to climb watching the fiery sunset we descended Rolleston and Franklin. There was still to about 2000m, crawled into our pits plenty of snow on Rolleston at this time and shivered the night away. Actually and with good snow conditions we had an it wasn't too bad. enjoyable climb up Rome Ridge, a traverse of the summit bumps and descent by Gold- We agreed to make an attempt on Mt Hooker ney Ridge well beyond the usual exit in the next fine spell but this didn't point. Franklin was another good climb eventuate until mid-August when a south but on rock this time, and harder than easterly flow covered the Alps. We Rolleston. We reached the summit about walked up the Paringa into a surprisingly 10 hours after leaving the highway at warm but stiff easterly breeze as the Bealey by the Good Luck Creek and west last shreds of tattered storm clouds ridge route. Even Mt Cook was clearly cleared from the mountain peaks and ridges. visible from the summit that evening. The horse track in the Otoko was picked Sunday was a scorching hot day and we up near 'Reynolds Creek' and gave easy made the most of it by taking a high walking to Reynolds Flat. Due to our level route into the upper Deception via late start we only managed a short climb Lake Anna, then Goat Pass, Mingha and up the scrub covered scree in Jack Creek home. before nightfall. Next day we scrambled up through open scrub to the snow at 1350m Early December duly arrived and I drove and from hereon it was crampons all the up to Lake Rotoiti to meet up with the way. We bivied early just beyond Mt Wellington section AC trip to Mt Hopeless. Jack and within easy distance of Hooker. This was a most enjoyable weekend with a Away at seven next morning and two hours good climb of Hopeless by the couloir route from Cupola Creek and fine mild intended flying into Pioneer but prospects weather throughout. We all bivied just were pretty bleak and we ended up scrambbelow the summit and wandered up to the ling up the Franz Glacier to Castle Rocks top at our leisure next morning. It hut and spending a few days here watching took about 5 minutes. the rain. We finally got a break and headed for Pioneer by the Fritz Range Late December was time for another bash a very scenic route. After a late night at La Perouse and Tony Gazley, Trevor arrival at the stuffed hut we tumbled out Bissell and myself headed up the Cook next morning, with Tony and I heading for River soon after the big flood which Lendenfeld and Haast (almost) and Trevor caused so much damage. We were blessed and Ron to Grey Peak and other places. with excellent weather for the walk in After an enforced rest day the skies and the climb. Graham Elder was also cleared and everyone disgorged from the in the valley with a companion and they hut heading in all directions. We climbed the peak the day before us. followed the mob to Haidinger which was We had intended going up to the neve a bad mistake because we spent more time but eventually gave this idea away after waiting for the traffic jam to untangle discussing the pros and cons for a day itself than actually climbing. At least and a half. It was probably a wise we made sure we got down first. That decision because the weather packed up same afternoon we packed up and headed soon after and we only had a few spare down the glacier to Chancellor hut, days anyway. about 3 hours away. Despite the heat on the glacier snow conditions were excel- The West Coast had some great weather in lent. The nor'wester arrived as per early January while the East Coast got schedule next morning and there were no lashed by cold southerly winds, rain and regrets as we walked down to Fox a few snow in the alps. On the first weekend days early. We hadn't picked a very I drove up to Lewis Pass and climbed the good week but it was a great introduction Faerie Queene, but what a disappointingly to the area for three of us. easy peak. John and I attempted it in September but far from getting the prom- February actually turned out to be a ised fine spell we got buried by a heavy reasonable month and I ended up spending snowfall. It took about 13 hours to a few more weekends in Arthurs Pass. On walk in, climb the peak and return to the first of these I climbed Gizeh and flash Ada Hut on Saturday, which gave me Harper. Gizeh was a scramble along a all of Sunday for the walk out and drive typically shattered rock ridge so home. characteristic of this area, and Harper wasn't much better. After bypassing Dismal weather persisted for the remaining the Harper Creek waterfall I gained the weekends of January and it wasn't until upper basin then cut up onto Camp Spur 2nd February when Tony Gazley, Trevor and traversed the peak to the eastern Bissell and Ron Brown arrived on the Coast snowslopes. A good route leads into that we looked to the hills again. We Main Divide and Fox Glacier from Fritz Range I

Fritz Range from Lendenfeld Greenlaw Creek from the permanent snow and return took seven hours and the field down to the lip of a monstrous summit was as large as a football drop. I didn't know the route down and field. This same weekend Kelly Hill unfortunately ended up above an impassand Mt Turiwhate were also climbed for ible waterfall in the shadowy steeptheir views. The crimson rata was walled gorge. Hauling up slimy rock also at its best on the upper slopes and greasy leatherwood bushes put me of Turiwhate. The three remaining back into beech forest and scratchy weekends of March were persistently undergrowth but I didn't hit the track wet but things improved again in April and crashed back to the creek just above with another two week fine spell. the big cairn. As this day had begun from the Anti Crow bivy area, time was At Easter I motored over to Mt Cook getting on and after picking up disand joined an AC instruction party in carded gear on the way down valley it the Beetham Valley. What with heliwas a rushed trip back to Klondyke. copters and planes buzzing up and down Rolleston was also climbed again on a the Tasman and hordes of people everyday trip. This was a consolation where it wasn't exactly my idea of prize after failing to scale the upper getting away from it all. Otira Valley cirque wall into the Waimak headwaters. I got halfway up By mid-April West Coast rivers were this gully before the rocks started running at an all time low and with a coming down, released from their tenufine weekend approaching this was a good ous holds by the morning sun on the opportunity to have a bash at the Great slopes above. They were fast and high Unknown. I had made a solo attempt last random bouncers and the menacing whizz October but despite a very rapid trip up of the stones made this a very dangerthe Perth the nor'wester had still beaten ous route. Perhaps it's just as well me to it. Anyway with this fine weekend I didn't get into the Waimak because looming, John Walter and I headed down a dense fog descended soon after and to the Whataroa Valley and tramped up the that was the end of visibility for the Perth, crossing the river at a good ford day. below the Barlow confluence. We started our ascent from the second side creek When March finally arrived it seemed above the confluence but soon had to like summer was here to stay when we climb out to avoid waterfalls. The had a two week fine spell, made good upper reaches of this creek have been use of by one Wellington party. swept by massive rock/snow avalanches Rivers dropped to low levels which made and the place is falling to bits. Once crossing the Taramakau easy enough for into the tussock we made faster time ago at Mt Alexander. Alexander is and bivied for the night 300m below the only 1950m high but it towers above the summit on the western side of the divid- Arthurs Pass highway, looks twice as ing ridge where good campsites and water high in winter and is in fact a longer may be found. We watched a magnificent climb than any Arthurs Pass peak. bloody sunset before snuggling into our The climb from Aickens forestry base pits and watching the stars emerge.

Next morning we cramponed up very hard sleeping out. My intention had been to snow to the summit and raved about the climb one of the big peaks in the Whitemarvellous views of the Garden of Eden horn - Harman Pass area but by the time peaks, but the harsh morning light I'd reached Julia Hut for an early lunch spoiled our views of the big peaks to this seemed somewhat optimistic with the the south. On the descent we avoided shortage of daylight hours. I reached the creek and stayed in the bush on the Harman Pass at 3 o'clock but it would be true right - an easier route. Below dark by 5.30 and with no moon, this only the Perth confluence during the walk left me with Mt Campbell to scramble up. home the steep slabs and ribs of the Luckily it wasn't too far away and the imposing Butler Range were all aglow guidebook said it was a good viewpoint. from the setting sun - a really glorious Coarse sandstone rock made for easy walksight. It reminded me of some memoring but views were disappointing with all able photographs in Yoshikazu Shirakawa's eastern valleys frozen in the early picture book of the European Alps. winter shadows. After a cold night near Ariels Tarn there was no point in waiting Our Indian summer extended into May when for the sun next morning, and soon after we had another long fine spell of 13 days. sunrise I smashed the ice, packed up and During the first weekend I did the dropped down a cairned track into the Philistine-Armstrong-Carrington traverse. Taipoiti. The Waimak Valley was in the I was somewhat apprehensive about attemptgrip of a hard frost and there was little ing this since it had claimed a few incentive to stop until I reached the victims in the past year. However there sun down near the Anti Crow. The wasn't anything about the ridge which effects of the prolonged dry spell were seemed remotely dangerous and it was an brought home to me as I wandered down exhilarating feeling bombing along the valley. There was no water in any of ridge with its sprinkling of cold the big southern side creeks and when I powdery snow. After climbing Carrington went to cross the river to Klondyke I returned to a gap in the ridge some Corner I couldn't find any water - it distance north of the peak where a good had all disappeared! scree slide leads down to Gorgy Creek and some large tarns where I passed the A few days later and it was all over, night. Next morning I crossed over to as I motored up to Picton after my year Hunt Creek, a sunny flat-bottomed tussock away. For a Westland addict like me, valley, and ambled down to Hunt Hut for there was probably no better place to early lunch. It was about 3 hours from go than Greymouth. The main disappointthe hut out to the highway by Hunt Saddle ment was not so much the weather but the and Kelly Creek. lack of keen trampers and climbers on the Coast. Lack of company limited the The following weekend was fine again and type of trips I was able to do and my resulted in another solo effort. I only regret is that I didn't get the walked into Seven Mile Creek up the Taipo chance to tackle the harder peaks as a Valley on Friday night but failed to find result. Well, maybe next time the hut in the blackness and ended up Elie de Beaumont from slopes of Great Unknown