“On a Mish” #63 Isolation (Part One). Sudden Valley Bivouac. Sudden Valley. Arthurs Pass National Park. 31.7.2013 I find something very inviting about going outdoors into the wilderness alone. To place yourself in total isolation can be a good way to clear the head as well as the fitness gained from going on a mish. Here in Aotearoa, we are lucky to not only have places of near unmatched beauty, but also many huts / accommodation for you to shelter in. To some, being totally isolated from the rest of the world would be a nightmare, but to me it is all part of the dream that is going on a mish by myself…
For a long time, I worked the summers guiding on the likes of the Routeburn, Milford, Humpridge, Greenstone, and the Aoraki Mt Cook area. My winters were normally spent in Christchurch, and that meant I had the Canterbury mountains as my spare time playground. A lot of my time and energy went into exploring Hakatere Conservation Park and also Arthurs Pass National Park. Both have so much for the wilderness lover and in my time exploring the two locations I only just scratched the surface.
After reading about a fella getting lost in the tops above the Sudden Valley in Arthurs Pass National Park, I knew it would only be a matter of time before I repeated what that man did, minus the getting lost part. The name ‘Sudden Valley’ sounds so much more interesting than a person’s name, which is much more common. Something suddenly happening is unusual outdoors and normally unwanted, so the name conjures up thoughts of intrigue and a need to see what’s going on in the mysterious valley tucked away beneath the peaks of Arthurs Pass.
Like most winter missions, this one started with a drive over the frosty Canterbury Plains, taking aim at the Mid-Canterbury mountains. I had a small weather window, and nothing makes you feel more isolated than being alone in a remote place when the weather sours so I didn’t want that feeling on this mish. The clears skies over Christchurch soon became overcast clouds over Arthurs. You could feel the rain coming, I just hoped that it would happen after I finished my trek up Sudden Valley.
My hike began with a crossing of the cool waters of the Hawdon River. It was ‘refreshing’ to say the least, and also goodbye to dry feet. The fact that the route up Sudden Valley has a couple of river crossings made my feet feel slightly less upset about the icy winter water. After crossing the Hawdon I followed the well beaten track up the valley of the same name to the entrance of Sudden Valley. A narrow crack in between Mt Foweraker and The Pyramid was the way to get to total isolation for the night, and I was excited to see this ‘sudden valley’…
