Avalanche Peak to Mt Bealey - 19 April 2015

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No. 159

Avalanche Peak to Mt Bealey - 19 April 2015

There is a very good reason why Arthurs Pass is such a popular area for tramping and a trip up Avalanche peak is one of THE classic tramps of the area. I had been over Avalanche Peak before, back in '03, but I hadn't been on Bealey before, so was very keen to give this trip a go. A good party of 13 trampers left the DOC information center just before 9:30am on an almost perfect Sunday morning. The first 300m of the Avalanche Creek track was tackled at a frenetic pace and soon had the breath hard and the sweat flowing and it wasn't too long before clothing was shed. Things slowed down a little after this and the first rest was had at the bushline as we regrouped and snacked while enjoying the view towards Arthurs Pass itself. Off again and we soon clear the scrub and snow grass dotted with patches of the fresh snow from earlier in the week and hit the rocky stuff. It is all very firm under foot and the route well marked as we climb with the views getting better and better. Another stop is had in a small basin to regroup again before tackling the last part of the climb. Avalanche peak itself is quite a small peak and was already well populated with a group of Young Americans("Allright") as our party invaded and we jostled for photo spots. The views from here are outstanding and breathtaking and fabulous and my photos just cannot do it any kind of justice. The Americans departed and we settled in for some lunch, hoping the clouds rolling in over the tops from the West would keep at bay while we traversed the tops to Mt Bealey.

 Dropping off Avalanche, out next stop was Lyell Peak, which was accessed by some fairly easy tops travel before the exposed rocky section between Lyell and Bealey. For some in the group this was their first experience on exposed rock like this but no one baulked and all traversed it in pretty good time so a good break was had on Bealey.Dropping off Bealey and over point 1760 we stopped to regroup above the scree that was to take us down to Rough Creek. Uncle Roddus, one of the best scree runners in the club, blitzed it in no time and gave it a scree rating of 8.5/10 and sat down at the bottom to wait for the rest to catch up. The rest of the trip was a boulder hop and some short bush bashing down Rough Creek back to the Cars which the first of the group made at about 4:50pm. Time 7 hours 30 minutes, distance 13.4Km, ascent total 1524m.

Avalanche Peak - 6-7th December 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No 33

Avalanche Peak - 6-7th December 2003

A Classic Arthurs Pass trip, this was run by the Christchurch Tramping Club on which 11 of us spent Friday night at the Club hut before a late start on Saturday, waiting for the weather to clear. Left the hut late morning and started heading up Scotts track about 11am, catching up with some others of our group who left earlier. Had lunch before continuing on to Avalanche Peak, followed by a Kea. The day had cleared beautifully by the time we got to the summit, where we enjoyed the views, although it wasn't that warm up there, so our stay was short. Headed off along the ridge towards Mt Rolleston until we found the drop off point down to the Crow river from which we plunged down about 700M of  god awful scree leading us into the Crow river, then its just a short womble down stream to the new Crow hut.

Sunday was another fine day and we left the hut about 9am for a pleasant walk down the Crow valley before the last womble down the Waimak river to Klondyke Corner, in about 4 hours. Great trip and relatively easy.

View of Otira Highway from Scotts track

Getting up into the rocky stuff.

Our friendly Kea

Two Kea eyeing up Uncle Roddus's pack

On Avalanche Peak

About to head off to find the way down to the Crow Hut.

A rather had scree.

But I was last on and nearly first off.

View up th e Crow river to Mt Rolleston

Relaxin' at Crow Hut.

Another shot looking up steam of the Crow river.

A lovely day.