Peanter Peak. Organiser: Andy Clark
This trip was rescheduled from a previous effort in August. By lunch time on Saturday we had a grand total of 16 persons plus the necessary transport to lay siege on this peak in the St Arnauds. As luck would have it, the day dawned clear and calm with the same conditions at the Rainbow Skifield. The trip was on.
An uneventful car trip had us ready to start the walk at approx 9am. Due to firm conditions, most people strapped on crampons and for those who were new to this concept, quick lessons were given. The pace was not pushed with all the group sticking together and approx 3 hours later all were safely at the top of Peanter Peak, 6150 feet. No great hassles were encountered with the easy sloping snow and ideal snow conditions making travel as good as it gets. All had lunch, while a helicopter flew past giving one member a potentially embarrassing moment. The return saw snow conditions much softer in places but most still had the energy to amble up Mt McCrae, 6100 feet, at which the helicopter had been dropping of keen skiers and snowboarders. More views were admired and many more future trips planned.
Coffees etc. were had at the skifield café before our departure home. All enjoyed themselves on this introductory trip for some in the use of ice axe and crampons, weather and snow conditions just about right.
My awesome group consisted of: Brian McLean, Dan McGuire, Christine Hoy, David Blunt, Dion Pont, Grahame Harris, Ian Pavitt, Lindsay Twiname, Marianne Hermsen, Mark Stevens, Mary Honey, Roger McMichael, Uta Purcell, Yvonne Kyle, and Beverley Muirhead who spent the day on the skifield.