My Second Favourite Winter Playground

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MY SECOND FAVOURITE WINTER PLAYGROUND Lyndsay Fletcher nce again I managed to get enough leavetoenableaweek's tramping in addition to my annual week at Arthur's Pass. Where was I going to go this time. It was a hard question to answer. Ihave founda dafter SO many years of exploring the back country ofthe South Island, that I like togosomowherelhavenoty yetl been or somewhere that I have only tramped in summer Iwill nevert tireofvisiting my favourite places and as this was going to be a winter trip, I decided upon Lewis Passa andl Lake Christabel. Early onintheplanning forthe Arthur's Pass trip, Wayne Dodson (alias Doddy, Rocket Man) showed interest in joining me. Being laid back about the whole week we didi not know what our route would be or the number of days until the car journey from Christchurch. We had enough food though for 5 days. The weather always has a bearing on these decisions but we finally had it worked outl by the time we drove up to the Pass The concerna aboutthe safety ofthecarand our toys (two sets of skis and two mountain bikes etc.) which would be Dropping into the head of the Nina River Lyndsay Fletcher inside it, had us parking in the back yard ofMaruia Springs Resort. I sus- Island was still hanging around so we ground to enjoy lunch on. A small pected that some payment would be decided to camp out under the stars patch of carpet grass which had a necessary and sure enough $15hadto (well, Beech trees actually). panoramic view, including part oft the be handed over the bar. lake, was chosen. You get to see SO Iwasi in high spirits knowing that the much further on clear winter days We decided to come out on the Friday fine weather was dueto last till lat least compared to summer. Just a sea of SO that Wayne could be home at his Thursday. I don't find it SO enjoyable snow capped mountains in all direcparents place in time for his brother's when "Huey" stops me from complet- tions. birthday which meant carrying four ing a plannedtrip. Wehad worked out days food and gear. An hour or SO a route that would have us crossing This was the first real tramp in the later, the car was jam packed full with the tops three times and the first day snow for Wayne. The descent down our toys and we were at the bar for a was to be one oft those as we climbed the other side had far more snow and light evening meal. I talked Wayne up to the head of Rough Creek and looked steeper to him than I knew it into a game of pool before we hit the onto themain divide Atthebush edge was. Still, he jumped at the suggesroad to find a place to camp for the Igot out my trusty "wet suit" bootees tion that he plug ahead first and after night Rough Creek isabout 6kmdown - no cold feet for me. Wayne had to a couple of reminders about getting the road and we planned to head up settle for the plastic bag technique the heels in and toes out (too many this track to get over into Lake The snow was soft but not hard going AIC's) we were soon dropping down Christabel. The anticyclone which and an hour or SO saw us on top of the into a sun filled basin Snow poles led had brought fine weather to the South range picking out a patch of clear us tot thel bush edge and the track down the Blue Grey rivert tol Lake Christabel This was going to be no problem we arrived at Nina Hut. We met the Hut. We were in the shade all the way according to those reports but at this only other trampers during the trip and the track was covered in snow for time of year it proved to be a chal- here, two hunters who had been up on most ofthe distance i.e. it was a little lenge. This part ofthe stream was in the Sylvia Tops - another area I plan chilly. This hut is not on the shores of the shade SO with the good clear to visit. Ourroutei from here wastogo the lake SO we had to miss out on weather and cold nights, the whole up a side branch, Lucretia Stream, to seeing it but I'vel been there four times stream bed was covered in ice. It thel bivvyat its headi but duringt the day now and have only once walked the brought back great memories of my I had noticed the high cirrus clouds track from the lake even though it's winter ice climbing in Canada. At one and knew that the anticyclone was on only al kilometre and a half out ofthe point I asked Wayne to pose for a its way out. way. prize winning photo and he willingly climbed back up this staircase of ice We figured that we might as well go There are two branches of the Blue covered rocks (with his pack on) sO and visit the place (more red line for Grey and we headed up the other that I could capture the moment on me) and just hope that the weather branch the following day. This is also film. You non-photo types will know wouldhold forther next day. Thetrack tracked and soon we were out in the what he was going through. By the upt the stream was well worn as this is sun pushing through the scrub belt. way, there was a covering offresh dry a common weekend trip for people to My first trip down this valley meant a powder on top of this too. The shot do from Christchurch. The bivvy was scrub bash but there is a track there didn't turn out too bad either. the same design as Nina and we exnow, although the scrub grows back pected the fire place to perform the quickly. Oncethet tussock was reached same but it was a lot better it might wel left it behind to head up to thej pass "... couldn 't keep have somethingt todowith the altitude at the head of the valley and another the boots this of the valley. The surrounding counsun baked lunch was had near dry the tryside 1S spectacular. There was a stream at the point at which we were time.. F1 route description in a book describing to climb out. Wayne needed some the way out that we had planned but more experience SO he took up my later that evening Iknew that we were suggestion of plugging up to the pass Now camethet travel down the riverto not going to be able to cross over the (Il had done my bit the previous day). reach Nina Bivvy. I was keen to try tops to the Lewis Pass itself because The lucky guy soon had us climbing a and keep my boots as dry as possible the front was already on the scene. clear ridge line where the snow had sothep places that we hadt to cross were melted which meant he was able to picked loutwiths steppingi rocksinplace Thus we headed back down the valley shoot out of sight showing his supe- and come 4 o'clock, we were: selecting and out down thel Nina to State Highrior fitness. the ample supply ofdry wood for the way 7arriving: at PalmerLodge, which expected bonfire in the bivvy. I had belongs to the NZDA, in time for There was a little breeze blowing on camped in the same spot before in lunch. The only problem now was to the pass and by the time I arrived he winter but this time we had the two get over the pass to the hot pools and was dressed up in his parka saying person bivvy to ourselves and the my car, some 15km away, and it was how cold it was. Itook in the view and ground outside was completely cov- raining up there. Wayne had first go spent some time taking photos wear- ered in snow The fire proved to be a at hitching and I had second. It was ing just aj polyprop top as the sun was problem. You see, the fireplace is the only time that I had needed to put still out! Again he said that the drop poorly designed and you need to have on my parka just to stop getting cold off the other side looked rather steep the window open so wide to avoid the from the strong nor' wester coming but we soon found out differently. It place filling up with smoke, that the down from thej pass. Nosuchl luck. So proved to be fast travel with good coldairwhich is createdl lby thei updraft Istarted to walk and a short time later stances being possible - he was learn- in the chimney, takes away any heat I was picked up by an old friend, a ing heaps - and by now we were that the flames put out. But I perse- fellow tramper from Wellington. dropping into the head of the Nina vered and later that night the inside which was red line for me, for about temperature was much more inviting Before long we were soaking in the 2km anyway, aslhaddropped intothe than the outside. pools, indoor and out (with the rain valley from another pass many winpouring down) and then on the road to ters before. We were following the The following day had us back on a Blenheim and Wayne's parents place same route that the Medium trip had track thatt took us down the truel leftof for the night. He caught the 5: 45am taken when the Club was in the area in the river and after a few more photo ferry north to go to Whangarei and I early 1992 and I had remembered the stops and some interesting travel headed over to my sister's place in talk about the: stream going through a through high terraced swamps Nelson for another week in the great narrow part just at the bush edge. (couldn't keep the boots dry this time) South Island.