Mount Hopeless via the southwest ridge, May 26–29 2020.
It’s been quite a few years since I’ve bothered to write up a trip report, as I’ve been a distant fringe member for quite a few years, however as I’m keen to get more involved with the club I thought I would challenge myself and give it a nudge, alas the current state of affairs has made getting to know current members fairly difficult.
Post a long injury period in 2019 and into the start of 2020, February came, and my foot was just able to cope walking in mountain boots. I had a month of bite size adventures including Mt Earnslaw, trad climbing at the Remarks, Alta Slabs, Mount Horrible, Mangetapopo and the ever faithful Titahi bay.
With trips planned through March and April and a Himalayan trip planned for Late April/May my climbing calendar was filling up. Unbeknownst to most of us lay folks the release of the Gabriel Garcia Marquez sequel ‘Life in the times of Covid’ would curtail many a fine-looking plan.
Lockdown was survived with pouring over a plethora of page turning guidebooks longingly and trying to keep improving my strengthening foot, a blessing in disguise really. Level 3 came and went, and we all found freedom in Level 2 mk1.
As soon as my work schedule allowed, I jumped on the evening sailing of the Interislander and headed south, destination St Arnaud. The next morning, I woke to a beautiful morning with the sun glistening off Lake Rotoiti. With the morning sun beaming down and not a breath of wind I soon discarded my headphones and preloaded podcasts and enjoyed the solitude and easy-going nature of the walk alongside the Travers to my first rest stop of the John Tait Hut.
One of the first signs of how much snow you’ll encounter up high, is as you turn a corner about 14ish kms into the meander and on the true left of the Travers, The Camel comes into view, a beautifully shaped smaller outlier peak. With just a delicate dusting on top I knew this would be more summer conditions with perhaps a little morning verglas to contend with.
A short stop at John Tait Hut for a brew and a biccy, then off, destination Cupola Hut. As Hopeless and Cupola came into view, unobstructed by even a single wispy. I was hopeful that the next morning would bring similar conditions.
The Cupola Hut came quickly, and I was the sole occupant. For those who haven’t been there, on a good day it gives great views of the south face of Mt Hopeless and the impressive Hopeless Couloir, and a little wander out behind the hut gives a great view of Mt Cupola, it also provided me the opportunity to reccy the path id take to my destination of the southwest ridge of Hopeless, which I aimed to take the next morning.
A comfy and reasonably warm night in the hut, a compulsory pressed coffee and a fairly leisurely alpine start from the hut at 7am was the start to the day.
A relatively straight forward approach to the col between pt. 1989 and the southwest ridge was gained in fairly reasonable time. The ridge itself was a lovely scramble in these conditions, with as expected, only a light dusting of snow and little verglas. There are a few steeper sections and semi-involved in places, that some may choose to pitch if they were not solo. Likewise on the descent there a couple of sections that would benefit from an abseil, however with good conditions these are climbable/down-climbable easy enough if you take your time and look for the path of least resistance, some can be skirted on the northern side.
On the ridge proper my phone that was tucked away in my pocket burst into life and at an opportune moment I took a look. I was presented with the unfortunate news that my grandfather had passed away in a UK rest home due to complications bought on my the Covid19 virus. A sad moment but a great opportunity to pause, enjoy the solitude and think of him.
As the summit was reached, I spent a while longer than I normally would appreciating where I was, the fragility of life, the lucky position we are here in NZ whilst covid runs rampant in other places, and remembering my Grandfather…aswell as taking time to enjoy another brew and biccy.
As hoped the previous day, today presented the same conditions and I had unobstructed outstanding 360 views from the summit.
The descent along the south west ridge is as described fairly involved at some spots so don’t expect a massively rapid descent until lower on the ridge. That said, I made quick time on the descent, after reaching the Cupola Hut, a quick brew and biccy, I pressed on to John Tait.
A colder but comfy night at John Tait, another brew and a biccy and a sunny meander on the fairly long walk back to the car park at the end of Lake Rotoiti was a lovely culmination of a great few days of total isolation, a lovey summit and a fitting way to remember Grandad.