Angelus Hut & Mountain - Organiser: Roger Bruce
Well, here the all-male party were enjoying a short snack break in glorious sunshine at the Relax Shelter on Mt Robert Ridge. The weather gurus had predicted perfect conditions for the weekend and so far so good. There was not much snow initially on the Pinchgut Track but increased as we headed for lunch below Julius Summit. From here to Angelus Hut the snow was patchy with some icy sections but most of us reached the hut without crampons. The afternoon had some people exploring the peaks that surround the lake, practising their snow and ice techniques whilst others chose the warmth and comfort of the hut plus the company of other groups. An early start on Sunday saw some of us kitted up and away into the darkness (except those illuminated by Andy who had his triple quartz hallogen 6 million candle power searchlight, powered by a portable car battery). We encountered some soft snow on our way down to and across the frozen tarn but as we climbed higher the snow became harder and icy. The first light of dawn was upon us at about the halfway stage, colouring all the peaks in an indigo hue, with the stars slowly dissolving into the oncoming light. Clear skies and no wind, except for us panting hard as we climbed higher and higher. Thanks to Mike Drake for showing the mere mortals among us, the finer points of alpine techniques. The Angelus summit was reached after about 2 hours from leaving the hut. Photos, snacks, congratulations, and view admiration completed it was back to the hut for more refreshments before packing up and heading back along Robert Ridge in glorious sunshine to the carpark. What a great trip, one out of the box. Many thanks to Roger Bruce for suggesting and organising this trip. Those who enjoyed this trip with Roger were: Mike Drake, Andy Clark, Dion Pont, Mark Stevens, Ian Pavitt, Grahame Harris, and visitors Garry Russell and Alan Dalzell.