Bannister from Arete

Paul and I on another go at Bannister, we always have hit real bad weather in all our previous attempts. This weekends forecast looks promising. Whisky was a single cask Caol Ila.

Friday 28/01/2011
Drove to Poads road and walked up South Ohau river to South Ohau hut, stopping for a snack and then on up to Te Matawai hut. I got there Friday night and Paul turned up very early Saturday morning, like three minutes into it. The following two photos are of out on the track on the way up from South Ohau hut at 2305.

Saturday 29/01/2011
We slept in till nine and hung around at Te Matawai until about eleven when the rain stopped. Off up to Arete with a few squalls on the way. Like this waterfall when its got water, bowls look worth checking out.

Waterfall on ridge opposite

Waterfall on ridge opposite

From Arete SE to Arete Hut

Once at Arete Hut we decided to stay for Saturday night and head off up Bannister as the rain had stopped and it was just windy with low clouds coming and going and we could see it.

Bannister

At times cloud surrounding us and our destination. The closer we got the less steep Bannister looked.

Looking at Bannister

We got up and over Bannister and then back over and down to Arete Hut. We had read that some parties took a rope for Bannister, however there where no places where a rope was needed, we never went as far down as the "mud step". Much less exposure than the Tararua Peaks.

Sunday 30/01/2011
Left Arete Hut in windy clag, worse than yesterday.

Arete Hut

Headed down towards Te Matawai and went down to Girdlestone Saddle and dropped off down to South Ohau hut via the Dowling falls track.

Trip Times

28/01/2011
1917 Left Poads Road
2006 Into the Ohau river
2035 North South Ohau junction
2137 South Ohau Hut
2141 Paul arrived...
2213 Left South Ohau Hut
2317 Junction
2331 Otaki river track
2343 Te Matawai Hut
29/01/2011
0003 Paul arrives Te Matawai
1132 Left Te Matawai
1255 Pukematawai
1332 Arete
1348 Arete Hut
1436 Left Arete Hut to head to Bannister

30/01/2011

Map

Cleaning Up
Two density tracts removed.