Some of the Palmy based members have been down south over the summer: In January, Pete McGregor, Lance Gray and Terry Crippen spent a few relaxed days based at Barker Hut in Arthurs Pass NP, climbing Wakelin and Murchison in between periods of strong winds and pit bashing. Using the high col on Mt Harper they then crossed over (nearly becoming airborne with the tail winds) into the basin above Gerard Falls in the head of Greenlaw Ck. Plans were to continue over into the Avoca, but decided to camp in the basin - an idyllic seldom visited spot (Greenlaw Ck not having the easiest of access). They were on a photographic hunt for rock wrens, but only sighted deer and chamois. They exited via the ridge separating Greenlaw and Harper Cks and a steep active continuous scree which drops into the Greenlaw. Later Lance, Terry and others climbed Rolleston, descending down the Otira slide in quick time on account of fresh snow on harder old snow leaving some unplanned long skid marks! Early February saw Terry Crippen and Christine Cheyne doing a crossing of Ball Pass. Besides scrambling up Turner Peak, they camped just below the pass to enjoy the spell of settled weather with not a drop of wind to be felt. Almost too hot though. Later on they went up onto Annette Plateau via Sebastopol Ridge enjoying the company of a couple of elusive rock wrens on the way. Pete adds: Full trip report at www.xanga.com/pohanginapete Currently it’s the most recent entry, but as I add more to the site it will eventually drop off the front page—it can be accessed by going to http://www.xanga.com/item.aspx?user=PohanginaPete&tab=weblogs&uid=198810517 or just using the “go to date” option: it’s dated 4 February 2005