Nelson Lakes to Lewis Pass

Nelson Lakes to Lewis Pass Dennis Gazley In 1968 I stood on Waiau Pass with five others. Four of us were teenagers and the other two were in their twenties. About 2” of snow had fallen overnight but it was now a perfectly fine day. We were all tired.

A few days before on the 10th April a severe southerly storm had battered the country. The overnight Lyttleton to Wellington ferry, the `Wahine’ had struck Barrett Reef and sunk. That evening and through the night until about 4am the following morning, club members had been out searching the coast line for survivors. We searched from the beach level up to the cliff face and along the length of coast from Eastbourne to Pencarrow for people who may have made it to shore and then tried to find shelter in the scrub.

After going to work the following day we caught the ferry to Picton for our scheduled Easter trips. Ironically it was a calm crossing with only a slight southerly swell. The storm had washed out some of the bridges down the Wairau Valley, and instead of the normal two and a half hour drive to Lake Rotoroa, we had to detour through Nelson. We arrived at the lake early the following morning. After a short nap we caught the boat up the lake and tramped up the Sabine to camp near Blue Lake.

We had some problems getting off Waiau Pass that day due to the new snow. The walk down the Waiau Valley was endless and our day finished at about 8 o'clock that evening in an old shearers’ hut at the junction with the Ada River. The following day was an easy stroll over Ada Pass to camp in the Cannibal Gorge area. A couple of eight pint billies were filled with mushrooms and a deer was shot near the pass, making for a superb evening meal. The following day was an easy walk out to Lewis Pass, and then the compulsory walk to the Maruia Springs, and a swim in the hot pools. The return journey to Picton was again via Nelson.

Thirty six years later I was back. This time there was my wife, two teenage sons and four others, some in their late forties and the others in their early fifties. It was a perfect day with not a cloud in the sky, no wind, and the temperature in the high twenties.

Frances, Michael, Scott and I had started two days before with a calm crossing on the `Lynx’ to Picton and a pleasant drive to Lake Rotoroa. I could never imagine walking around the lake, and the boat ride up the lake is worth the expense. The heat walking up the Sabine was extreme, and with heavy packs it was a little unpleasant. Camp was made just before the forks on a regenerating river flat. I have had Keas being a nuisance around a camp site, but never a South Island Robin. This little chap attempted to peck holes in everything that was lying around, including sealed food bags, sleeping bags, parkas etc. At least Tramping & Mountaineering 2004 the possum in the early hours of the morning learnt very quickly that after a torch light was shone in its eyes a stone would follow close behind.

The following day was intended to be an easy stroll to Blue Lake with the afternoon spent lazing about and swimming. We were away late and took our time. The Sabine Valley above the forks is fantastic travel and I never cease to enjoy this part of the park. The heat was again intense and we did not look forward to the areas where the track crossed the open avalanche chutes. On arriving at Blue Lake we met up with our party of four fellow trampers who had left the day before. They intended to camp at Lake Constance, but due to the heat had decided to spend the day at Blue Lake before moving on in the cool of the evening.

The forecast for the following day was for fine hot weather. We didn't like the idea of struggling up to Waiau Pass in the midday heat, so also chose to carry on in the evening and camp at Lake Constance. Compared with tramping in the heat of the day the walk up and around the lake in the late afternoon was a pleasure. I didn't expect to find good camping beside the lake, but I was surprised to find some superb sites in the tussock just back from the beach at the lake head. Some swam, while others took photos or made tea. It is certainly a beautiful place when there is not a breath of wind; it was warm with a clear sky and a half moon.

The following morning we were up at 5am and away by six. We were going to beat that heat to the top of the pass. It was pleasant and cool walking up the valley beside the stream, then up the scree to the tussock ledges below the pass. Patches of snow helped to soften the barren appearance of the surrounding mountains. In summer and once above the bush line Nelson Lakes always appears to be just a great pile of crumbling rock. From the ledge it was an easy walk up to the pass arriving just before the sun.

Some things had changed over the intervening thirtysix years. Instead of the .303 rifle there was a bundle of the latest in Leki Poles with spring absorption, anti sweat cork grips etc. The thick coarse woollen gear had been replaced with super-fine Merino wool and wool possum fur mix. The old japara parkas that sieved out the larger drops of rain and let out the sweat had been replaced firstly with PVC, which kept the rain out and the sweat in, which in turn had been replaced with the latest style in `Goretex’. The Mountain Mule pack was a cube of canvas fixed to an

Overlooking Blue Lake (Dennis Gazley)

exterior steel frame with uncomfortable leather shoulder straps. It had all of four buckles, and if you had paid the extra for the additional pockets it had two zips. A far cry from the packs that `Macpac’ now produce with an adjustable strap and clip hanging from every corner, face and side.

However the most important thing hadn’t changed. That was the sheer enjoyment of being back. To stand on the ridge, on a beautiful fine day, being surrounded by mountains and valleys is a joy that is hard to express. We may have travelled faster and further in our youth but that does not matter. Certainly you see more of the surrounding country when travelling more slowly.

The patches of snow caused no problems as we headed down into the Waiau. There was a long gully filled with snow that the route followed beside. If it hadn’t been so steep and the snow had been softer it would have been a perfect glissade from top to bottom. (Except maybe for the odd hole towards the end.) The heat intensified the lower we travelled, and a long soak in the river was welcome. A tent fly was erected beside a large boulder to offer some shade during lunch.

We had another long soak in the ice filled river before we headed off up to Lake Thompson. One of the good things about this park is that distances are quite short, and it took no time at all to reach the campsite beside the lake. What a brilliant spot. The lake was still surrounded by patches of snow with the odd iceberg. Once again the tent fly was erected to give Tramping & Mountaineering 2004 some shade from the sun. The outlet stream offered refreshing pools in which to cool off.

A stroll up to Thompson Pass in the late afternoon, and sitting around cooking tea filled in the evening. Received the weather forecast on the mountain radio. At least another couple of fine days.

The next morning was another reasonably early start and an easy climb up tussock and snow to the pass. Great views across the head of the D’Urville Valley to the un-named pass that we were to cross into the Matakitaki Valley. We climbed out to the left of the pass onto steep tussock and sidled down and around through bluffs into the head of the D’Urville valley.

The others left us here and headed off down the D’Urville as we continued to follow good terraces around the head of the valley to under the pass. We stopped for an early lunch beside a tarn surrounded by snow and large boulders. The only wildlife that we saw on the whole trip was a chamois that bounded away up to the ridge above the pass.

When we looked from Thompson Pass the slopes below the un-named pass looked quite steep, but now standing underneath the route was obvious and very straightforward. Near the top the snow became reasonably steep but caused no problems. The view from the top was superb and we spent a long time sitting and taking in the scenery.

The first half of the descent to the Matakitaki Valley floor was a snow slide on a long tongue of snow that lead down to a rock strewn terrace and a dark, emerald-blue tarn. Slightly to the west of the tarn we picked up a gully that gave easy access down to the valley floor. A huge pool just below some old avalanche debris was welcome, as the high cloud that was present in the early morning had burnt off and again it was extremely hot. The travel down the head of the East Matakitaki was straight forward with some rock screes but was mainly easy tussock travel. We were pleased to reach the shade of the forest. However, with the absence of deer, in places the young beech trees were growing quite thick which required some hard pushing to get through. We camped at about six o’clock on a grassy flat beside a side stream.

It dawned another perfectly fine day. Had good travel down the true left of the river and then picked up the track where it started just before the hut. What a beautiful place. The old 1950’s classic forest service hut is still in good condition and would be a great place to spend a couple of lazy days. After a short stop we continued on the good track down to the forks. From here was one of our escape routes if the weather turned bad. But none of us enjoyed the thought of the five-hour trip out to the farm land, and then a four hour walk down to the road end that was still in the middle of nowhere. We continued on up the west branch, the three-wire bridge caused no problems, as it was taut and easy to cross. Bob’s Hut was well up a side stream so we did not stop. We camped about another two hours up the west branch just below the bush edge. The choice of campsites was quite limited, either close under the bush on the true left where it was a bit boggy, in the middle of the valley on a low exposed terrace, or the spot we Enjoying a break at Lake Thompson (Dennis Gazley)

Tramping & Mountaineering 2004 selected. This was just under some beech trees on the true right but quite close to a dried up water course. The radio sked that evening confirmed the worst. Rain tomorrow, with some heavy showers expected in the afternoon. The good news was that it was to stay warm with little wind. I had been over the 6000 foot pass at the head of the valley before, in atrocious weather and could only remember being freezing cold, not being able to see a thing, and trying to seek shelter under some rocks beside a large tarn. I was happy to do the same thing again if it avoided the walk out to the road end down the Matakitaki River. Even though we had enough food for a rest day, after some discussion it was decided to push on over the pass. The thought of sitting around all day cramped in the tent in the pouring rain was not appealing. I get cabin fever after half a day stuck in a hut.

The alarm went at 5 o’clock. It was raining. We had hoped that with an early start we may get some way over before the rain started. The alarm was reset for 6 o’clock. Away by seven. We sidled above the last patch of bush to avoid a small gorge and then had easy travel up the tussock glaciated valley. The mist blocked out any views of the surrounding mountains and the rain, sometimes quite heavy, put a stop to any rests to photograph the abundant mountain flowers. The travel was not difficult and the valley only steepened up just below the tarns. Once again we sheltered under a large rock to find a little protection from the wind and rain. We put on extra clothes including hats and gloves as by this stage the wind had increased and it was becoming quite cool. There are three tarns that are aligned and point to the pass. We could only see one so took a compass

Descending off the 6000 ft pass to Ada Pass (Dennis Gazley)

bearing to confirm the way. We did not stop on the top. What’s the point when the inside of one cloud looks exactly like another? It was easy travel down through some small bluffs to the large tarn, before following an easy but steep tussock spur down to the stream. At this point the heavens opened, and it started to hose down. Fortunately the travel was reasonably easy on the tussock terraces, and we stayed close to the stream crossing it many times. About two thirds of the way to the bush edge the stream started to drop more steeply and become swifter. We could no longer cross due to the volume of water so we travelled on the terraces on the true right sometimes quite a distance from the stream. I must admit that I have become more of a fine weather tramper in my later years, but there is something special about being out in weather like this. The main stream was now a rushing torrent, the side streams that appeared out of the mist and bluffs were becoming tricky to cross and it was still hosing down. What a fantastic place. The only thing needed to make it better would be some thunder and lighting. The bush edge looked quite unappealing, but once we had pushed through the scrub it offered some protection from the rain. Everything was rotten. The travel through the bush was short, then an open area before another tongue of bush and the drop to the valley floor and the St James Walkway. The Ada River was running very high and all the river flats were covered in water. The bridge and the Ada Pass Hut were a welcome sight. There is something pleasant about standing out on a hut deck with the rain hosing down being able to take off your wet gear, Tramping & Mountaineering 2004 except for the sandflies. We soon had the coal fire roaring, our gear drying out and the billy boiling. I was concerned that we may be inundated with 20 boy scouts, so when the rain eased off later in the afternoon I went for a walk to find a dry campsite just in case we were forced to move out of the hut. Fortunately none arrived. I prefer to camp and stay away from huts, but there are times when I am prepared to compromise, and this was one of them.

It was still raining gently in the morning as we headed off. This soon stopped but it remained overcast for the rest of the day. We stopped a Cannibal Gorge Hut for just long enough to grab some chocolate before being driven on by the sandflies. Very pleasant bush travel out to Lewis Pass. We had considered catching the bus that travels through from Christchurch each day but were too late. We had pencil booked the `Nelson Lakes Shuttle’ but had to do the 7km road walk to Maruia Springs to the nearest phone to confirm the booking. The cell phones did not work and no luck hitching a ride. In the good old days, on weekend tramps into the Tararuas, we used to regularly do 1¼-hour road walks on the Friday night and Sunday afternoon as the bus could not get into some of the road ends. Trampers of today have obviously had it too easy.

Spent a couple of hours at Maruia Springs before we were collected by the `Nelson Lakes Shuttle’, and transported back to our vehicle at Lake Rotoroa. A shower and a pleasant meal at St Arnaud finished off an especially enjoyable trip.