Arthurs Pass. Lake Mavis via Goat Pass & Edwards Valley
22nd – 24th March 2014
The enjoyment of tramping is not only while out there doing it, but the build-up with the wonder of what new country we will see, catching up with fellow club members and will the weather be kind.
The journey began with a long distance drive to Arthurs Pass to our accommodation for Friday night at the Christchurch Tramping Club’s hut, then down to the Wobbley Kea Cafe for a giant sized pizza for dinner. This was for half of our party as the other three had to leave Oamaru later. Our team of six spent a very comfortable night at the hut with storytelling and the usual taking the mickey out of things, before lights out.
At 7am Robbie was first up to have breakfast and prepare for the day ahead. After parking the cars at Greyneys, packs shouldered, we were on our way across the Bealey River to Goat Pass Hut via the Mingha Valley which is the route used in the Coast to Coast Run.
Fog blocked the views to the tops, but that soon improved. River crossings appeared more numerous than previous visits from what I could remember. Finally the crossings ceased and the hill work began ending on Dudley’s Knob where photos were taken with the element of a “Liedecker View”.
An early lunch was enjoyed in the sunshine at the Mingha Biv. The clever graphics on the inside walls of the biv were photographed and we were off on the last lap to Goat Pass Hut, arriving five hours after our start – a gentle way to break into the tramp. With the hut to ourselves, brew in hand and sitting in the sun life was as good as it gets. Later after a short walk across snow grass from the hut and up to a high point we were rewarded with great views up and down the Deception River and across to the tops above Temple Basin. We could also see our intended route up to Lake Mavis for the next day. As the day wore on more people started to arrive and by the evening there were at least thirty looking for a bed in the twenty bunk hut. It was interesting to note that a good number of these people did not have any form of bed mat. Lessons to be learned here.
Little sleep was had by some of us so it was pleasing to see daylight on Sunday morning and get breakfast over early so we could get on our way in clear skies with no fog. One hour uphill and Lake Mavis began to show. Several people had camped up there for the night and were making their way down. After shedding our packs we had time to explore around the outlet while waiting for the sun to appear over the ridge to paint a new picture of the lake.
The next stage to the crossing point on the ridge one km north of Mt Oates consisted of a rocky sidle then a climb ending with another grand view across the Edwards Valley to Tarn Col, Falling Mountain and the large tarn, our lunch spot 150mtrs of steep scree below.
The route to the valley floor began with more rock hopping followed by tussock to the steep gut which with care released us to freedom. Edwards Hut appeared with some attractive board-walked tarns in the foreground after nearly two hours of valley walking. With only our party in the hut for the night it made for a more peaceful place than the previous one. Uwe was first up at 6am Monday and lit all the cookers . Not sure what that was all about but it made for a leisurely breakfast while awaiting daylight for travel in the bush. A short distance from the hut we were rewarded after Robbie’s announcement “Blue Ducks” whereby a pair came floating downstream right past us while another pair flew overhead. It was good spotting as some of the party had not seen Blue Duck in the wild before. The ducks can be hard to see as they blend in with the water well.
The track down to the river flats demands your attention as it is quite rough with steep steps in places. Once out on the flats with easier going we stopped to chat with a camping party, the two girls about to bathe in the stream nearby obviously not expecting company. “Nothing we haven’t already seen before!”
After negotiating a steep rock wall with the help of a series of chains, the highway traffic could soon be seen and the last river crossing took us back to the cars, journey over.
Thanks for making a good trip that much better.
Bron, Jane, Phyllis, Uwe, Robbie
Maurice.
