Occasional Climber

Mt Travers via SE Face, October 2017

The pier at St Arnaud at the northern end of Lake Rotoiti
The pier at St Arnaud at the northern end of Lake Rotoiti
The view south up Travers Valley from the southern end of Lake Rotoiti
Grass flats just south of Lakehead Hut (620m)
Crossing the Travers River about an hour south of Lakehead Hut
First glimpse of the top 400m of Mt Travers (2,338m) northern aspect
The Travers River and the north side of Mt Travers
A tributary stream north of John Tait Hut
John Tait Hut beside the Travers River
John Tait Hut (800m)
Approaching Upper Travers Hut (1,320m)
Upper Travers Hut (1,320m)
A 4am alpine start, ascending a snow basin at about 1,500m
Approaching dawn at about 1,600m
Below the broad shoulder, at about 1,700m
The view east to the St Arnaud Range from the broad shoulder at 1,880m
Loosing some height on a sidle around to the next snow basin
Commencing our ascent of the second snow basin that gives access to the north east ridge
The gradient steepened as we ascended, here at about 1,900m
Departing the lip of a small schrund in the direction of the ridge, about 1,900m
Approaching the most exposed section of snow and rock beneath the ridge
Picking a way towards the ridge
Climbing Weetbix at about 2,000m
Traversing across to the north east ridge at 2,070m
Traversing across to the north east ridge at 2,070m
The view north from the north east ridge, with Mt Cupola (2,260m, far left), Mt Hopeless (2,278m, left), the Travers Valley in fog and the St Arnaud Range, right
Mt Hopeless (2,278m) and the Travers Valley
Mt Cupola (2,260m), viewed from the north east ridge at about 2,000m
The view north from about 1,950m on the north east ridge, with Mt Cupola (2,260m, far left), Mt Hopeless (2,278m, left), the Travers Valley and the St Arnaud Range, right. What appeared to be a "friendly exit ramp" is bottom far right
Descending the easier gradient north east ridge
Abseil set up
Abseiling on the first attempt route to reach the snow basin
On the traverse around at about 1,600m, with Upper Travers Hut bottom left
The eastern aspect of Mt Travers (2,338m) at dawn, viewed from behind Upper Travers Hut
The eastern aspect of Mt Travers at sunrise, viewed from behind Upper Travers Hut
Above the treeline on the way to Travers Saddle
Climbing towards Travers Saddle (1,787m), with the summit of Mt Travers (2,338m) and the grade 3 south ridge left. The crux notch is clearly visible
The south ridge and summit of Mt Travers, viewed from near Travers Saddle
Peaks to the south of Travers Saddle, with Mt Franklin obscured by cloud to the right
The south ridge and summit of Mt Travers, viewed from above Travers Saddle. Mt Cupola is just left partly in cloud
Mt Cupola (2,260m), viewed from above Travers Saddle
The south ridge and summit of Mt Travers, viewed from above Travers Saddle
The south ridge and summit of Mt Travers, viewed from above Travers Saddle. Our high point (2,000m) is the top of the broad snow field abit over halfway up in this picture
Approaching the base of the south ridge
The view back across Travers Saddle (1,787m) from low on the south ridge of Mt Travers
At our high point about 2,000m before the crux notch on the south ridge. Mt Travers' summit is about 350m higher up
Descending quickly softening snow on our way back to Travers Saddle
The summit of Mt Travers from below Travers Saddle
Returning to Upper Travers Hut beside the upper section of Travers River
A small waterfall on upper Travers River
Travers Falls, about an hour south of John Tait Hut
Travers Falls, about an hour south of John Tait Hut
The view from the pier at the southern end of Lake Rotoiti

Read about it

A snowball called Anxiety Wilderness Magazine Sep 19    Travers treasure Wilderness Magazine Jan 18

Travers by wire Wilderness Magazine Mar 18    A snowball called Anxiety Vertigo Nov 17

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