Trip Report, Mt Domett, 9/10 March 2024

01-Setting-Off
02-Finding-the-river-track
03-onto-the-river-bed-track
04-looking-back-to-the-easier-4wd-track-to-tacke-on-way-back
04-looking-back-to-the-easier-4wd-track-to-take-on-way-back
05-attempting-to-keep-feet-dry
06-rugged-river-valley
07-Short-break-amongst-the-boulders
08-Nearly-at-Chinamens-Hut
09-Chinamans-Hut
10-Deer-across-the-valley
11-Early-start-630am
12-Tricky-section-with-number-8-wire-assist
13-Otherside-of-tricky-section
14-Waterfall-to-climb-around-the-side
15-Julian-passing-the-waterfall-section
15a-Steep-tussuck-climb-from-the-valley
16-Climbing-up-through-the-tussuck
16-Climbing-up-throught-he-tussuck
17-Morning-light-down-the-valley-towawrds-Chinamens-Hut

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A good forecast for this weekend ensured that  a climb up to the summit was on. A good sized crew of 8 was all set for this trip and duly arrived at Baileys Yards in the Danseys Pass area before 2pm on the Saturday for the walk in to Chinaman’s Hut up the Otekaieke River. It was a nice walk in and upon arrival those with tents established their camp . Unfortunately for the leader it was discovered that his boots had had a catastrophic failure with one of the soles having completely detached from the boot and the other also pretty dodgy…. there would be no summit for those boots.

A nice warm evening and pleasant setting with a game of 5 Crowns to finish off saw everyone in bed by 9. The following morning an early wakeup at 5.30 got us off to start walking up the river to the start of the uphill section at the head of the valley. The leader had to send his merry crew off up the hill at this point on their own, owing to his decrepit boots. He anxiously tried to follow their progress with the aid of binoculars but after just a short while failed there too as the crew disappeared from sight.

He gradually slunk back to camp eventually and met up with the other component of this weekend’s participants, a small group of 3 who had walked in just to Chinaman’s Hut for a day walk and after sharing his anxiety for the welfare of the summit crew they returned back to the vehicle and he started to pack up and take down every other tent. 

Before long half the crew returned to the hut, the mountain had repelled them with shingle scree and steepness and they packed up the remainder of their gear ready for the walk out. The 3 who did reach the summit took quite a bit longer to return but were buoyed by their success. The leader cunningly had jerry rigged his failing footwear with multiple laces and was able to return to the vehicle in booted feet, but said boots will never feel the crunch of riverbeds again and were unceremoniously dumped in the rubbish bin upon return. This was a very good trip with a happy crew and a great result, well done everyone and thanks for your company. Those who came were; Aahmes, Gabriel, Jenny, David, Julian, Jonathon, Augusta, Maurice, John, Phyllis and Robbie