Day 1 - Yumi
Six people heading off to Arthur's Pass for the Easter holiday with good weather. There was bumper to bumper traffic going towards Greymouth. We started walking the Otira Valley Track after lunch. The DoC sign says 1 hour to footbridge but it didn't take that long. We carried on the gravel route towards the basin of Mt Rolleston in the valley. There were nice sounds of the river flowing alongside the track all the way and lovely contrast of the blue sky and the snow in the basin. We were welcomed by some Tomtits and a Rock Wren hopping up and down on a rock.
Mt Rolleston’s Otira face; a popular climb. After 3.5 hours walk, we moved to CTC hut in Arthur's Pass village. The hut has big glass windows to view the hill over the road. We were soon feeling at home with a fire going in the hut.
Day 2 - Maaike
The previous evening we had decided to go for an early start because Avalanche Peak is a climb of at least 1000m (the recorded climb that day was 1100m). At 08:30 we left the Christchurch Tramping Club hut (750m), walked up the street and found the roped track that led us to the centre of Arthurs Pass village and the start of Avalanche Peak track. From there we climbed steeply through the bush beside the Avalance creek with its waterfalls up to the bush line (about 1300m) where we had our first rest (30 min) and good views of Mt Rolleston and the high mountains above and down to the Waimakariri river valley to the South.
We continued up the steep track on the ridge all the way to the intersection of Scotts’ track and the Avalance Peak track (at 1800m) and decided to have lunch at that comfortable and sunny spot before walking up to the summit. Penny had already gone ahead to the top despite having rolled her ankle the day before. There were also less people there than on the more crowded summit (it was Easter weekend, after all). After about 30 minutes, we climbed on through an exposed rocky stretch to the first summit from where we had a 360degree view. There was another summit a bit further along but we thought our summit was higher (the next day we looked across from Temple basin and thought the opposite) and we didn’t think we would have a better view there from where we were either. Among other things, we looked over to Rome ridge – the route we had considered doing – but decided against as the day might have been very long and we were slightly worried about some exposed rocky bits.
Maaike, Brian, Yumi, Ken, Karthiga on Avalanche Peak. Mt Rolleston and Crow Glacier dominate. Mt Philistine and Rolleston Glacier remnant, right.
And then we went down, down, down the heavily eroded Scotts’ track. Halfway we dove into the bush and it seemed to go on for a long time. Finally, we reached the main road, crossed it, and walked to the parking place below the Devils Punch bowl and from there to the village. Right in the middle of the village we stopped to watch the Keas make mischief – they would have made off with Karthiga’s phone if Brian hadn’t stepped in with his poles (Karthiga was too busy laughing to realise they would actually have grabbed the phone and flown off with it).
We had good weather all day and our walking time was 7 hours and accumulated rest time was 1.5 hours; we were back at the hut at 17:00 hrs (5 pm for the unDutchers). Penny, however, must have had much more rest time as she walked faster than the rest. I (Maaike) for one had some knee- and muscle ache the next day.
Day 3 - Brian
We drove up to Temple Basin car park and set off up to the skifield at a good pace.
Small people on Avalanche Peak. Mt Temple, B’limit. Mt Franklin distant right.
The weather was fine, although the wind was rising as expected. After a break at the Lockwood Shelter, admiring the views of Avalanche Peak and Mts Rolleston and Philistine, we took off uphill to the Downhill Basin, following the steep trail on the N edge of the main skifield, then traversing to Page Shelter, where we had lunch. Brian kept us entertained, showing where he had gone on some of his (mis)adventures in his youth on Phipps Peak and Mount Temple, above. This left some of the party pondering on the unnecessary risks young men, in particular, embrace.
Christchurch Ski Club lodge at Temple Basin; Mt Rolleston beyond.
We were well wrapped up for the cool, windy conditions as we returned to the carpark, but the wind soon eased and the temperature rose which had us stripping off layers, only to replace them as a light rain shower blew in before we arrived.
Parapente over Bealey Valley.
On the drive back to CTC Hut, we dropped off Penny and Yumi, who were keen on inspecting Devil’s Punchbowl Falls close up, and had energy to burn.
Day 4 - Penny
We all slept in late and awoke to grey skies on the Monday, with a rough plan of the easy Arthur's pass village walk so were in no rush to leave the cosy hut. After a leisurely breakfast, we all stuck in to clean the hut, loading everything back into the van we made a final decision to head back to Nelson direct as it started to rain.
With more hiking stories from Brian (mainly involving near death incidents) we were off again on the road, along with our curious questions on what this route is like and what mountain is that, we were all very excited about stopping in Reefton for some "real food". But first a stop in Moana which turned into more of a sight-seeing walking tour around Moana to find the toilet for some. Luckily, we timed it well and it had stopped raining until we piled back in the van to head to Reefton.
As we refuelled in Reefton the rain came bucketing down and we headed to the future dough company tearooms and bakery on the main drag which came highly recommended. With the heavy rain it was very busy and limited parking but alas Brian saved the day with his fancy u turn "near miss" and lucked out with a park right outside. The food was great, service sub-par (they were very busy and forgot some of our orders).
The rest is history, we made it back to Nelson safe and sound with a few more eventful incidents thrown in there (breezy car door left open and the disappearing seatbelt) but all in all we were most pleased to hear that Brian has had 0 fatalities on any of his trips and we liked that it stayed that way. And so it ends, Adventures with Brian until next time.
Participants, Brian (leader), Maaike, Ken, and visitors Yumi, Karthiga and Penny (all WTC).
Six people heading off to Arthur's Pass for the Easter holiday with good weather. There was bumper to bumper traffic going towards Greymouth. We started walking the Otira Valley Track after lunch. The DoC sign says 1 hour to footbridge but it didn't take that long. We carried on the gravel route towards the basin of Mt Rolleston in the valley. There were nice sounds of the river flowing alongside the track all the way and lovely contrast of the blue sky and the snow in the basin. We were welcomed by some Tomtits and a Rock Wren hopping up and down on a rock.
Mt Rolleston’s Otira face; a popular climb. After 3.5 hours walk, we moved to CTC hut in Arthur's Pass village. The hut has big glass windows to view the hill over the road. We were soon feeling at home with a fire going in the hut.Day 2 - Maaike
The previous evening we had decided to go for an early start because Avalanche Peak is a climb of at least 1000m (the recorded climb that day was 1100m). At 08:30 we left the Christchurch Tramping Club hut (750m), walked up the street and found the roped track that led us to the centre of Arthurs Pass village and the start of Avalanche Peak track. From there we climbed steeply through the bush beside the Avalance creek with its waterfalls up to the bush line (about 1300m) where we had our first rest (30 min) and good views of Mt Rolleston and the high mountains above and down to the Waimakariri river valley to the South.
We continued up the steep track on the ridge all the way to the intersection of Scotts’ track and the Avalance Peak track (at 1800m) and decided to have lunch at that comfortable and sunny spot before walking up to the summit. Penny had already gone ahead to the top despite having rolled her ankle the day before. There were also less people there than on the more crowded summit (it was Easter weekend, after all). After about 30 minutes, we climbed on through an exposed rocky stretch to the first summit from where we had a 360degree view. There was another summit a bit further along but we thought our summit was higher (the next day we looked across from Temple basin and thought the opposite) and we didn’t think we would have a better view there from where we were either. Among other things, we looked over to Rome ridge – the route we had considered doing – but decided against as the day might have been very long and we were slightly worried about some exposed rocky bits.
Maaike, Brian, Yumi, Ken, Karthiga on Avalanche Peak. Mt Rolleston and Crow Glacier dominate. Mt Philistine and Rolleston Glacier remnant, right.And then we went down, down, down the heavily eroded Scotts’ track. Halfway we dove into the bush and it seemed to go on for a long time. Finally, we reached the main road, crossed it, and walked to the parking place below the Devils Punch bowl and from there to the village. Right in the middle of the village we stopped to watch the Keas make mischief – they would have made off with Karthiga’s phone if Brian hadn’t stepped in with his poles (Karthiga was too busy laughing to realise they would actually have grabbed the phone and flown off with it).
We had good weather all day and our walking time was 7 hours and accumulated rest time was 1.5 hours; we were back at the hut at 17:00 hrs (5 pm for the unDutchers). Penny, however, must have had much more rest time as she walked faster than the rest. I (Maaike) for one had some knee- and muscle ache the next day.
Day 3 - Brian
We drove up to Temple Basin car park and set off up to the skifield at a good pace.
Small people on Avalanche Peak. Mt Temple, B’limit. Mt Franklin distant right.The weather was fine, although the wind was rising as expected. After a break at the Lockwood Shelter, admiring the views of Avalanche Peak and Mts Rolleston and Philistine, we took off uphill to the Downhill Basin, following the steep trail on the N edge of the main skifield, then traversing to Page Shelter, where we had lunch. Brian kept us entertained, showing where he had gone on some of his (mis)adventures in his youth on Phipps Peak and Mount Temple, above. This left some of the party pondering on the unnecessary risks young men, in particular, embrace.
Christchurch Ski Club lodge at Temple Basin; Mt Rolleston beyond.We were well wrapped up for the cool, windy conditions as we returned to the carpark, but the wind soon eased and the temperature rose which had us stripping off layers, only to replace them as a light rain shower blew in before we arrived.
Parapente over Bealey Valley.On the drive back to CTC Hut, we dropped off Penny and Yumi, who were keen on inspecting Devil’s Punchbowl Falls close up, and had energy to burn.
Day 4 - Penny
We all slept in late and awoke to grey skies on the Monday, with a rough plan of the easy Arthur's pass village walk so were in no rush to leave the cosy hut. After a leisurely breakfast, we all stuck in to clean the hut, loading everything back into the van we made a final decision to head back to Nelson direct as it started to rain.
With more hiking stories from Brian (mainly involving near death incidents) we were off again on the road, along with our curious questions on what this route is like and what mountain is that, we were all very excited about stopping in Reefton for some "real food". But first a stop in Moana which turned into more of a sight-seeing walking tour around Moana to find the toilet for some. Luckily, we timed it well and it had stopped raining until we piled back in the van to head to Reefton.
As we refuelled in Reefton the rain came bucketing down and we headed to the future dough company tearooms and bakery on the main drag which came highly recommended. With the heavy rain it was very busy and limited parking but alas Brian saved the day with his fancy u turn "near miss" and lucked out with a park right outside. The food was great, service sub-par (they were very busy and forgot some of our orders).
The rest is history, we made it back to Nelson safe and sound with a few more eventful incidents thrown in there (breezy car door left open and the disappearing seatbelt) but all in all we were most pleased to hear that Brian has had 0 fatalities on any of his trips and we liked that it stayed that way. And so it ends, Adventures with Brian until next time.
Participants, Brian (leader), Maaike, Ken, and visitors Yumi, Karthiga and Penny (all WTC).
