Huxley Valley, Ruataniwha CP

A nice relaxed social trip up a beautiful valley off the Hopkins.

Leaving Timaru at 7am, we drove to Lake Ohau and bravely negotiated the Lower Hopkins Valley 4WD track in our city wagons.

This saved us an hour of walking each way. However, the Hopkins valley itself was still very beautiful and rather impressive.

We paused for lunch at the Huxley swingbridge, before continuing up the wide open valley flats. At the Huxley Forks huts, we decided to abandon any further ambitions up the valley. Chilling out, chopping wood, drinking hot brews, playing cards and yarning was the name of the game.

There was an epic Butter Chicken for dinner, washed down with cask wine, followed by Berry Cheesecake and Ambrosia. Oh boy!

It rained overnight, but had mostly cleared by the time we left the huts on sunday morning. The stroll back was just as mellow, giving us plenty of time for Ice Skating, Hot pool soaking and yum Pizza's in Tekapo on the way home.

What a pleasant weekend :)

On the Monument Hut front lawn

Strolling up the massive Hopkins valley

Negotiating the Huxley Swingbridge

Easy travel in the lower Huxley

"The best thing to do with a good rock is to sit on it"

Dan, Pip, Adele, Jane and Pen

About to stop for morno's

Pen on bridge

One last crossing to Monument hut and the 4WD track

Temple Valleys Circuit, Ruataniwha CP

A very enjoyable weekend, just north of Lake Ohau. The tramp goes up the North Temple Valley, climbs steeply over Gunsight Pass, then descends the longer South Temple back to the carpark.

It was clear, but quite cold on the Saturday. The temp was only 5 degrees at the carpark, with fresh snow on the tops. The travel up valley was pleasant and easy, until we reached the impressive North Temple Cirque.

We shared lunch with a Karearea (NZ Falcon) in the feeble sun, before beginning the climb to the pass. The rock was very loose and unstable, almost like a morraine jumble, making for unpleasant climbing. We were pretty tired during the climb, having plenty of rest stops in more stable sections, however, rock fall usually had us hurrying on.

At the pass we paused for views out to Mt Cook and admired the large herd of Tahr, including one large Bull.

The South Side of the pass sprinkled with some fresh snow, but the frozen scree was what made it sketchy.

Gladly down in main South Temple valley, we had a wonderful evening camping. The sunday was a pleasant stroll down valley, as the clouds came in and the rain fell gently.

Lower (colder) North Temple Valley

Approaching the climb to Gunsight pass (obscured on the left)

Catching some breath on the steep loose climb

Views over the Ben Ohau Range and onwards to Aoraki/Mt Cook NP.

Descending steep scary frozen screes on the south side of Gunsight Pass

Steeple Peak (L) in South Temple Valley

Pip leaving camp on sunday morning

Easy travel in the South Temple

Mt Technical West Ridge Grade 1+, Lewis Pass

Following hot on the heels of an article in Wilderness Magazine, a favourable weather forecast saw Murray, Andrew and I heading up to Deer Valley campground on Saturday afternoon.

The weather was terrible during the drive, but at 5am the next morning, only a light drizzle fell. As we climbed the light came and the drizzle went.

We emerged above the bushline to a bluebird day, with just a light westerly.

There was quite a bit of ridge to tramp before we got to the start of the scrambling route on Mt Technical. The climbing wasn't hard, but the exposure was enough that it kept us focussed. Most gendarmes could be sidled, but the occaisonal one had to be climbed directly. This was definately a climbing route and not a tramping route; most of the time a slip would result in death.

But the rock was generally very solid and the route kept progressing without any major problems. We were all very pleased and releived to be at the summit, where we enjoyed a great view and a bite to eat.

There was an easy route off the summit; an easy scree that lead almost directly to the top. Only the top 30m or so required concentration on the loose rock. We hiked the south screes back to the west ridge, climbed up and over at a spot we'd noted earlier.

The weather remained perfect and out of the wind it was deliciously warm. A fantastic climb, 10hrs car to car, noting that we moved quite slowly and carefully on the west ridge.

Clouds fill Cannibal Gorge from above Lewis Pass summit

Murry and Mt Technical

West ridge is on the right, with the meat of

the climb obscured by the North Ridge

Looking out to Springs Junction,

The Victoria Range and even the Paparoas in the far distance

Starting to get nice and scrambly

Andrew climbs a pinnacle directly

About to traverse round a block

Not hard climbing, but exposed enough to count..

Murray on the Summit Ridge, our route behind him on the skyline

Descending the easy summit scree
Trig visible at the top

Wandering home above the Maruia Valley

Andrew about to descend back to the Highway

Rapaki Rock Climbing

Bit of easy Trad on a rather cold, windy but clear day. I lead 4 climbs, up to grade 16 before we called it a day and drove down to Sumner for Fish and Chips on the Beach.

Pip seconding at Rapaki

Benmore Range Loop

From heat stroke to Hypothermia! It was a bit of a shock coming back from the tropics to late Autumn in the Southern Alps...

Teaming up with Geoff and Rick, who wanted a two day trip, Pip and I arranged to walk with them on day one which set up a neat through trip for them. Our day trip did a reasonably long loop from the Lyndon Rd, up a long lazy ridge to the summit of Benmore, then back via a ridge to the south.

The wind was swift and very cold, which had me wearing just about all my warm gear at the top during lunch. It was a neat trip, with good views of the Torlesse, Craigieburn and Mt Hutt Ranges, as well as the Rakaia and Wilberforce Valleys.

Sadly, it was a poor ending to the days activity; my car window had a rock thrown through it and Pip's IPOD was stolen..

Steep ascent to get onto the laid back main ridge,

Porters Ski Field in the background

Mellow walking on the ridge proper

Rick scrambles up the scree to Benmore


Pip, Rick, Geoff and Chucky on Benmore, 1655m

Views out to Lake Coleridge and the Rakaia Valley

On descent back to the Acheron River