Headline: High adventure
Date: 15 Nov 2003, The Press, Christchurch, page D9
Caption: Winter in the Wilberforce: The Spurs, scene of the summit camp.

Christchurch writer PAT BARRETT has published a book of his South Island tramping experiences. In this edited excerpt, he recounts a breathtaking winter journey in Canterbury's foothills.

FACT FILE Time: The Spurs summit from farm flats, four-six hours; descent via Spur 1902, three-four hours. Grade: Moderate-hard. Map: K34 Access: From near Rakaia Gorge on the Canterbury Plains drive to the head of Lake Coleridge on Harper Road through Lake Coleridge Station, passing Lake Ida turnoff. Drive over Harper River bridge, and continue on for 4-5km to Glenthorne Station (ph 03-318-5822 for access before arriving). The Spurs are a cluster of three summits (1985m, 1964m, and 1902m) above a series of deep gullies, the spurs of which provide good routes to the peaks. The route begins in paddocks north- west of the homestead and ascends the ridge just to the west of the stream draining Spur 1964m. The south ridge on the high peak offers the most challenging part of the traverse, with some scrambling over and around rocky knobs. A very narrow section just before Spur 1902m on the south ridge can be passed on the east through an easy basin and then to the peak via a steep shute. Take care when descending the south ridge; it is very narrow and loose. Ice axe, crampons and avalanche awareness are essential for completing this route in winter.

Fourteen hundred metres below our summit camp beneath The Spurs in the Canterbury foothills, the huge swathe of the Wilberforce Valley, here almost 7km wide, passes in a mighty arc of tussock, shingle, river terrace, and the blue-grey flash of water over rock. Our little tent, perched on the lip of a snow- filled basin, commands this view.

To the north and west march the alps, Avoca, Rolleston, Carrington, and Craigieburn, wreathed in winter snows. Their names roll off as we sight familiar landmarks amid the stack of peaks and passes, cirques and gorges that form the Southern Alps.

The Wilberforce River issues from the Main Divide to the north-west, pouring its torrent out across the landscape where it switches back and forth over a flood plain contained by the walls of 2000m peaks. To the south-east, the river turns sharply, diverted by steep spurs falling from Mount Oakden, which stands above the sea-blue slash of Lake Coleridge.

It is 6pm and the sun slips from the sky, sending a wash of gold and crimson across the landscape, setting all aglow in the dusk. Around us the temperature plummets; it is already minus 8deg as we shrug our parkas closer and tighten mitts and headgear. The sun flashes from behind a spire on the horizon and is gone. We hasten off the summit, descending to the tent amid the snowy wastes, our thoughts fixed on hot food to ward off the pervading cold.

The route to our high camp begins in the high country surrounding Lake Coleridge near Glenthorne Station. Scrub gives way to steep snow on a narrow ridge and, later, ridgetop basins filled with a recent southerly dump on the top of weeks of compacted winter snow make for fast progress. Beyond the low summit (1964m) we pause for lunch on a snowy ledge in the hot afternoon sun.

From the summit, we traverse east to the high peak (1985m), below which is a small basin where we cut a platform to house our tent and gear. As night deepens over the tops and the temperature plummets further we crawl deep into our sleeping bags inside the cramped tube of the tent to await the day.

Dawn passes swiftly into the Wilberforce Valley next day, yet it is some hours before the sun reaches the tent. The view from the ridge above our camp is of valleys slowly warming to the day and we linger in bright sunlight. We later descend the lofty south ridge of The Spurs. Beyond this, travel is easier as we follow a broadening ridge to the valley floor, passing out of the snow into tussock, forest, streambed and, finally, a farm track.

Dropping our packs at the car we relish the warmth of the afternoon sun and the achievement of a spectacular camp on the winter summits of The Spurs.