Avalanche Peak, Arthur's Pass

25 February

 

Panorama near the summit

Today is Monday, so it must be walking up a mountain day: not very confidence inspiring that all the blurb puts the fear of god into you - "People have DIED on this mountain" plus it's called Avalanche Peak although as there's no snow probably we don't have to worry about the avalanche bit, although the 'Peak' is nearly 1900 metres high and our ascent is 1200 of these metres which IS something to worry about.




Cross Pegleg Creek, round Deaths Corner and pull in to Arthur's Pass info centre to check on routes and weather ... Weather hot, route looks good. Avalanche Peak here we come, steep way up and (supposedly) the less steep way down. Very hot, again, and thankfully the first couple of hours or so was in the bush and relatively sheltered from the sun. Lots of little scrambly rock steps but nothing meriting a scrambling grade.

Once out of the bush the heat was unrelenting and the going became a bit tougher ... Readers, he under-exaggerates: it was absolutely BAKING and I was wondering if I was going to make it to the top.

Loose, shattered rock on the final approach to the summit with steep drops on either side added a little, but not too much, spice. At the summit the views were tremendous in all directions ... Mountains, mountains and more mountains with the appearance of a multitude of Skye Cullin Ridges. So it compares favourably with Scotland (on steroids!) which in our book is pretty good. The route is Here ... 1150m or thereabouts of ascent and some photos, as you would expect, follow.

The descent was ok but we were tiring and I had lost all my water somehow ...(at least not his marbles) so we were thankful to reach the road.

... Nearly there

Glacier across the valley

Glacier across the valley

Dehydration had shrunk Steve considerably ...

 

 

 

Post walk drinks

 

Chilled out with a couple more cold beers chez nous as the night drew in ... Another good day.

 

 

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