On Monday I did a trip along the Robert Ridge to Lake Angelus Hut. Good snow conditions. Stable snowpack. Angelus Hut has a coal stove (and coal supplied by DoC). Nice and warm. A group had been there 2 days previously (on foot) and dug out the hut doorway. Cheers, guys! From the visitors book it seems like we were the first to go in on skis this year. Tuesday was developing Nor'Wester, so we got out via the Speargrass track, i.e. we skied into the Speargrass Valley and walked out back to the car. 2x 9 hour days, good fun. Angelus Hut: Frozen Lake Angelus: Evening Light on Mt Angelus: Getting out down Speargrass Creek: Walking out: View from St Arnaud Range:
Jealous as usual thanks James. Some of us have to work for a living you know. Is that an antenna or a shovel in the second photo?
That's a shovel. Interesting arrangement of attachment to the hut. Keeps it obvious for anyone arriving to a totally buried hut. (e.g. "dig 6 feet") At least now I have set the GPS to the front door!
I'm insanely jealous! I've often thought that it would be a great place to ski to in winter. I've been there a couple of times in Summer/Autumn and really love that area. Here's a few pics from April 2000. And this shot will give people an idea of what it looks like in summer.
James B and telestrom. Sensational. Where is this near? Where is this area near? - I have never been to NZ keep it pretty general. Cheers
Nelson Lakes are located near the top of the South Island. It's the green dotted area on the map between Blenheim and Westport.
James, you make it very difficult to get any work done while I sit in my office in Melbourne. Had heard that Nelson Lakes had some good ski touring - now I can see for myself!
I notice that Wanaka goes by its old name (Pembroke) on the map above. But it was 1940 that Wanaka changed its name, so the map's a wee bit out of date! The name Pembroke lives on in the name of Pembroke Park, the large open space in central Wanaka.
