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