December 31

Arthur's Pass: Climb Avalanche Peak

It was a beautiful, sunny morning. Before leaving the hostel, I booked accommodations at the Kaikoura YHA, which is very popular. Signs here warned that it should be booked a few days in advance. I expected to be there January 2.

It was about a two hour drive to Arthur's Pass. The last part of the drive was a scenic, winding road into the mountains. A train, the Tranz Alpine Express, crosses Arthur's Pass, but comes down a different valley that the road on the western side, ending up in Greymouth.

I arrived at the small town of Arthur's Pass at 10:30 and checked into the YHA, for which I had made reservations yesterday. Then I went to the visitor's center to see what interesting walks were around. It was a beautiful day for one. There was a difficult eight-hour walk to Avalanche Peak up one ridge and down another. I thought this one looked most interesting. The route was said to be very steep, marked by poles, and for experienced trampers only. Signs warned that it was dangerous in bad weather, and that people had died there. It was a clear sunny day, so the view at the top should be excellent, and this would be a chance to make up for not finishing the difficult route to Cascade Saddle.

First, I had to get some groceries for dinner, since the store would surely be closed when I returned. The tiny store didn't have much. I should have shopped in Greymouth. I got spaghetti sauce and sausages to have with spinach fettuchine I already had. Then, I called the whale watching company in Kaikoura from the phone outside the hostel. I wanted to make reservations for Jan. 3, but found that only small boats were available, which were unlikely to go unless the water was exceptionally smooth. I got a reservation anyway, and also made a reservation for dolphin swimming on Jan. 2.

I had quiche and a boysenberry square at the cafe next to the hostel. While eating, I watched a kea repeatedly try to go into the store across the street. I then removed everything I didn't need for a day hike from my pack before walking to the visitor's center to fill our an intentions card. They use these cards to find walkers who need rescuing. Normally, I only filled them out for overnight stays, but this walk had a reputation for being a bit risky, and I was hiking alone.

I started up the Avalanche Peak trail at 12:15. It was very steep, possibly as steep as the Culler Route to Cascade Saddle, with lots of climbing up rocks. A German family started just after me. The man passed me once, then sat on a rock, and I passed him and never saw him again. I made it to the tree line in 70 minutes, faster than the 90-120 minute estimate. I passed some more Germans on the steep climb up the tussock ridge above the tree line. I never saw them again either.

The views were already great, including a large waterfall, Devil's Punchbowl Falls, across the valley. The climb was steep and followed a narrow ridge. It would not be good for someone afraid of heights. The climbs probably were less exposed than on the way to Cascade Saddle, though. Near the top, some poles marked the way through the scree to the summit. The last ridge before the summit was a knife edge with long drops on both sides. A man was helping his wife across, but she froze at one point and had to be helped back. I crossed, and the man came over without his wife.

I sat on top a while admiring the stunning view in all directions. It was sunny and becoming increasingly clear in the distance. An Israeli man, about 50 probably, came up later. I had passed him a while earlier. I had completed the 1000 meter climb to the top in three hours, about one and a half to two hours less than estimated. I sat there for more than an hour, and talked to the Israeli, who was also staying at the hostel, a while.

The closest mountain was Mt. Rolleston to the west. It was snowy. Avalanche peak, at 1800 meters, had only small patches of snow, and none on the black rocky top. There were a lot more snowy mountains in the Campbell Range to the south. I had brought a lot of warm clothes because it was chilly and windy in the valley, but I didn't need them. On top, there was no wind, and it was 75 degrees F, quite warm in the sun.

I started down the Scott Ridge trail at about 5:30, and the Israeli stayed on top a while longer. This trail was not quite as steep as the way I had come up, so it was said to be a safer way down. It was still very steep and exposed in a few places above the tree line, but became much easier below the tree line. There were even occasional stairs and bridges on this track. I filtered some water to refill my bottle at a stream. The trail merged with the stream in places, but there was not much water today.

I made it back to the hostel at 7:45. There, I met a factory worker from Christchurch, and we talked a while and exchanged business cards. I gave him one of my Virtual Interactive Center cards, and he gave me a card for D.I.Y. Signs. His name was Peter Davidson, and he makes signs on the side. I walked down to the D.O.C. Center and signed in, then came back and showered.

Peter shared a bottle of port with me and a Japanese man. The hostel was quiet this New Year's Eve. I made my fettuchine with sausage, and ate at 10 PM. Some people were already at the pub, and others were in bed. Peter and I walked to the pub at 11, after finishing most of the port. He said the port was a fairly cheap brand. Most of the other people from the hostel were already at the pub.

I had a pint of Canterbury Draught, which Peter said was good. He suggested staying with his parents when I visited Kaikoura, and gave me directions, but I didn't expect to do it unless I got stuck Jan. 3 and couldn't find anything else. I only had reservations for Jan. 2, because I wasn't sure I needed a second night.

I had another Canturbury Draught. I was tired from the climb, and had some trouble staying awake until midnight. The Israeli I met on the peak was here. He had gotten down at 9:30, at dusk, returning by the same trail we climbed. Peter showed me a flier for a race up Avalanche Peak trail (and down yet another route, not an official trail). This was the Avalanche Peak Challenge, to be held in a few days. That would be a truly tough race.

There was a little celebrating when the bell was rung at midnight. I could hardly stay awake, and returned to the hostel alone. A man in the next room snored loudly. I was too tired to care, but this really annoyed Peter, who came in later. The Israeli man was sore from the climb, and slept sitting up under his blanket.

Copyright Scott A. Yost, 1996. All rights reserved.