“Good for you, sweetheart!” Better to let her set the pace while the enthusiasm is still flowing strong, I thought as I tightened the waist strap on my tramping pack, pulled my neck warmer over my nose and followed her along the ridgeline.
It was Boxing Day and we had just gained around 600 metres elevation while slogging up the side of Pourangahau/Mount Robert, on our way to Angelus Hut. Situated on the shores of a small alpine tarn, the hut is perched some 1650 metres high on the Travers Range between Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa in Nelson Lakes National Park. Tramping blogs accurately describe the 3 km climb up the Pinchgut Track from Mount Robert Carpark as “unrelenting,” and I would wholeheartedly agree, however my company was cheerful and the views were spectacular. We stopped for a quick snack and to catch our breath at the Relax Shelter, adding windproof layers and sun protection to shield us against the harsh sun and wind that we knew we’d encounter on the nine kilometres of exposed ridgeline before we dropped down to Lake Rotomaninitua/Lake Angelus.
My stomach was a mixture of nerves and excitement as a surveyed the vast open space around us. I had watched the Mountain Safety Council’s video on the Robert Ridge route several times, checked the latest weather reports, and spoken to the DOC staff at the Nelson Lakes Visitor Centre, however I knew nothing was certain in this unpredictable alpine environment. The spring weather was restless and volatile and I didn’t want to get caught out on the tops with a six-year-old, on day one of a multi-day tramp in Nelson Lakes National Park. I tried to swallow my nerves and remain calm and confident, assessing the risks and telling myself, you got this.
This story is from the August 2021 edition of Adventure Magazine.
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This story is from the August 2021 edition of Adventure Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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