Easter - St Arnaud Visit

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Easter - St Arnaud Visit Greg Aimer Billed as an FE, four less-than-keen proposed crossing into the Hamilton Tongue and Meats were determined to River was abandoned and we headed down spend a fairly easy time at Nelson into the Arnst River. Travel in the Lakes instead. Arnst was easy and pleasant. The top section was sidled, followed by some The graded track to 5850 on the St cool wades, and a sidle high on the Arnaud Range was ascended on a fine true left of the exit gorge out into Friday morning. A biting wind knocked the Travers Valley. the guts out of everybody, so sidling the nurgs on the ridge became the The day was still rather bleak so an sport in an effort to keep in the lee. early camp was made in Hopeless Creek. Across from the meadowed flats of the However, the next day was a Nelson Wairau River the impressive lump of Lakes cracker. The trip unanimously Scott's Knob wandered in and out of decided after some discussion to go cloud. The route along the Range to up valley and over Sunset Saddle to Six Mile Creek is easy scree bashing Angelus. En route other club members (easier in winter!) and provides plenty were positively identified and intelliof interest in the form of tarns and gent conversation ensued ("where's gendarmed ridges. the track?"). As rain threatened in mid-afternoon a Mist obliterated all the usual lovely hut was spied in Six Mile Creek Basin views at the Saddle and the biting from the top of the ridge. Moving at wind made setting up camp below Angelus a canter, we abandoned tenting and took Hut a cold job. Dinner, it was decided, possession. The evening was very would be much more pleasant in the pleasantly spent munching hot cross hut - and indeed it was. Regrouping buns and sipping on a tasty brew. afterwards in a bloated state, the way was being led down to camp when start- The morn was bracing but fine and so led eyes spied torches coming from we were forced into action. The route Cedric to the hut. Aaah! said all = from the Basin passed several large the Fit Trip (late, we all said). and beautifully set tarns. Six Mile Some "far calls" assured us all was Basin is a large area and is being well. The night was blustery and much developed as a skifield by a Blenheim mass of rock helped keep the tent and company. Apart from the usual environ- fly secure. Sporadic rain turned to mental obliteration, the Basin will heavy rain by dawn and after the usual make an excellent and beautiful skishambles (all mine) getting up, we field (when there is snow). scurried down Hukere Stream and out around the Lake. Onward. As we crossed into the Arnst Basin the wind whipped us severely and Tramps tramping were: Claire Douglas, white capped the tarns at the head of Paul Cooper, Warren Thorburn, Greg the Basin. Rain broke and so the Aimer. MOUNTAIN SAFETY Bushcraft Weekend with Mountain Safety Instructors /Jack McConchie