Mt Somers - 20th January 2013

Uncle Roddus tramping Diary: Tramp No 129

Mt Somers - 20th January 2013

After speaking with Richard earlier in the week to confirm that the trip had indeed been moved to Sunday for weather considerations and arranging our meeting place near Glentunnel, I picked up a call from our leader just as I was walking out the door to ask if I could actually meet at Darfield to sort cars and pick up another tramper. This was all due to the sudden appearance of several extra bods wanting to come on this trip, on such an excellent day, that the original numbers had swelled to 16 trampers.

 Four car loads arrived at the Sharplin Falls car park about 9:40am to find our numbers swell to 17 with Max already waiting for our arrival. Several comments were made to Richard for putting on such a perfect day and how unusual that was for one of His trips.
We set off hot on the heels of a smaller group from the Avon tramping Club about 10:am and with a brisk pace being set, soon passed them before we had a viewing stop at Dukes knob, where we tried to see how many bods we could cram onto the rock viewing knob. Off we set again with the pace being fairly quick as we dropped down again to Bowyers Stream. After a scrog stop beside the stream in the warm sun, the next stopping point was the waterfall that  falls beside the track as we walk under the rock overhang(I'm sure we all know the one). It was here that a certain club member who quite often tramps with his shirt off (especially if there are young ladies on the trip)(I'm sure we all know who), decided to show off by taking a cold shower under the aforementioned waterfall.
Next stop was the saddle looking down on Pinnacles Hut where we decided to have lunch and again most of us scrambled up onto the rock to bask in the sun and enjoy the views. At the hut, two of out number decided to head up to the summit via the pinnacles route behind the hut, while the rest of us continued on to the next saddle where we then followed an occasionally cairned route up onto the tops. Afternoon tea was had at the summit in good conditions and a light breeze before we headed off on the long slog Down Staveley hill, which in good company didn't seem to take too long at all. Back to the cars around 5:30pm.

The track along Bowyres Stream.

The que for the swing bridge

The aforementioned Waterfall.

Cooling off.

scrambling for a lunch spot.

Mt Somers behind Pinnacles hut.

Pinnacles Hut and the Saddle from which we made our assent.

Heading off track.

The asent.

A rock.

The work at the gym is paying off

Max with Winterslow in the background.

Uncle Roddus with the Canterbury plains in the Background.

Uncle Roddus again.

And at the summit.

The route back down.

Mt Somers - 22 November 2009

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary:Tramo No.80

Mt Somers - 22 November 2009

This was my first time actually completing the recently new Mt Somers circuit. A club trip which was a warm up for the following January's Mt Somers Challenge, 9 of us completed the 25km circuit in 8 1/2 hours on a cool and overcast day. I don't seem to have any photos of this trip. 

Mount Somers - 17th September 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 59

Mt Somers 17th September 2006

This early spring trip with the CTC took a different approach to Mt Somers than I had done before. We left the carpark at about 10:30am and headed off along the nice track to Pinnacles hut on a fine day with light winds. We arrived at the hut around 12:45 and had a nice relaxed and extended lunch before heading off again up to the saddle. From there we left the track and clambered up through the rock up to the summit, arriving about 3:30pm. There was still plenty of winter snow on the tops and so we put on crampons for out travel across. Several of us practiced our cramponing in a very steep gut before regrouping with the rest of the party for the journey back to the cars via the southern route and Staverly hill. Arrived at the cars around 6:30pm.

Approaching Pinnacles Hut.

The rocky side of Mt Somers

Pinnacles Hut

Another shot of the rocky side of Mt Somers.

Heading across the tops.

A view from the summit.

Mt Somers - 20th December 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 35

 Mt Somers - 20th December 2003

My first time up Mt Somers, on this popular local trip, with My friend Ulrich. We left the Sharplin Falls car park around 9:30am and headed up the usual way onto Staverly Hill via Hookys Knob. A moderately easy climb, we achieved the summit in just under three hours and enjoyed the views before it clouded in and got a bit colder.

We decided to try a loop trip and dropped off the Eastern side of the mountain, negotiating our way down through the rocky bluffs and connecting with the track about 1KM West of Pinnicles hut. Headed back out to the car park with a short detour to Sharplin Falls. Walked about 14KM in 7.5 hours and climbed about 1200M.

Following the poled route to the summit

This looks more spectacular than it actually was.

On the tops

looking down on the Planes.

Checking out the tops.

Some interesting Rocks.

Uncle Roddus on the top.

idiots in the mountains Part 3.

The big country out the back.

Near Staverly Hill.

On the Track from Pinnacles Hut

Sharplin Falls

Another picture out of sequence.