Trip Photos

Morning tea	Summit ridge	Almost there
Picnic table on the summit	It worked! Nearly down	Waterfall and icicles on the Pinnacles Hut track

Trip Report

A trip memorable more for the descent than the ascent. Ten of us met up in Christchurch and drove out to meet up with Max in the permafrosted Sharplin Falls carpark. Very surprisingly, he did not even ask us why it took us so long to get there from Christchurch. Changed and rugged up as if for the Arctic, we set off up Mt Somers at a good pace led by Murray. After the usual stops to shed layers, we emerged from the bush into a beautiful sunny day (cue to shed more layers, apart from Kerrie, who was already down to the minimum permitted by decency). From the top of Staveley Hill onwards there was a fair amount of snow around. Max bounded into the lead and step-plugged pretty well all the way to the top, even if Richard wisely preferred to create alternative routes around his more direct and rock-scrambly options and some of the steps were subsequently replugged to greater depths. Peter was particularly vocal in his chagrin - "how come he skips over it and I fall in?" Something to do with physics suggested Ruth, laughing at his difficulties before steaming calmly into a well-judged third place position behind Max and Ian.

The rest of us staggered on at a more moderate pace and eventually made the summit ridge and - finally - the summit for lunch around 1 or a bit later for those who had an extra snack on the way up. While waiting for Scott, Murray and Warwick, Max hatched an Alternative Descent Plan - cunningly baiting with the promise of extra sunshine. Extra sunshine, and more chance to enjoy the lovely day, tempted most of us - there was a very cold wind playing around on the top and we were not inclined to hang around whatever the descent options. Hence the early-lunchers left in a Max-ward direction shortly after Scott, Murray and Warwick arrived.

Max had promised us that he had taken the route innumerable times before, but it turned out that this translates to something more like 'I usually head off about here and it always seems to work out without anything going too badly wrong'. Nothing daunted, we duly plunged down after the fast-moving plume of snow indicating his route, me keenly aware that Kate usually seems to be there whenever I do something particularly stupid or embarrassing tramping, and determined not to do so this time. Despite several points where we did wonder whether it would all work out, we did indeed finally emerge from the last of the bluffs, probably about half a k west of Pinnacles hut. Hitting the track, we made good time despite icy conditions, and were back at the car park just before 5, hoping we had not kept the others waiting for us too long ...

As it turned out, no, we had not - they weren't there yet. Kerrie, Richard, Ian and I, whose gear was all safely locked in Scott's truck, whiled away the time putting on all the warm layers we had in our packs and trying to persuade Ruth to let us play "how many trampers can you fit in a Subaru" with her car, while Ruth and Peter got changed and tried not too look too warm and snug. Then Max bounded up the Staveley Hill track again to see if he could see the the missing trampers while the rest of us whiled a way a bit more time creating various scenarios under which Nothing Could Have Gone Wrong They Just Had a Good Rest on the Top and a Leisurely Descent. Just as we had perfected this version, Max bounced back to the carpark with the good news that the others were not far away. Apparently this time he had been unable to resist saying "What took you so long" but Scott's reply had dampened his enthusiasm for further enquiry ...

Staveley Store being - unsurprisingly - firmly shut, we had to hang out until the Salmon Tales cafe in Rakaia for a cup of tea (muffins, soup ...) but it was worth the wait.

Intrepid descenders: Kerrie Maynard, Scott Fowler, Max De Lacey, Ruth Tramschek, Peter Eman, Warwick Dowling, Murray Gifford, Kate Taylor, Richard Lobb, Ian Dunn, Jenny Harlow

-- Uploaded by Jenny Harlow on 11 July, 2010