“On a Mish” #31 Crawling in the Wind (Part Three). Erewhon Peak(2068m). Hakatere Conservation Park. 5.5.2014. It is amazing what you will put up with to get to a summit and claim your prize. Summit fever is a condition that you sometimes don’t realise you have until you are crawling in the wind trying to get back down to safety. The hills can hide the hazards of the weather, so hopefully you’re ready for the unexpected when out on a mish…
To get to the base of the south ridge of Peak 2068m (Erewhon Peak) we followed the bulldozed track of the old ski field into the deep snow in the upper basin. The views were really starting to get epic and, with the top only a short scramble away, we knew that we could get there before the storm dropped its icy payload and painted the place white.
As we began to attack the last section, the snow was starting to get whipped up by the building wind. Exposed skin would sting like a burn, and it was as if it we were being sandblasted with increasing intensity as we got higher. What seemed like it would be a short scramble wasn’t. Many times, I would look back to my girlfriend and say it must only be about ten minutes or so to the top. This turned out to be one of the longest ten minutes in history. A short, steep, and sometimes exposed climb on the loose red rock of the south ridge eventually led to the summit, and normally this would be the ‘exciting’ part of the adventure. But that was waiting for us on the summit.
I was on top first and had to crouch down while I waited for my girlfriend. After a very long couple of minutes, I spotted her crawling the last couple of metres to the top to join me. The power of the gale took our breaths away and cut through the many layers of clothing we were wearing. The sustained wind was like a big gust that never died down. You keep waiting for the relief that never comes. It was both exciting and scary, and we knew this wasn’t a place to linger. After one last look around at Mother Nature’s beauty, and her angry side, we began the climb down to the shelter of the hanging valley.
The descent was via the west ridge to a saddle between Erewhon Peak(2068m) and the large Peak(2140m). To get to the saddle we were forced to crawl in places and heads had to remain down if you wanted to breath and not just get air forced into your lungs. I knew it was only a matter of time before the storm unleashed its watery rage, so we crawled, scraped and scrambled our way downward.
Life got a little bit easier after getting to the saddle and following the bulldozed track back into the upper basin. Not long after getting to the more peaceful parts of the range the heavens finally opened up. At first, we were pelted with heavy rain, and then the rain turned to snow. A quick glance back up at Erewhon Peak reinforced our need to get out of the area, and how well we had timed our climb. The tops were now engulfed in clouds and the views would be long gone.
The last part of the adventure was easy walking back down to the valley floor while the rain made itself at home. We were both happy to be walking in the direction of the fireplace and hot shower at the crib in Lake Clearwater Village. What a mish! And a big thank you to Mother Nature for letting us summit another Hakatere mountain. Another incredible adventure was done and dusted, and after getting back to the crib we began to digest the adventure along with a huge victory meal. It was much, much better to be talking about our day crawling in the wind than doing it!
