Leader: Mike Drake
After poor weather resulted in this trip being aborted a month before, a dubious forecast and other factors resulted in several abstentions for this re-run. So just Mike and Pat flew the flag of optimistic heroism and headed up the Rainbow on Friday.
The late arrival of the station manager to supply the key to the locked gate meant the famous early start was not possible. We got walking at mid-day from off the Rainbow ‘highway’ just before the main bridge.
The weather was fair with a brisk easterly blowing us upriver and a few spots of rain. However, there were enough blue patches to make the sailor’s trousers. In the event, we got up the Rainbow valley and then the Paske valley dry (except for the wet feet).
Rainbow valley might be regarded as boring by some but it has amazing vistas with a good mix of gravel, tussock and matagouri. The Paske is a gem of a valley surrounded by 2000m+ peaks. We got to the hut in 5.5 hours and had time to stock up the firewood before dusk. The six-bunk NZFS hut is in excellent condition (recently repainted by DOC) and in a beautiful location.
At 6am on Saturday we were off to climb Mount Paske (2217m) on a fine, calm morning. Up valley brought us to the snow on the upper terrace leading to the saddle under Paske. This is where the pain began as there had been no freeze so we were up to our hocks in soft sugar snow. It tooks us three hours to reach the saddle.
Then we tackled the ridge with more soft snow. The snow conditions gradually improved as we went higher, although the ridge got steeper and narrower. The last 300m vertical was quite challenging and unrelenting but after 6.5 hours we finally reached the summit for lunch with only a gentle, mild breeze.
What a glorious spot with excellent views all around including Mt Belvedere to the west, peaks in Nelson Lakes to the norwest, and way across to Tapuae-o-Uenuku to the southeast.
After down-climbing the first steep 200m, we abandoned the ridge for a big snow-filled gully leading directly to the bushline. Again, soft snow made for slow, tiring progress – oh, for snowshoes or skiis! At last we were able to rest at the headwaters of the Paske. We got back to the hut in the late afternoon [10.5 hours total].
Sunday morning dawned fine but we decided to head out. After a leisurely start, without any more daring-do. Steady walking with a strong nor-wester behind us got us back to the vehicle in six hours — obviously the exertions of the previous day has taken its toll. It was an excellent trip in some of the best country this part of Nelson-Marlborough has to offer.
Climbers were: Mike Drake & Pat Holland (scribe).