BlogRoddus: Edwards Hut/Mt Williams 27-28th November 2010

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No. 94

Edwards Hut/Mt Williams 27-28th November 2010

My original intention was for Honora and myself to head over to the West Coast again to tackle another of those remote huts that is listed on the Remote Huts web site. Lake Morgan and the Morgan hut sit nestled nicely on the top of a hill overlooking the Haupiri river. Unfortunately the forecast was for cloud and drizzle with afternoon showers on both days and the thought of going all the way over there and then not be able to see anything on the tops wasn't to inspiring. Honora suggested going up to Edwards hut with her partner Frank and go over the Williams saddle on Sunday. I had been to the Edwards hut a couple of times but never stayed there and I also had been over Williams saddle quite some time ago with the CTC, but our original intention to climb Mt Williams was thwarted by the weather. I was, therefore keen to have another go at Williams, as it was one of my incompletes. The forecast was also for afternoon showers in Arthur's Pass National park, but this at least wouldn't stop us going to the hut and we could then see how Sunday turned out.

Saturday was a warm and fine day as I met Frank & Honora at Springfield before we headed up to Arthurs Pass. After parking the car we crossed the Bealey River, then headed up the Minga river before heading east up the Edwards. We then decided to walk up the river itself, through the gorge, instead of following the track which climbed a good 100 meters sideling the hill. This was a good move as the gorge was pleasant and cool as the day was getting hotter. The trip through the gorge was fairly short, after which the river broadens out to wide shingle flats. After crossing the east branch of the Edwards we started the climb up the track to take us over the impassable gorge and waterfalls. We lunched on a small Knob soon after we started climbing, the day was getting hotter and hotter. We continued on the climb after lunch but I soon started to feel slightly ill and lost energy. I am still not sure if it was just the heat of some thing I ate at lunch, but this slowed me down considerably and made the constant climbing seem much more than it was. We arrived at the Hut after about 4 and 1/2 hours, being the first group to arrive. I felt pretty exhausted at the hut but soon revived after a hot cup of soup and a rest. I was contemplating going for a walk up the Edwards Valley to Taruahuna Pass, to fill in the rest of the day, there was still plenty of daylight hours left and this was also supposed to be the plan of a group from the CTC , that I had read in the Trip calender. Unfortunately, those afternoon showers arrived very quickly about 30 minutes after we got to the hut. So I stayed put and watched as other parties arrived pretty wet, including the CTC party. Once the other parties arrived and pretty much filled the rest of the placed in this 16 bed hut, the rain stopped and the rest of the day stayed fine.

After being awaken by one party of 6 at 4:30am, who seemed incapable of leaving quietly, as they were going to climb up to Mt Oats and needed to be back in the city by 5pm, Sunday dawned a stunning fine and warm day. We left the hut around 9am and headed directly up the hill, climbing up a steep creek bed, then onto the Williams saddle. Had Morning tea then carried along the ridge, getting to Mt Williams summit right on 12pm.

It was warm, there was no wind, the Sky's were mostly cloudless and the views were stunning so a leisurely lunch was had admiring the scenery before we headed back along some looking for the spot to drop down into the Minga river. The route down involved a very gnarly scree, which got better in the middle part, then rocky at the bottom, before a pretty serious bush bash down the last 250 meters, during which I managed to loose my sunglasses. I was eternally grateful to finally plunge out of the bush onto the Minga riverbed. The rest of the trip was just a straight slog down the Minga river flats back to the car, which we arrived at around 4pm.