I always know when I am tramping on the coming weekend as I spend the week before checking the forecast. The week before this trip was more checking than normal as we all tried to decide whether it was going to rain and blow too much.
This indecision affected Air New Zealand making my flight late. All was well as I got the car and some fuel for the stove in time to pick up the others before driving up to the NZAC lodge in Arthurs Pass.
The morning translated this indecision to alpine lassitude, which meant that eggs and bacon delayed our departure until 10:30am. We decided that as it was not yet raining we would tramp to Avoca Hut and see what came our way. The tramp begins with a knee deep crossing of the Waimakariri followed by a thistle dodge up turkey flat. We then followed the stream as it narrowed into a boulder hopping gorge. Towards the head waters we gained a ledge which led to a very windy saddle.
We did not tarry, but sidled steeply down into the Jordan stream where the wind and falling rock showered us with an odd gritty dust mist. Soon in the trees the river opened up and eventually joined the Avoca river. The promised rain now came but only as showers which disappeared as soon as we donned jackets. We seemed to cruise the six kilometers of river bed to Avoca Hut, seven hours after departure.
The cosy hut had plenty of windfall outside which allowed Russian fire starting while the dinner was cooked.
The wind was forecast to drop so we thankfully did not make an alpine start the next morning. Instead we headed up in the sunshine and after a brief wrestle with some windfall broke out into the open alpine valley.
Our route was up a steep stream which was still partially snow filled. This slowed us down as where normally you could probably get through easily, climbing soft quite vertical snow mounds is tricky.
Some steep snow led to the open snow fields above, where we realized that our attempt was not going to be successful.
The wind was actually increasing and the summit seemed to be shedding loose rock onto our climbing path at a very alarming rate. We decided that we would have to climb in spring. Never the less we bagged Greenlaw Col and had lunch.
A good descent was aided by a couple of cautious abseils and we were soon all trying (and failing) to glissade as fast as Austrians do. Michael decided that winning the skiing meant that he would be in charge of the fire. Thankfully Dmitri was there to give helpful suggestions.
The next day was blue skies and no wind. We took a longer different route out following Easy stream up to Sphinx Saddle and then dropping down which ever scree slope we preferred into the Ante Crow River. After lunch and another 3 hours we arrived back at the car with our gravel bashing completed for the year.
Showers and monster size ice creams were then the order of the day.
Thanks very much to Sharron for leading the trip.