The excursion began with an altered itinerary. The team had originally planned to tackle multiple peaks from Arthur’s Pass, but “crap snow conditions, marginal weather forecast and the appearance of the word ‘Extreme’ in the avalanche report” prompted a strategy change toward Mt Adams instead.
After an overnight stay at the club lodge in Arthur’s Pass, the trio — Maria, Alan, and Caroline — drove to Hokitika for provisions before heading south of Harihari. They departed their vehicle at 1:30 PM, climbing an 800-metre ridge assisted by steel cables and tree roots. They established camp around 1100 metres elevation by 8 PM.
On Sunday morning, the group began their ascent in earnest around 8:30 AM, encountering snow and loose slate requiring crampons. Snow conditions deteriorated throughout the day, causing balling-up issues with their crampons. Despite cloud cover obscuring views of Elie and the main divide, they successfully reached Mt Adams’s true summit at 2208 metres, outpacing another climbing team.
The descent proved challenging as conditions worsened. Back at camp, some members considered descending further or exiting entirely, but fatigue prevailed. Heavy rain overnight raised concerns about the river crossing on the return journey. They departed early the following morning in sleet, eventually reaching their vehicle as weather improved.
