Cupola 26-28/11/2010

Anthony and I doing a peak in the Nelson Lakes National Park and its not really a whisky trip as its a bit hot. We decided to just take an ice axe each as theres such a lack of snow for this time of year.

Friday 26/11/2010
Anthony came and got me after work and we headed off to St Arnaud to catch the water taxi at 7.00pm. Early to St Arnaud so we got some coffee and some beer and then the water taxi to Coldwater hut jetty. Not stopping at the coldwater that night, its on into the evening with a walk to  Johnnie the Tait hut for the night.
 Got there before 2300 and didnt torch up till just on 2200.  Huts been touched up since my last visit, quite nice apart from the strong smell of paint.

Saturday 27/11/2010
Up sort of early and walked to Cupola hut with a few stops along the way as the day was hot and clear. Found that the bridge is not needed as there is plenty of places where a jump gets you across.
 We rested and then went up and down Cupola via the zig zag.
A very different plant somewhere on the mountain above 2000 meters and approximately 8 cm diameter.
So we got onto the zig zag and the following photos are on the way up and down in no particular order. 
Anthony on the top
Anthony on the way up near the top of Cupola.
Mt Franklin from the top of Cupola.
Cloud rolling in and obscuring Hopeless.
Mt Hopeless covered in cloud early evening.
Looking down the Sabine to where Blue Lake hangs out.
Hopeless without the cloud.
Looking back at where we had been.
Sunday 28/11/2010
Walked out to Coldwater jetty from Cupola hut and got water taxi back. A nice relaxing day, had a wander across the river but it was thigh high and quite pushy in places. So we did not do the river thing and opted for the up down track thru the bush.

Map
Topo50 map BS24 - Mount Robert

Hut Cleansing
Fish with legs count plus three.

More Angelus Ridge Explore 19-21/11/2010

Paul and I off for more explore of Angelus Ridge and wanting to find a way up Angelus via one of the snow filled gullies. Purchased our Angelus hut tickets as per the new DOC nazi regime with an aim to stay Saturday night at Angelus hut.


Friday 19/11/2010
Same as last week, drove to Robert Ridge car park and walked to Coldwater hut before midnight. Started walking at eight thirtyish and got there tennish. Had a whisky before bed, Laphroiag 10yo.

Saturday 20/11/2010
A nice walk up the valley. Some fungi on the way.
Some rain in the afternoon, sat under a tree for lunch before the end of the valley.
There is something weird under the rocks up here, looks like Peter Jackson leftovers.
Paul's energy levels zeroed and he lost interest in seeing if we could climb Angelus via the  gully so we split up. He heading directly to the hut and me off to find a way up Angelus. I found an easier way to the gully I wanted to explore, headed across a scree slope and avoided the avo debris. However the gully was not easy to access as a wall of wet rock denied me access to the nice snow that looks like it would lead to the top of Angelus.
Access denied today so I headed off back down to the Hukure valley to gain the normal track to Angelus hut. On the way invaded what looked like a pregnant chamois dining room.
Sunday 21/11/2010
Sunday was forecast as raining on Friday, but was better than Saturday. Climbed up the two unnamed ones on the side of the track on the way out. Some great views, pity Paul didnt have the energy to come up for a look. This is a view of the head of the Cascade valley.
Meet some cyclists on Robert ridge this weekend, and they where happily riding where they not ment to. Oh well laws are made to be broken.
It seems as if everyone is happy to trash National Parks; a dog last weekend and now mountain bikers. If it continues this way we may end up with DOC police in the hills. That would be the end of solitude, imagine a park full of uniforms. Arrggg!

Angelus Ridge Explore 12/11 - 14/11/2010

 Carl and I and Mr Vreckan check out Angelus ridge.
  • Friday - Drive to the top Robert Ridge car park and walk to Coldwater hut.
  • Saturday - Leave Coldwater hut and walk up Cascade, checking a spring on the way and then off up to a saddle on Angelus Ridge to gain Angelus and then to Angelus hut.
  • Sunday - Leisurely walk out along Robert Ridge to the car and then back to Nelson.
The malt for this trip is a very nice, possibly the best Ardbeg there is.

Friday 12/11/2010
We got to the top car park later than planned, still working out where and how to get to Coldwater on the way. Had forgotten about the little join between the lakeside track and Bushline hut. Walked into the hut in the dark so it was not hot, not much to see on the way. Very pleasant and fast walk with Carl powering along. Hoping that there would be some bunk space and if there was, that it wasnt covered in peoples belongings. Sometimes we arrive late at night and theres plenty of bunk space but its got layers of stuff from the huge packs that most trampers seem to carry.  Empty fear nobody was there. Where are all the tourists? Where are all the trampers, its still a great country with not many people in the great outdoors. We did not see anyone until Saturday afternoon at the head of the Cascade valley.
A beer and a dram before bed.

Saturday 13/11/2010
Waking up at Coldwater with a nice day and a good adventure to come.
Headed off up the Travers valley and took the first left up Cascade, stopping at the spring on the way. A very sunny clear day with not much wind in the valley.

stuff to go here

A good toe kicking up a nice slope of snow towards the top of the saddle. Windy as up here at times.
Finally at the saddle, took all day to get here. Good view of Hopeless.
Fast way down.
The way from the rocks to the Angelus track involves some few hundred meters of forest flattened by avalanche. Not the easiest of travel. So hard going I didnt even take photos.

stuff to go here

The way to cross the wee creek is like this.
But for those who dont like wet feet use this:
Got to Angelus and plenty of bunk space. A resident dog threw me as its a national park, asked the human that the dog dragged up what the story was. I expected him to be eyeless but no he explained he was just being naughty. His words. His money, his life. A 10 thousand dollar fine and a year in jail just to take the dog for a walk.
Just got a bit dark and all the other people except for the dog, headed off to bed. We sat and talked and checked out out a few drams.
Sunday 14/11/2010
Woke by alarm at 0500 hours to go walk up Angelus, agreed to go back to sleep. Out of bed once most have left the hut. A very different day today, wind and clouds. A view back to our yesterday saddle.

 more stuff here

Map of the walk

put map here

New Angelus Hut 30 - 31/10/2010

Aims

A trip with Anthony to check out the new hut.

  • Remove any religious matter from huts and return to rightful owner.
  • Drink some tasty tasty whisky.
  • Leave only footprints.
  • Saturday - Drive to Robert Ridge car park and leave one car there. Down to the water taxi and a fast ride up to Coldwater hut. Walk to Angelus hut via Hukure Stream.
  • Sunday - Leisurely walk out along Robert Ridge to the car and then to the other car and then home.
The malts for this trip are a tasty Speyside Macallan 12 yo and Islay Bowmore 12 yo:


Saturday 30/10/2010
We drove to the lake and sorted out cars. A good day for walking. Typical Nelson Lakes good weather day.
Cute little ducks everywhere, wish I had some junk food for them.
There are many views of interesting faces on the way up to Angelus, some would be worth coming back to explore with a bag of rope.
Along the way there is the usual waterfalls, insects, trees fallen down, Shami, destination, snow, and Anthony.
At the hut, my first time to this hut as its a replacement. It is larger and almost built in the same spot. It is well insulated DOC have built a very comfortable hut. Well worth a visit.
View of Mt Angelus from above the hut.
Looking down on the hut and frozen lake.
Finished the day by sleeping out on the verandah and having some tasty whisky. A bit of a chilly night. Well worth it as we saw many sats cruising past and a few shooting stars.

Sunday 31/10/2010
What a great day! This is the life sunshine a bit of snow and views to come back to. Early morning shot of Angelus from my bivvy bed on the veranda.
Heading away across the frozen lake.
The walk along Roberts Ridge gave us a good look at the Speargrass valley.

Map of the loop
Was a very clean hut.
Left only footprints, especially in the snow.
The number of fish that grow legs and walked away is not on the increase yet.