“On a Mish” #48 The Trampers Mountain (Part Two). Avalanche Peak(1833m). Arthurs Pass National Park. 10.5.2011. Some mountains are ‘off-limits’ to those who don’t have the required skills to climb them. However, sometimes that doesn’t stop people from pushing their limits to far and ending up becoming a news article a few days later. Luckily Aotearoa New Zealand is a place of many peaks, with some large but still considered a ‘trampers mountain’ just like Avalanche Peak in Arthurs Pass National Park…
After a few hours climbing up from the valley floor / Arthurs Pass Village I got above the treeline and the views quickly reminded me that the soreness in my legs was worth it. I could see up to the pass (Arthurs Pass) itself, and in the other direction I could see all of the way to the Waimakariri Valley. This is a great peak for those who like to take pictures!
Before the summit the track crosses a large basin before the last scramble to the top. This basin is where the name Avalanche Peak comes from as in winter the area is bombarded with snow avalanches, and it makes the place a very dangerous to be. The term ‘trampers mountain’ only applies during the summer months when no snow is around.
I pushed on past the basin and then wandered the last section of track to the top. Even though clouds obscured the summits of the many mountains in the area, I still had an awesome view. There were a couple of people on the top, so we each congratulated each other while soaking in the views. What goes up must come down, and luckily (for my knees) the hike back down ‘Scotts Creek Track’ isn’t as steep as the way up via the Avalanche Creek Track.
The Scotts Creek Track is an easier way down for your body, which has put in some work by this stage. Thankfully the hard stuff is now behind you, and a gentle slope leads back down to the valley floor. A bonus about heading this way are the views across the Bealey Valley to Devils Punchbowl Falls. At 112m high the waterfall is hard to miss and will become the focus point of your camera for the rest of the mish.
When all said and done, Avalanche Peak is an awesome day out for those with some experience scrambling up hills and tramping / hiking in exposed locations. If you are looking at giving mountaineering a go, then Avalanche Peak is a great starting point before moving on to bigger and harder climbs. So, with that said you should still treat the mountain with respect and don’t be the couple I bumped into about 30 minutes from the end of the track. I could tell they were probably out of their depth and taking on something they weren’t ready for due to them carrying plastic bags, and the fact that they asked, “How far to the top?” when they had just started!
