Across the Great Divide

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Across the Great Divide Harry Smith her mountain radio crackledinto life. "This is the Christchurch Mountain Radio Service, on Saturday the 20th of January, standing by for any new: stations wanting IB-Base. Any new stations wanting IB-Base please come in now. Over." Grant picked up the microphone and pressed the transmit button. "This is IB-117 calling IB-Base, IB-117 calling IB-Base. Do you read? Over." "IB-Base to IB-117, IB-Base to IB-117. Yeah, gidday IB-117, reading you loud and clear. What is your present location, and did you copy the weather forecast? Over." "IB-117tol IB-Base, IB-1171 tol IB-Base, we copied the weather forecast, thanks. Our present location is Reischek Hut in the Rakaia River, Reischek Hut in the Rakaia River. We're doing a trip up the Ramsay to the Bracken Snowfield and then out down the Wanganui to the West Coast, and we'll be with you for the next week or SO. Over." "Yeah, okay IB-117, l'll put you on the sked and give you a call tomorrow night. Have a good trip. Over." "Thanks IB-Base. IB-117 out." Reischek Hut. I remembered Reischek Hut well. Six years earlier a group of us had spent four nights in Reischek Hut at the start of a Club trip to the Garden of Eden, sitting out torrential rain and watching the swollen Rakaia Washbourne Hut, Rakaia River Harry Smith River surge past, while waiting for the raging side-streams to go down The goingi is completely flat, giving you Next morning was another brilliant enough for us to cross and continue a chance to get used to the weight of day. The weather gods certainly on our way. Now I was back, on an- your pack and regain a bit of fitness seemed tol be on our side. Wel headed other long trans-alpine trip to explore that a sedentaryl life in the office takes up river to thej junction of thel Lyell and another corner of the Canterbury away from you. There is nothing hard the Ramsay and crossed over to the mountain country, but unlike the pre- about it; you just put your legs into other side via a wobbly bridge. Six vious trip, this time the weather was gear and your mind into neutral and years ago we had gone to thel left, up fine. plod away the hours and miles. On the Lyell; this time we were heading this particular walk-in we temporarily tot ther right, up the Ramsay Glacieri into That day we had walked in up the relieved the boredom of gravel-river- new country. This bridge was the last Rakaia. Ithad been the usual start toa bed-bashing by a spell of thick sign of civilisation for the next five trip in the Canterbury mountains: a matagouri-bashing, as we blundered days; before us was wilderness counlong plod up a wide gravelly riverbed around trying to find the 4WD track try, where we would have to rely on where you seem to walk forl hours and in the scrub, and by a pleasant rest our own resources. As ift to emphasise the reference points in the distance stop in the grass and the daisies at this point, only a few hundred yards never seem to get any closer. Some Washbourne Hut, before trudging the further on, across the moraine terpeople don'tl like thesel long river walk- final tiring hour to arrive at Reischek races, we were brought to a sudden ins but I quite enjoy them; it's a good Hut, tucked away on a small terrace halt by the terminal lake of the Ramsay way to ease yourself into a long trip. in a fold in the hillside, at 7.00pm. Glacier. TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996

Such terminal glacial lakes seem tol be growingi in many South Island valleys as our glaciers undergo a wholesale retreat in thet face of the accelerating. greenhouse effect. A few years ago we could probably have got around this lake on thes side we were on but now the lake had expanded out to the valley walls and the sidlel looked very steep and tricky. Across thel lake, however, on the eastern side, the going looked good. There was only one problem with the other side: it was... well, it was on the other side! And between us and the other side lay a large amount of very coldlooking water! We ummed and ahhed for a while then Top of Ramsay Glacier looking towards Mt Whitcombe Harry Smith took the plunge and forded the outlet as mini-icebergs floated byin the current and our feet playing cards. Thel highlight of the day and rain soon rolled back in once and other parts froze. Then followed came when Grant served up soup that again. al long sidle around thel lake shore be- afternoon. Funny, it seemed to have a fore we stopped forl lunch near the ter- strange, sweet tastet to it. Well, bagged On the mountain radio sked that minal face oft the glacier. Wer munched instant pudding does look very simi- evening there was a note of annoyance down Tararua biscuits and salami lar to bagged milk powder, doesn't it in Grant's voice as he spoke into the while watching small icefalls peel off Grant?!? Jaffa and mushroom soup microphone: and plunge into the water below. was declared an interesting new culi- "IB-117 to IB-Base, IB-117 to IB-Base. nary delight, and funnily enough there We'd quite like a bit of fine weather The next couple of hours were a te- was no dessert on the menu that here please!" dious moraine-bash up the glacier, night... "Sorry, it's beyond my control,' " came following a natural gully in the mothe reply with a chuckle. "Catch you raine on the true left. By the time we Next day we awoke to a torrential tomorrow night!" finally emerged onto the white ice we downpour. Quite plainly we weren't were all truly sick of the Ramsay mo- going anywhere this day either. I spent Next morning we peered out the tent raine and to my utter disgust I had most of the morning lying motionless flaps and were greeted by the same managed to wear a hole in my boot. in the tent, the low-strung nylon roof grey clouds above. Would they never We were only on the white ice for a muffling my face. Whoever designed go away? Still, while it looked pretty few hundred yards before we left the the Macpac Eclipse tent obviously miserable higher up, conditions glacier to outflank an icefall and didn't give much thought to head- around camp weren'tactually too bad, headed up a broad side gully to the room at the ends. Even reading my and cabin fever was setting in, SO the right where we found a great camp- book was difficultin the cramped con- rope was dragged out and the aftersite on a flat gravel terrace, well shel- ditions. For lunch, to break the bore- noon was spent practising prusiking tered from the wind and with a clear, dom, we paid a social call on the over the front door of our bivvy rock. fresh stream nearby. From here we neighbours, where six of us enjoyed planned to strike out for Erewhon Col the cosy comforts of an Olympus tent. Finally, the following morning we the next day. awoke to the sight we had been look- Late in the afternoon it cleared up for ing forward to for the past three days: But, alas, it was not to be. Dawn the a while, SO most of us took the oppor- glimpses of the face of Mt Whitcombe, next day revealed clagged-in condi- tunity to go for a wander up the gully golden yellow in the sun through a thin tions and strong winds higher up. A to a large knob overlooking the icefall veil of clearing valley mist, and blue pit day was declared. We spent some in the glacier, with views up the up- sky above. The good weather had artime clearing the floor of al largel biwy per névé to Erewhon Coli in the far dis- rived at last! We quickly packed upand rock just above our campsite, en- tance. Hopes were high that the set off on our way, back up the big sconced ourselves in there out of the weather was clearing and that we gullyt to the terraces above. From here weather, and whiled away the day would be off tomorrow, but the clouds it was an easy walk straight out onto TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996

Crevasse rescue! Harry Smith the glacier above the icefall. Les and off! It hovered gently in the air for a which it is composed will eventually Lish left us at this point, to have a go few seconds, just out of reach, then flow off over Full Moon Saddle, southat Louper Peak which loomed high descended slowly into the bottom of wards down the Evans Glacier, and out above us to our right. They rejoined the crevasse! Now, the crevasse was down the Wanganui River to the West us that evening, having got high up on only about 10-feet deep, you could Coast. Throw your snowball to the the ridge, but didn't reach the sum- walk in at one end, and as it turned rightanditwille eventually drop off over mit. Sue, Penny, Steve and Stevie outi it had a good solid snow floor, but the Wilkinson Icefall and into the roped up for the travel up the névé. there was still no way that Iwas going Whitcombe River, a tributary of the Grant and I decided to go unroped; to venture into it without being on the Hokitika, to reach the West Coast the ultra-safety conscious would no end of a rope, sO Sue was called in to thirty miles further north. And throw doubt frown, but travelling on a rope perform the exciting "crevasse res- it over your shoulder, over Erewhon is a real pain and we decided we could cue' ". She descended into thei icyjaws Col behind you, and it will head off see the slots well enough and the dan- firmly belayed on the end of the rope, down the Ramsay Glacier, into the gers were slight. the operation was a complete success, Rakaia and right out across the Canand my sunhat was retrieved intact! terbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean far It was a big, long exhausting plod up in the east. Where we were camping the upper glacier in the baking sun; We pitched camp just over the other on Erewhon Col, was directly on the the views, however, made iti all worth- side of the col, on flat areas cleared Main Divide. while. Around us the ice-clad peaks by previous parties amongst the rocks basked in the sunlight, and we baked and rubble. Before us lay the large, We spent the afternoon exploring this in the heat. Grant picked an expert triangular shaped Bracken Snowfield, area. From a snow knob to the right route through the crevasses and up to at the far side of which rose the iso- we got spectacular views out over the the top of the névé, where we paused lated massif of Mt Evans, with its ser- Wilkinson Icefall, the Wilkinson glafor a rest before zigzagging through rated, rocky summit ridge, jagged- cial lake and river far below, and the the slots up the final steep slope to looking like some gigantic rooster's sheer east face of Mt Evans above. That the Col itself. Erewhon is "nowhere" comb. To the left ofl Evans, beyond Red eveningit claggedin aroundour campspelt backwards, and is named after Lion Col, was the sharp pinnacle of site, but a special double-strength Beef Samuel Butler's book last century Red Lion peak, while to our right, ris- Vindaloo curry dinner helped keep the about a mythical land beyond the ing above the Ramsay névé, were two cold at bay. Southern Alps. For us it was the gate- rounded peaks going under the name way to the Bracken Snowfield. of the Amazons Breasts-named by a Next morning I woke early and crept man, I strongly suspect! outside to watch the dawn rise on an- But before we could explore the Snowother perfect day. There is something field there was a slight delay. Just a The Bracken is a true parting of the completely magical about the dawn in few yards before the crest a gentle ways. Stand in the middle and throw the mountains. At first a faint glow apbreeze came up and blew my sunhat a snowball to the left and the snow of pears in the sky. Gradually the sky gets TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996 lighter and lighter; out to the east a red glow appears on thel horizon. Then the first rays of sunlight hit the tops of thel highest peaks, suffusing them with a dense crimson-cherryi incandescent hue. The colour slowly fades as the sunlight gradually creeps downwards, inching down from the very summits to the lower mountainsides, bathing themi in a warm golden glow. Huddled in the shelter of the rocks, wearing all your warm gear, you watch transfixed. Finally, the first sharp, direct rays of the sun stab suddenly over the distant horizon. Around you the undulations in the crisp snow are thrown into sharp relief with the side-lighting. Soon the whole area is lit up with direct sunlight, and soon, all too soon, the special subtle magic is gone-to be replaced with a different type of magic, more direct and solid, ofbrilliant white icefields and névés, baking hot in the full force of the sun, and hanging glaciers caking the mountainsides like fancy icing. Wer needed to get down the Evans that day if we were to finish the trip on time, but the allure of the tops held us and we decided that we could still afford to spend the morning up in this magic alpine world. Grant was keen to stand on the Amazon's Breast (I wonder why?) SO we set off, negotiating a route through the crevasses and schrunds. From the top we had bril- Mt Evans and the Wilkinson Icefall Harry Smith liant views down to Whitcombe Pass below us, and northwards to the out to the west. Ifwe had had a day to pine herbs, and mountain daisies. We Paparoa Range in the far distance. sparelwouldhavel liked to explore this stopped and rested on the gravel flats, Steve decided that à certain distinc- route. Ifonly we hadn't been held up soaking up the sunshine and the scentive protruding rock on the very top of by all that bad weather down in the ery. Life felt good. the peak obviously had to be the Ramsay! Amazon's nipple, and a photograph of From the terminal of the glacier it was him in an appropriate sucking pose We had lunch in the sun at Erewhon relatively good travel down to Vane was duly recorded for posterity! Hur- Col before heading off down the Evans Stream. This was the one big side rying back to camp, I did a quick trip just after midday. The top section was stream of the Evans River which we up onto another rocky knob above steep, and we had to pick a zigzag had thought we might have trouble Erewhon Col, on the end of the north- route between the large crevasses, but crossing. Sure enough, where we ern ridge of Mt Whitcombe. (Some of soon we were down to where the gla- reached it it was a seething torrent the others had climbed up here the cier flattens out. From here it was a amongst huge boulders. However, I previous afternoon.) More panoramic long plod down the lower glacier, only had to explore a few hundred views spread out below my feet in all jumping small crevasses and scram- yards upstream before I found a good directions. To the south, the ridge con- bling down the moraine to the broad boulder-hopping route across. There tinued along to Mt Whitcombe. The gravel flats in the river below. was one reasonably big jump in the final stretch of ridge, a steep rock step middle which you wouldn't have a thousand feet high, looked difficult. There is always a sharp contrast when wanted to miss, and it took a bit of But by following the hanging glaciers you descend from a glacial area. From coaxing to get Sue to jump, but other on the western side of the mountain it an alpine world of snow and ice, of than that it was pretty straightforward. looked like you might be able to out- glistening glacier and bare rock, we flank this obstacle and approach the were suddenly back in a gentle world Leaping from boulder to boulder summit via a subsidiary snowy peak ofl bubbling streams, tussock grass, al- across the raging torrent did, however, TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996 make me acutely aware oft the crucially longer know what a good pack is! In- rough-cut track through the scrub. different weight distribution ofr my new stead, they'll willingly fork out a for- Thereafter, we kept an eye out for pack compared to my old one. My tune for thel latest sculptured wonder these tracks and progress was good. trusty old Anakiwa frame pack, alas, from Macpac, contributing to that Still, it must have taken us nearly two has finally gone to that Happy company's bulging coffers, then think hours to go a kilometre, but without Tramping Ground in the set and was they've done a hard trip after walking these tracks it would probably have replaced on this trip by a brands spank- DOC's latest benched, graded, and taken us twice that long. ing new, state-of-the-art, high-tech, gravelled wheelchair track. But anyall-bells-and-whistles-attached, way, back to the trip! l'm a bit unsure ofmy reaction to these MacpacTorre--wherel there tracks. On the one hand, are more straps and buckthey certainly made this les than there are dials in section easier. On the the cockpit of a jumbo jet, other hand, I like wilderand you need a PhD in adness country, and tracks vanced physics just to put detract from this ideal. If the darn thing on properly. these tracks were allowed tol become overgrown and So how does the new- Smyth Hut was removed fangled product compare to this whole upper the equipment of yester- Wanganui catchment year? Well, it's probably a would be perfect wilderbit more comfortable, I'Il ness country. Overall I grant you that; a bit less favour the wilderness idea, sore on the shoulders. But but I have to admit that as far as I can see the adwhen doing this kilometre vantages just about end of river I was damn glad there. The shape is comthat these tracks were pletely wrong, all length there! and no width, sO packing it is a bit like packing a drain- We arrived at Smyth Hut pipe and it's impossible to about seven o'clock. This find anything or get anywas a nice, comfortable, thing out from the bottom standard six-bunk ex-Forwithout squeezing everyest Service hut, but what thing else out like a tube of made it special, and what toothpaste. And the only I was looking forward to, way to get in enough gear was thati it came equipped for a decent long trip is to with a hot spring! Five extend it so far upwards minutes down-river hot over your head that carrywater bubbled out of the ing itis a bit like trying to riverbank and meandered balance a broomstick on down among the riverside your hand and you sway boulders in a series of Slots in the Evans Glacier Harry Smith around like a drunken gipools before disappearing raffe, making boulder-hopinto the main flow. Steve ping across raging streams potentially From Vane Stream to Smyth Hut was and Les went for a quick recce while lethal and ducking under fallen logs a only one kilometrer on the mapl but was the rest of us attended to the radio nightmare. And of course, there are the toughest travel yet. This section of sked, and after dinner we all went so many more buckles and straps river flows at an angle against the grain down for a soak. As the evening wore which can go wrong, and if anything ofthe land, full of giant boulders, some on the others gradually left in dribs and does break iti is virtually impossible to the size of houses, which we drabs, until only was left, lying back, fix it up without the aid of an indus- scrambled over, under, or around, like soaking up the warmth, watching the trial sewing machine, and how many ants among giant sugar cubes. To make stars above. Japanese tourists would of those do you find out in the hills? matters worse we were right in the pay thousands for this experience if With a good ol' frame pack, on the scrub zone, between the open alpine only we weren't two days' hard travel other hand, ifanything does break you tussock zone back up valley and the from the nearest roadend! Finally, can just tie it all together back to the more open bush further down. When- sometime after midnight, resembling frame with the nearest handy bit of ever the river forced us away from the a wrinkled prune, I reluctantly forced boot-lace or rubber band and continue boulders we faced the prospect of a myself from the water and made my on your way! No wonder tramping is thick scrub-bash instead. But fortu- way back to the hut. Next morning a dying activity: there's virtually a nately we soon came to realise that most of us returned for a few more whole generation out there who no whenever this happened, there was a hours soaking before finally departing TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996 down-river at about eleven o'clock. ing more, but I must have taken one come in to Hunters to meet us, carry- After the first hour to Devastation step too many and suddenly I was ingl heavy packs of fresh food and "liq- Creek the travel down the Wanganui caught in the full force of the current. uid refreshments' ". We feasted until was good and open. It was swelter- There was no way I could retreat, So past midnight, the stir-fry veges tasted ingly hot, SO hot that we seemed to my only option was to run with the great after a week of dehy, and the stop for a drink at virtually every side current diagonally downstream to- Speights went down a real treat! creek. At one point a beautiful swim- wards the far bank. Fortunately the ming pool beckoned and we couldn't bottom was good and I emerged safe Next morning awoke to the sound of resist the allure, but the water was sO and sound on the other side, but it had scratching on the perspex skylight roof cold that we were quickly out and been a close thing. above my head. Some keas were takbasking on the sun-warmed rocks. It ing it in turns to slide down the roof! was a pleasant, cruisy day, life was There followed an animated conver- Suddenly there was a clanging in the good, and we had no thought that we sation back and forth across the river, chimney, and next thing we knew a would have any problems making it with semaphore signals above the roar rather confused-looking kea flopped to Hunters Hut at the junction of the of the current, as the others debated out of the fireplace! Smoothing its Wanganui and the Adams in good time whether to attempt to follow me ruffled feathers, it flew up and perched that afternoon. Howwrong that turned across. In the end they decided not on a bunk, where it quickly resumed out to be! to, which think was wise. Ith had been its normal supercilious manner and fairly touch and go with me, and had peered around mischievously, looking About 4 or 5 o'clock, just 2 or 3 kilo- a bit of extra height and weight over for any handy sleeping bags to shred metres above Hunters, we came to a most of the others. But this meant that and shiny souvenirs top purloin and take bluff. It was just a little bluff, but it they were forced to carry on down the back to the nest, to regale future grandsnookered us completely. We were far bank to the cableway opposite children keas with tales of youthful expecting one big bluff, Poker Bluff, Hunters Hut, while I was on the right adventure and derring-do. but this wasn't it and wasn't even side of the river, past all the bluffs. marked on the map. The water ran fast After casually packing up we winched and deep, harda lagainst its base. Scram- Isat in the sun on the riverbank, lazily ourselves across the Wanganui on the bling around the base looked out of watching the others tackle the bluff. cableway and set off down river on yet the question. We tried to find a route Les and Lish took a low-level route, another beautiful day. Several hours over, but it looked difficult. After much along the scrub-free rock ledges at off pleasant flats and easy boulder-hopindecision we decided to cross the river level. Lish seemed to have mag- ping followed, with another swim en river and try our luck on the opposite netic boots, ambling casually along the route. Eventually, after a final section bank, unsure if we would be able to steep, greasy rocks, apparently with- through an unsightly quarry, we arcross back further down river. out a care. The others obviously didn't rived at the road. The trip was over. like the look of that and took a higher A1 few hundred yards further down on route. The rocks up there were prob- Epilogue: the other bank we came to another ably just as steep, but at least there That evening the mountain radio crackbluff. This involved a short traverse on was some vegetation to hang on to- led into life. "IB-Base calling IB-117, narrow ledges above a deep pool. or to geti in the way, depending on your IB-Base calling IB-117, do you copy? Steve lost his footing and went for an point of view. Once I saw that Les and Over." unexpected dip, but it was a quiet Lish were going to get across all right "This is IB-117 to IB-Base, IB-117 to backwater and there was no danger. A I decided there was no point hanging IB-Base. We copy you loud and clear. bit further down we passed Poker Bluff around, so I gave a cheery wave and Over." on the other side, rising sheer from took off for the hut. "Did you copy the weather forecast, the water. If we had been back on that and what is your present location? side we would have had to climb over larrived at the hut at 9.00 that night. Over." it, but apparently there is a rough track. The others turned up at about quarter "Our present location is Jacksons But just ahead of us, on our side, was to ten, by which time it was virtually Pub," "wesaid, as casually as we could. another nasty-looking bluff. dark. When you consider that we had "Over." arrived at the first bluff at 4 or 5 in the "Sounds like a good place to be,' " came By this time I was getting fed up with afternoon, and that was only three or the laconic reply. bluffs, and didn't want to tackle this four kilometres away, you realise just one. Between the bottom of Poker what a tricky little section of river it Yep, he was right: a great place to be, Bluff on the far side and the top of the was. Still, if it helps to keep the Japa- and a good way to end an excellent bluff on our side was a stretch of about nese and German tourists out of the trip with good companyin great couna hundred yards or SO in which the upper Wanganui, l'm glad it's there! try-a whole week, in fact, of great river looked vaguely crossable. I places to be. waded out a few yards to test the bot- The hard work of getting to the hut tom. It seemed OK, so I took another that night did, however, have its re- The Party: Grant Wheaton (leader), couple of steps. Again it seemed OK. ward. Grant had arranged for two of Sue Napier, Steve ("Stevie") Berry, I took another step forward. Well, I his friends to bring the cars around to Steve Brash, Penny Coffey, Les Hayes, only intended to have a look and noth- the Coast to pick us up, and they had Lish Newell, and Harry Smith. C TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING 1996