"Passing Through" to St Arnaud

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"PASSING THROUGH" TO ST ARNAUD Kirsty Woods Anita and I were fresh from an 8 day shower in North few days up our sleeve before we have to climb up again. West Nelson and Dale had just been lounging around on The weather might improve by then..." a climbing trip up Mt Huxley. Keen for another week long dip, we pulled into the Maruia Springs Hotel where After debating the issue, comparing the situation with we planned to spend the night before setting off. I felt a various climbing trips (Dale: "where you'd stay put in drop of water through the ceiling in our room and knew lousy conditions") or with our recent trip to North West that we would not be disappointed - we were sure to be Nelson (Kirsty: "well, we just had to walk in the rain for guaranteed a damp environment for our next trip. 8 days") we decided to head for Waiau Pass. It was dark as we zipped down to the hot pools in our We walked quickly past Ada Pass Hut, mindful that if birthday suits cold rain dripping on our backs. A hot we'd stayed there the night before, we'd have had a dry bath is the closest thing many tourists get to a soak in the and restful sleep. bush. "Maybe they've got more sense than us", I thought asl I sank into the welcome warmth. By mid-afternoon, we neared the Waiau, only to find that our way was blocked by paddocks full of cattle, including Day one began just up the road from the Hotel, at Lewis a few fierce looking bulls. Our glistening bright parkas Pass. Our plan was to walk the start of the St James didn't make us feel confident but we managed to put on a Walkway. We would deviate from the track and head brave face and strode past the sturdy looking beasts, over a side valley opposite the Ada Pass Hut and into the stepping in bogs and mud puddles to avoid their gaze. Matakitaki River Valley. "You don't find beasts like this on top of mountains", "I think I'm suffering from dehydration", said Anita as commented a low voice. we stopped for a rest. The sun was shining and we weren't used to it. The Waiau Valley was long and straight and endless... .and of course it was raining. For our second "And I'm not used to walking that far with such a heavy night we managed to find a flat campsite amongst some load", commented Dale. "On our last climbing trip, we trees. just did one day's dash up the mountain and then spent the rest of the time lazing around. None of this slog with al heavy pack!" Needless to say, with dehydration and "stress" problems, we had to take it relatively easy on the first day. We reached Ada Pass Hut mid-afternoon and looked up the side valley that was our intended route. It was murking in. We turned up the valley, forsaking the comforts of dry shelter, determined to get as far as possible SO that we could make a good start in the morning. It wasn't long before we decided to look for a campsite as the deluge was about to begin! Anita & Dale walking up the Waiau Kirsty Woods "I'm not an architect" I thought as I tried to imagine how we were going to pitch the fly on a 45% slope. At least "On a climbing trip... began Dale, as we tried to get we managed to design a "flow through underfloor the poles straight, we'd take proper tents" ". ventilation system" which kept us fresh and alert during the damp and windy night. Day three and more straight walking up the Waiau. At least it started to clear a little, although many of the side "On our climbing trip we had a great campsite to lie streams were quite high. We met a couple of people around in and relax", moaned Dale. who'd tried to get over the Pass the previous day, but they'd been unable to get across the river. They had Daylight didn't really brighten up the scene too much. given up and were heading out. We couldn't see very far up the valley. "I think we should reassess this situation", said Anita. "Perhaps we By early afternoon, after passing Caroline Creek Hut should go back down to the St James track, head for the (which has the highest concentration of sandflies per Waiau and go over Waiau Pass. That way, we've got a square cm of any hut I know), the valley began to narrow. At first we thought we would try to get over the pass as the weather was clearing. We loathed to think what it might be like the next day. However, it wasn't long before we came across a luxuriant and grassy campsite near the head of the valley and our plans were abandoned to a fire and a lazy afternoon's sunbathing. We were thankful for a clear morning and left for the pass early. As we got higher, we could see that there was still an unusual amount of snow on the mountains for the time of year. It wasn't long before we came across patches of snow. As we neared the top of the snow, we came across another party of people making their way down towards Anita looking down on Lake Constance Kirsty Woods us. One of them slipped and slid his way down, only to make Dale keener. She metamorphosed into a Hut, then a climb over Sunset Saddle to Lake Angelus climber as she used her trusty ski pole as an ice axe and and out via Robert Ridge. We were starting to get tired, led the way for the trampers amongst us. especially as we'd already spent a lot of time in the hills since Xmas. It was with great surprise and disappointment that we discovered a large sign positioned in the middle of the Hopeless Hut made a nice change - its small and cosy - pass, with "Nelson Lakes National Park" written on one just the kind of place to hang out for a day or two. side and "St James Station" written on the other. Not the Luckily we did not come across crowds of people - only kind of thing you expect to see at 1870 metres after a an older couple who walked in for the views, and walked sweaty climb. In spite of this "sign" of civilisation, the out again next day. top of the pass is a great place to be with sweeping views over Lake Constance and Nelson Lakes National Park to The eighth day was brilliantly sunny, and we were one side, and Lake Thompson and its catchment to the rearing to go. We climbed out of the Hopeless Valley and other. in to more snow. Out came the ski pole and the "Super Climber" suit. From Sunset Saddle we found our way On reaching Lake Constance, we took another dip in our onto Mount Angelus. A perfect afternoon. birthday suits, goose bumps and shrieks warning of the ice cold water. Things did not seem sO perfect as we neared Angelus Hut. Our "back to nature" experience was disturbed by It takes longer to get to Blue Lake from the head of Lake crowds of people who were probably just as disappointed Constance than you would think. There is plenty of to see us as we were to see them. We knew the hut would sliding to do: a great pain for real climbers! be crowded and pitched the fly some distance away. All was well until about 10.00pm. A mist covered the lake Blue Lake was a welcome sight. We spent a restful night and our cosy fly started making aeroplane noises, itching in the hut and cooked a "lump" of rice with flavouring to take off into the wind. By midnight the co-pilots had for dinner. to abandon the craft and move into the hut. As the night wore on, other campers filed their way in and found a The challenge for the next few days was to head for spot of floor to sleep on. Travers Saddle and the Travers Valley. By early afternoon we were doing another ascent. No snow this By day nine our last day, we were looking forward to time. Just a steep steady plod to the top of the saddle, fresh food and showers. The plod along Robert Ridge where we were greeted with mist and cloud. A shorter was pleasant enough and by early afternoon we were out, descent to the Upper Travers Hut and we blobbed the facing the challenge of flagging down a ride into St evening away. Arnaud. It didn't take long. Within the hour we were sharing a jeep with a range of dead animals and assorted That night we planned the rest of our route. We would people, thankful that we did not have to end our trip with take the Hopeless Valley, with a rest day in the Hopeless a long road walk.