walkhighlands

This board helps you to share your walking route experiences in England and Wales... or overseas.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

South Island 8 Talbot McPherson traverse

South Island 8 Talbot McPherson traverse


Postby past my sell by date » Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:16 pm

Date walked: 26/01/2006

Time taken: 12

Ascent: 1350m

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Across the Hollyford valley, from Routeburn and the Grand Traverse lie the Darran Mountains: made mostly from diorite - a crystalline rock similar to but more coarse-grained than gabbro - they are to South Island what the Cuillins are to Scotland - a rock-climbing Mecca. They are also the steepest mountains I think I have ever climbed - huge deep U shaped valleys mostly filled with thick vegetation snake between soaring peaks.
42.jpg
Looking NNW from point 1543 towards the Darrans: the most prominent being the 2474m Christina on the R
Map of the Darran mountains
Unlike the OS in Britain, the DOC(Dept. of conservation) in New Zealand makes all maps free on line. You can scroll them to any scale, and drag them to the particular area as desired. This link opens with the Darrans in the frame

https://dcon01mstr0c21wprod.azurewebsites.net/map/index.html?banner=0&layerlist=0&base=Topo&layers=Campsites,Huts,All%20tracks&extent=1215566.896283126,5025909,2193,7&search=Huts:100074591


After seeing them on my 2002-03 trip I determined to visit them and had Gary organise a trip there in January 2006 with Sam Bosshard as my guide. We had brilliant weather throughout :D :D

Homer tunnel
Homer tunnel east entrance.jpg
Eastern entrance to the tunnel
I can't do better than quote bits from Wikipedia:
The Homer Tunnel is a 1.2 km (0.75 miles) long road tunnel connecting the valley of the Hollyford River to the east and that of the Cleddau to the west.
Government workers began the tunnel in 1935 and the completion of at least a rough road to the eastern portal site in the same year. The tunnel and the associated Milford Road were built by relief workers during the Depression, initially just starting with five men using picks and wheelbarrows. The men had to live in tents in a mountainous area where there might be no direct sunlight for half of the year. At least three were killed by avalanches over the coming decades.Progress was slow, with difficult conditions including fractures in the rock bringing water from snow melt into the tunnel. Compressors and a powerhouse in the nearby river were eventually built to pump out 40,000 litres of water per hour. Work was also interrupted by World War II (though the actual piercing of the mountain had successfully been achieved in 1940), and an avalanche in 1945 which destroyed the eastern tunnel portal. These problems delayed the tunnel's completion and opening until 1953.


We stayed throughout at the Homer hut (ca. 900m) at the Eastern end of the tunnel: it was in the middle of being refurbished at the time, but it didn't seem to mattter :lol:

Talbot McPherson traverse

D103a.jpg
Driving up the valley towards the tunnel this is the classic view of Mt Talbot - McPherson and part of the traverse can be seen behind it on the L
Darranmap02.jpg
Map of the route
The Homer Saddle(1375m) is a steep 90 minute climb from the tunnel entrance up a mixture of grass and scree which we started at about 6.00am after driving up to the tunnel entrance
TMT01.jpg
Early morning at the Saddle looking back E to Crosscut 2263m on the L and Christina on the R
I found it a slightly confusing place as the road exits the mountain on both sides and one can easily lose one's bearings :lol: :lol: , but we headed R up Talbot's Ladder an easy but exposed scramble - I think we roped up but moved together - and then on up easy snow slopes to 1931m Mt. McPherson.
TMT02.jpg
Looking back down Talbot's Ladder to the saddle and the rock ridge up the other side
TMT03.jpg
Sam enjoying the sunshine at the top of the ladder
TMT04.jpg
Start of the snow - looking on up to McPherson - far L

Views from McPherson summit
TMT12.jpg
Obligatory Summit photo - the snowy peak at the back is 2723m Tutako - highest in the range

TMT06.jpg
In the L foreground is 1620m Isolation peak: To its R looking down Esperance river to Gulliver river, with the Donne river heading back R . All these rivers meet, flow L to join the Cleddau and head North to Milford Sound while second from the L is Mt. Pembroke 2015m. Interesting that all the names in this area have a Welsh slant
D109a.jpg
detailed view of the peaks
TMT07.jpg


TMT08.jpg
Zoomed views
TMT11.jpg
Looking almost NW to the R of Homer Saddle into the Cleddau valley: Mt. Pembroke again on the R with Isolation peak just coming out of the cloud. Milford Sound is over the back - though we couldn't really see it at this point
TMT10.jpg
Zoomed. The Llawrenny Peaks at the back in the centre - with Odyssey peak to their L in front - all about the same height as McPherson

TMT09.jpg
The traverse continues across snow to Traverse pass - the small dip in the L horizon - with Mt Talbot centre , Cross Cut with its four peaks centre R and Christina far R
TMT14.jpg
On the snow traverse looking across to Tutako again
TMT15.jpg
Ascending the last section to the pass
TMT19.jpg
At Traverse pass we headed R along the rock ridge to 2109m Mt. Talbot - Crosscut behind
D125.jpg
Looking North from traverse Pass: Adelaide saddle to my (true) L
TMT16.jpg
This is a classic alpine rock ridge - grade II - II+ thoroughly enjoyable climbing on excellent rock :D :D - but as usual with lots of ups and downs. I suspect we took about an hour in each direction
TMT17.jpg
Looking back across the snow traverse to McPherson - centre R
TMT18.jpg
In the opposite direction, the snowy lump in the foreground is Barrier Knob to the R of Adelaide saddle: part of Lake Adelaide is visible behind

Pictures on the rock ridge

TMT23.jpg
Climbing a pinnacle
TMT24.jpg
and looking back - traversing under one
TMT25.jpg
climbing another pinnacle
TMT21.jpg
looking back along the ridge - with McPherson far L and Mt. Pembroke far R

Views from the Summit

TMT27.jpg
Another view over Barrier Knob and the forests around Moraine creek which drains Lake Adelaide
TMT28.jpg
Zoomed view back along the ridge: the 2021 rock lump beyond traverse pass doesn't have a name on the map, but directly behind it is Mitre Peak with The Llawrenny peaks to the L
TMT29.jpg
Towards Tutako and Madeleine: In the R foreground is the Sentinel and to its L the Twins: further L beyond the Donne river is probably Mt. underwood
TMT30.jpg
Zoomed
TMT26.jpg
Mt Crosscut - with Christina behind and to its R
TMT20.jpg
Sam leading a pitch on the return
TMT19.jpg
Back at Traverse pass
From the pass we headed R down soft snow (care needed) to glaciated slabs above Gertrude Saddle
TMT33.jpg
The Sentinel and the Twins
TMT32.jpg
Looking down Gulliver river valley
Cushion-daisy-clump-darrans.jpg
Cushion daisies at Gertrude saddle
TMT35.jpg
Black lake with Crosscut behind:we headed R behind the lake and down Gertrude valley to the hut on a good track
TMT36.jpg
looking back up Gertrude valley
Daisy-Darrans.jpg
another daisy - there are so many different ones
D138.jpg
Finally a view of the traverse from the top of the ridge on the other side of Homer saddle
past my sell by date
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 1068
Munros:282   Corbetts:86
Fionas:27   Donalds:6
Sub 2000:8   Hewitts:146
Wainwrights:159   
Joined: Apr 24, 2013

Re: South Island 8 Talbot McPherson traverse

Postby Sgurr » Tue Mar 30, 2021 10:41 pm

Spectacular. No wonder a Kiwi was one of first to climb Everest.
User avatar
Sgurr
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 5679
Munros:282   Corbetts:222
Fionas:219   Donalds:89+52
Sub 2000:569   Hewitts:172
Wainwrights:214   Islands:58
Joined: Nov 15, 2010
Location: Fife

Re: South Island 8 Talbot McPherson traverse

Postby past my sell by date » Wed Apr 28, 2021 2:06 pm

Sgurr wrote:Spectacular. No wonder a Kiwi was one of first to climb Everest.

Much of New Zealand is spectacular - other parts just stunningly wild and beautiful. It's a near paradise. My only regret is that I didn't discover it earlier - i might well have emigrated :D :lol:
past my sell by date
Mountaineer
 
Posts: 1068
Munros:282   Corbetts:86
Fionas:27   Donalds:6
Sub 2000:8   Hewitts:146
Wainwrights:159   
Joined: Apr 24, 2013

3 people think this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).




Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Outside Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Morningstar1992 and 12 guests