Millennium Madness at Ivory Lake

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Millennium Madness at Ivory Lake Ann Kendon "And what are you doing to celebrate the new millennium?" my work colleague enquired. "Thought I'd spend 9 days tramping on the West Coast reaching a remote and isolated hut byc a glacial lake. 77 My colleague looked at me and blinked in disbelief. It was obvious his idea of seeing in the new millennium was far removed from mine. He eventually laughed. "Well, each to their own, 3 and no doubt mentally placed me in the insane pigeonhole. nd so, with bulging packs and first day dropped into that valley but we continued along eagerness Shane, Harriette, John, Stuart, Phil Dickie Ridge. Tussock shortened - gradually and gave Land I set off from Totara Valley Road and way to loose and brittle rock, although alpine flowers headed up the Mikonui River in search of wilderness continued to cling on in vain. Eventually the ridge adventure, leaving the world to its Y2K hysteria. had narrowed to such an extent it was seemingly Havingheard many tales ofWest Coast routes.. dense reduced to its component parts of loose rock and bushbashing. slow travel... grovelling around mud. Narrow and precipitous, it became notched boulders.. it was time to experience it all for myself. and involved scrambling and down-climbing. Our goal was to reach Ivory Lake Hut for New Progress was slowed as a notch in the ridge was Year's Eve, a remote spot nestled in the heart of the inspected. Our rope came out and one at a time we Southern Alps. A number of possible options had picked our way down and up the other side. Broken been open to us. The previous year Harry had rocks clattered into the abyss as we clung to the grunted along the Tuke and grovelled up the head of rubble of shattered rock, mud and vegetation, and the valley. Reading a Harry epic account rarely fills tip-toed around a very large and loose chock stone. one with inspiration to follow in his tracks. Several Thankfullyt today was not the day for the chock stone rivers offer access into the area the Wilkinson, to tumble off down the valley. the Cropp. Claire Goldsworthy had a successful trip Relief as the ridge seemingly began to open out a out from Ivory Lake via the Cropp, Noisy Creek and little. Patches of snow indicated our height gain but Mt Bowen a few years ago. Once we'd decided on a generally the weather appeared to be closing in. loop trip starting and finishing on the West Coast Swirling mist and the beginnings of rain made it all (gluttons for punishment) we had contacted DOC at the more atmospheric. Once again we were stopped Hokitika. They confirmed Dickie Ridge provided a in our tracks. There was another notch in the ridge, viable alternative and as this appeared to cunningly only this time it was hard to imagine any possible avoid too much valley grovelling it was chosen. way over. John began picking his way down a steep Mikonui Flats Hut was an easy 1° hours walk in scree chute but soon retreated much to the relief of after a Boxing Dayoft travel from Wellington. A tidy us onlookers. Phil down-climbed now greasy as well 4-bunk hut nestled amongst thick scrub, we as loose rock and inspected the second notch out of marvelled at the absence of sandflies. sight to us. It didn'tlook good nowhere to anchor Next day we followed a steep overgrown track up a rope and he exclaimed his uneasiness even into the mist. The way was thankfully well-marked without his heavy pack. We looked on, we looked and a fantastic display of lush ferns kept my mind again, we considered our options, and we looked occupied from dwelling too much on that first day again. We knew this was probably our final obstacle unfit feeling. The bush-edge was reached in late before the ridge widened again but our view was afternoon drizzle and Dickie Spur Hut was quickly obscured by mist. After much discussion and in found. An evening clearing allowed spectacular deteriorating conditions it was decided to set up views back down to the Mikonui River. camp and a sheltered spot was soon found. An early start was had the following morning and Turning around and going back was no less a scary more grunty uphill to work up a sweat. The tussock prospect but would we be risking too much in ridge sharpened and the green and brown landscape continuing on? I took my mind off it by digging a became more broken, rugged and harsh. The low pool at the base of a patch of snowi to collect drinking cloud swirled and parted to allow us a view way water. We huddled in our tents to cook dinner. A below of the Tuke River winding between craggy plea was sent out on the evening radio sched - "Is mountain slopes. Harry's party had at this point anyone familiar with Dickie Ridge?" A crackly Tramping and Mountaineering 2000

Ourj first view oflvory Lake as we descended out of the cloud Ann Kendon answer came through - a party had successfully We descended steep tussock and bashed down a negotiated the ridge 4 years ago. We agreed to small stream until we'dl lost the necessary height to reinspect before making a final decision. pick up track markers that traversed through thick To our delight the weather cleared up later that West Coast bush. After an extraordinarily long time evening. A few of us leapt out of our tents and spent fighting our waytl through, across, round, under wandered over to the notch for further inspection. and between branches we popped out into the Tuke. We stared and stared at the drop and the remaining With one eye on the time we sloshed, slipped and jagged ridgeline, still partially obscured. Still no safe scrambled our way up the river. This was becoming way across it leapt out at us. Could it be possible the a long day and the energy required to haul myself, rock erosion had worsened since the other party had plus heavy pack, across boulders, logs and pools was negotiated it? For us the stakes were too high. This draining rapidly. The sting in the tail (isn't there was crossing over that fine line between adventure always?) was clambering out of the Tuke too soon! and danger. It was with reluctance we returned to To our dismay the hut was only 500m away but the tents to announce a decision to turn around the 500m ofWest Coast scrub, flax and spaniard equates next day. What a camping spot though. The views to more tedious and exhausting progress. had opened out; the West Coast stretched outl before It was a contented party that eventually took their us like a map, from Mt Cook and Mt Tasman to the places in Top' Tuke Hut that night. After 131 hours of south to the Paparoas to the north. The classic view hard tramping it took a good feed before anyone felt of mountains tumbling to the sea raw beauty like discussing the next day's route options. The hut bathed in the last of the setting sun. Magic. book was consulted which dated back to the 1970s! A gloriously sunny day greeted us next morning. It Another sunny, clear day followed although at was with mixed feelings we set off back down Dickie 7.30am the valley was still filled with cool, crisp Ridge. We successfully reversed our way back to shadow. Harry's route scaling the back end of the "chock gully" once again tip-toeing around the loose valley could clearly be seen precariously steep, chock stone and fraying a few more nerves with chossy, broken rubble. It was clear how they'd precarious down-climbing. We reached a spot on struggled to navigate a way onto the ridge. We'd the ridge where it was deemed possible to drop off spotted an alternative taking in Mt Beaumont. steeply into the Tuke. Harry's grovelly route now After continuing up the Tuke a small distance we offered a glimmer ofl hope - at least we knewi it was scrambled up a side-stream on our left that steeply possible. rose out of the valley. We followed a series of deep, Tramping and Mountaineering 2000

We noted our onward journey along another sharp looking ridge with dramatic cliffs plummeting off the eastern side. Cloud was rapidly increasing SO we lost no time. Initially the ridge was satisfyingly wide and comfortable: it made a change to walk on two feet! But as predicted the ridge began to narrow and our visibility became reduced. I think it was fortunate we couldn't see the drop as one by one we negotiated another chossy scramble. It seemed an eternity before we were finally confident we'd reached the top and could begin our steep snow descent in the direction of Ivory Lake. Nowl'm not a real fan of steep snow descents and with my nerves in their current state of tattersIthink it was just as well we couldn't see much further than our feet. As we descended, the swirling mist gradually parted to reveallvory Lake, some distance below. We were in no doubt that it was Ivory Lake ice bergs dotted its surface and the hut came into view, perched near the lake outlet. A final steep rocky descent landed us at thel lake edge and fortunately the outlet was easily crossed. Another 12-hour day over, we staggered up to the hut. Next day was New Year's Eve and my body decided it needed a rest. Only Stuart and Phil had energy enough to wander up Park Dome to the rear of the hut. Millennium madness on Ivory Lake Ann Kendon The afternoon's activities involved uncovering the hut raft. Disappointingly its lack of flotation capacity was soon clear, natural baths (not quite warm enough to discovered though not before freezing our lower legs encourage a dip). A spectacular waterfall plunged off. Instead we took to clambering on floating to our left and behind us views of Dickie Ridge icebergs, the trick being to choose one with a natural unfolded on the opposite side of the valley. outrigger for stability! The terrain steepened and consisted now of steep The lads returned with tales of awesome views, of tussock and loose rock. Harriette slithered and roped glacier sections and tricky crevasses. The rain dropped several metres before coming to rest ahead began just as they stepped into the hut, but given it of me. She was fine, just a bit shaken, but it left a was the first proper rain of our West Coast trip we kind of tingling in my toes as we were once again couldn't complain. An enormous meal followed, approaching the less friendly upper mountain rubble toppped off with self-saucing chocolate pud. What and scree. with the glacial backdrop, the drifting icebergs and The ridge was eventually reached and to our relief the now chilly temperature, this was the closest to a was adequately open for easy travel. Crampons and Northern Hemisphere New Year's Eve gathering that axes came out for an easy snow plod to the summit Phil and Ihad encountered in NZ. of Mt Beaumont. This was quite a highlight almost The countdown to the end of a century began making our two-day diversion worthwhile! Slightly .ten...ine...ight. .we remembered with nostalgia incongruous with surrounding raggedy peaks and ours shared adventures of 1999 .seven .six .five ridges, Beaumont is a friendly rounded snow dome and wondered what further adventures 2000 with views of the Main Divide to the east, including might bring .four. three. two.. .one.. we Mt Evans, looking sinister from this angle. pondered briefly on the possible fate of the world's Tramping and Mountaineering 2000

ARB -I DC HONTT ROCK BiV-AWANAHA CEMER computer systems! Not that we really cared that renamed Hunt's Biv it easily housed all 4 of us and much our fireworks rang out in the eerie darkness provided adequate shelter from the southerly rain a millennium party at altitude! that arrived as forecast. To my relief it rained hard on New Year's Day Slow progress continued the following day enforcing another rest day. My knees would thank although I was really enjoying the fantastic rapids, me. We could now retrospectively appreciate our stoppers and pools we were following. Bush-bashing convoluted route into the hut via Mt Beaumont as it around enormous boulders continued and I began was looking increasingly likely our walk out plans to get a wee bit frustrated with my relatively short would have to change. Following the Waitaha River legs. Phil, Stuart andJohn effortlessly hopped over, out would bring us to the wrong roadend but it was across and down boulders, and unable to copy them, looking an increasingly plausible option, given the I'dbel left phaffing around trying out alternatives while weather forecast and time remaining. they disappeared out of sight. Eventually, I So next day we set off. The valley eventually unashamedly admit, the boys persuaded me to hand opened out and we followed rough, open tussock on over some of my gear SO Icould keep up. the true-left of the river all the way to Top Waitaha Our final day was sunny and hot. It was beautiful Hut. Disaster struck! Harriette had developed boulder-hopping (for a change) the rapids an crippling tendonitis in her ankle. It was a huge iridescent blue and according to the hut logbook, disappointment but she eventually made the difficult kayak-able. Kiwi Flat Hut was reached for lunch. decision to chopper out. So our merry group parted And the last part of the track was actually at a company at Top Waitaha Hut - Shane chose to moderate gradient and through open forest allowing stick with Harriette and it was just the four of us reasonable walking speed instead of the grovelling who continued on this time. we'dbeen used to all week. I confidently took all my For Phil and Iit was our first experience of West gear back in anticipation of a straightforward walk Coast river valley bashing and what an experience! out to the roadend. But, as was the theme of the Ast the bush-edge was reached it became increasingly trip, there was a sting to the end of the day. As if the difficult to clamber around large boulders which were West Coast was having the final say we finished with blocking our descent. The river gradient steepened, a last gruelling boulder-hop along the riverbank the rapids bubbled spectacularly, but the boulder sapping every last ounce of energy. Maybe it just scrambling grew more technical and progress was made us appreciate even more, the sticky buns and slowed as we slipped, slithered, swung, scrambled orange juice waiting for us at the car thanks and fought our way forward. Harriette and Shane! We'd read in Top Waitaha Hut of a rock biv that Millennium Madness team: Harriette Carr, Shane Hunty had used in the 1970s and we decided to Connolly, Stuart Palmer, John Thomson, Phil investigate. We were not to be disappointed. Now Kendon and Ann Kempster Tramping and Mountaineering 2000