Marchant Ridge

Jessie, Paul, and I planned a weekend walk up Marchant Ridge and down to Eastern Hutt Hut. Failed. The depth of snow slowed us down along with Paul's legs cramping and turning to jelly. We had an aim to get to Marchant (1038m) by 1500 hours as we wanted a two hours of light to find our way down a ridge into the Eastern Hutt river. At 1530, half a kilometer from Marchant we decided to head out and return home.

Start of track

Jessie and Paul

Jessie at the fireplace

Jessie

View of trees

Trip Times 11/07/2015
1120 Left Kiwi Ranch car park
1149 Puffer Saddle turnoff
1257 Junction with track to Smiths Creek shelter
1530 Turn around point 500 meters from Marchant
1645 Junction with track to Smiths Creek shelter
1822 Kiwi Ranch car park

Lake Angelus

Anthony, Jed, and I decide that no matter what the weather we will go for a tramp at Nelson Lakes. Drive to Robert Ridge car park and walk up to Speargrass Hut, to either continue to Angelus or if bad weather stop at Speargrass Hut.

Jetty Campground West Bay

Jed and Anthony

Anthony and Jed bridge over Speargrass Creek

We stopped for a meal and a break at Speargrass Hut at midday and left about an hour later, deciding that we would go to Angelus if the weather was ok up valley.

Jed and Anthony in the Speargrass valley

Into the snow

Getting whiter and colder

 Up high we stopped and put on crampons as the snow was hard and getting icy.

Towards the tarns

Up to the Junction with Robert Ridge

Jed and Anthony final ridge down to Angelus Hut

Took a while to get a fire going due to the broken axe, nice to be warm. An exciting walk with cold rain and wind for the last hour. I first experienced a  stormy alpine tramp with crampons and ice axe in my late twenties; Jed got to experience this at twelve. May he have many more mountain adventures.

Relaxing with a whisky

Springbank 10yo

On Friday we had discussions about going or staying, and which way. Least risk option was to head back down to Speargrass Hut for the night. Took us three and a half hours in the cold rain.

Angelus Hut deck

Anthony and Jed climbing up from Lake Angelus

Jed and Anthony descending into Speargrass Creek

Jed and Anthony in the scrub

Jed and Anthony in the rocks

 Once at Speargrass Hut we cranked up the fire.

From Speargrass Hut looking at Robert Ridge

Saturday morning with clear sky, wondering what the walk out along Robert Ridge would have been like if we stayed last night at Angelus hut?

Anthony and Jed outside Speargrass Hut

St Arnaud Range from Robert Ridge car park

Travel Times
Thursday 02/07/2015
0949 Left Robert Ridge car park to Speargrass
1230 Speargrass Hut
1326 Left Speargrass Hut
1757 Angelus Hut
Friday 03/07/2015
1101 Left Angelus Hut
1432 Speargrass Hut
Saturday 04/07/2015
0917 Left Speargrass Hut
1142 Robert Ridge car park