Otago Climber September 2011 - New Zealand Alpine Club
Otago Climber September 2011 - New Zealand Alpine Club
Otago Climber September 2011 - New Zealand Alpine Club
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Crown Range ski-touring<br />
It was a ‘select band of few’ that met up outside the historic Cardrona<br />
village hall building early on a clear, cold Saturday morning in July.<br />
Martin Curtis was our local NZAC member/guide for the proposed trip<br />
along the eastern side of the Cardrona valley.<br />
Matteo the effervescent Italian arrived and Jono Wills and myself emerged<br />
bleary eyed from the afore-mentioned hall where we had spent a relatively<br />
comfy night sleeping on the floor close to the pot-belly stove which Martin<br />
had kindly lit for our arrival the previous evening.<br />
After leaving one car at the foot of Tuohys Gully we drove to our start point<br />
– a snowy car-park at the south end of the Cardrona valley road. Straight<br />
onto skins and the 4 of us were away following the track ENE up on to Mt.<br />
Hocken 1375m. Looking back we had great views down to Queenstown<br />
and Lake Wakatipu.<br />
The weather was perfect with clear skies, sunshine and virtually no wind.<br />
On reaching the tracks’ highpoint on the side of Mt. Hocken we stopped for<br />
a short break and realised we were overlooking a lovely looking snow bowl<br />
– little persuasion was required for us to strip our skins and take our first<br />
turns of the day. Short but sweet! Matteo’s italian flair was matched by<br />
Jono’s Kiwi style while Martin and I took a slightly more cautious approach.<br />
Skinning above the Cardrona Valley (left); Matteo enjoying some action (right). Photos Jonathon<br />
Wills<br />
It was now mid-morning and getting pretty warm as we skinned back<br />
up to rejoin the ridge to Rock Peak 1490m with Matteo leading the way<br />
with style and apparent ease while we toiled in his wake. I had a prickly<br />
encounter with a ‘Spaniard’ as we contoured around this next summit but<br />
took a break from the skis to enjoy a boulder problem – in my ski boots!<br />
Time was slipping away now so we had an early lunch break before pushing<br />
on towards Mt. Allen 1492m. The ridge line was very wind-scoured but<br />
there was just enough snow to keep us moving on the lee side to the East<br />
<strong>Otago</strong> <strong>Climber</strong><br />
3
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