Trip party at Paske HutLeader: Mike Drake

Our aim was to make an attempt on Mount Dora based from Paske Hut. The route starts near the bridge across the Rainbow River. In winter a key is required to open the locked gate just after Six-Mile Creek on the Rainbow Road.
There have been some issues with access to the road since the sale of the lease to Nelson Honey Ltd., two years ago The fee has been increased to $40 per vehicle. However, the new farm manager Gene (03 521 1838) seems more amenable than the last. Mike had pre-arranged everything, so we were able to pick up a key that Gene had left at the farmhouse.
There were eleven punters. On Friday we met Mike at Belgrove at 8am. We then proceeded in three 4WDs to St Arnaud for a caffeine top-up. Past the ski-field turnoff, the Rainbow Road is in only fair condition, with many potholes. There are good-sized boulders in the fords. So, travel was slow but steady.
At the parking area under a power pylon, we packed up rapidly as the sandflies were not sleepy and time was marching. We headed up the Rainbow Valley on a still, mild morning with the clouds clearing.
P1020142 We took the standard route up, crossing the river after about 1km and proceeding up the tussock and matagouri flats on a 4WD track. The braided river was in low flow and some managed the crossing with socks nearly dry.
After about two hours we re-crossed to the true left bank, stopping for lunch before the track headed up a small bluff above the gorge. We sent Ian off to the opposite bank with inaccurate guidance to find and bag Rainbow Hut (now owned by the station).
Then  we trapsed over the bluff  to a marvellous spot with the Paske Valley across broad flats on the left, and the Begley Valley on the right. Although there was no snow in the valleys, the snow-clad tops rose to 2200-metre peaks, gleaming in the sun as the remaining cloud burnt off.
Crossing the Rainbow meant wet feet, as the river ran in a single stream; not particularly deep or swift, we crossed the Paske to the true left bank where a rough cattle track led to the upper valley. The travel was easy across tussock terraces.
Kate attempts Paske Saddle
Paske Hut squats at 1130m in a delightful upper basin of mixed tussock and bush. The party became spread out so Mike began muttering that he was ‘herding cats.’ This became a refrain for the weekend. The final few arrived at the hut at dusk, after seven hours.
A cold clear night saw six in the hut bunks, one on the floor and four hardy souls camping. Their
tents were white with frost within the hour, while Mars and Venus were outstandingly bright on a moonless night. We were cosy inside during dinner and socialising before an early night.
Saturday dawned calm and clear. At dawn, we  set off for Paske Saddle, (1900m). After a short bush section followed by scrub above the small gorge, we fitted crampons to ascend firm snow slopes.

The saddle seemed a long way off but we reached it about two hours from the hut. Kelvin decided enough was enough, whilet the other ten proceeded up the ridge to Pt. 1991. The views across the valley to Mounts Belvedere and Paske were outstanding. However, Mt Dora was a long way off and part of the ridge did not look straightforward. Thus, half the party decided to lounge in the sun, before heading back down.

Mike and his team of four hardy women (Kate, Andrea, Madeleine and Michele) proceeded to do an interesting sidle to the next saddle. It wasn’t too bad as long as long as one didn’t look down! The snow was getting softer in the warm sun though, and they sank in. Before too long, they reached the saddle before the final tricky ascent to Mount Dora. Although they could see their target tantalisingly close, the ridge between them and the peak was steep with mixed snow and daunting rocky outcrops. Mike continued on his own reconassance for a while.

Meanwhile, his companions decided they had gone far enough. The views were amazing; no-one was particularly disappointed that they didn’t summit.

We decided to go back to the hut via a different route. Initially, the snow was dry which made for an easy descent at the head of the valley. However, once the slope eased into the valley we found ourselves in deep snow, constantly sinking to our knees and more.

At one point, Kate disappeared into a hole so deep you could only see the top of her head. She had found the stream.

With a bit of assistance and scrambling, Kate eventually extracted herself.

At the hut, we were very happy to find the fire lit and the billy on. Camping nearby were an NZAC party of five intending to climb Mt Paske.

After a fine, cold night, we departed down valley at 8:15am for a leisurely exit back to the vehicles (seven hours). Cat-herding was still an issue. A compulsory stop in St Arnaud for coffee and chips saw us back in Belgrove at 6pm after a fantastic threedays in one of the most beautiful valleys in the region. Bagging Mt Dora can wait!

Team: Mike Drake (leader), Andrea Cockerton, Michele Cunningham (2nd scribe), Kelvin Drew, Sue Henley, Pat Holland (scribe), Barry James, Kate Krawczyk, Ian Morris, Madeleine Roher & Peter Waworis.

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