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For nearly three days in 2003 I had gazed longingly across the Hollyford valley from the Routeburn track to the Darrans, withe 2478m Christina dominating the scene
Christina and the Darrans across the Hollyford valleyfrom point 1543 The weather remained perfect, and after my rest day at Milford I was keen to climb it.
As you drive down the Hollyford valley road from the Homer Tunnel , the massive bulk of Christina dominates the view on the Left, much as does Liatach as you drive from Torridon towards Kinlochewe Another view - part of Crosscut on the LMap of the ascentApproximate line of sameWe started in the dark, and I have inverted the the following photos all taken on the descent to create a logical sequence
Looking up Cirque Creek - between Crosscut and Christina. An alternative route to the summit starts up this valley.
Getting out of the car we used loose sandals to wade the river, hid them in the vegetation and only then put on socks and boots to walk up the riverbed to the foot of the route as shown in the previous picture We headed diagonally R through thick shrubby vegetation to cross the prominent gullyThe climbing was like nothing I have experienced before or since: mainly on vegetation, but sufficiently steep - 45, 50 maybe 55 degrees that you needed to use your hands the whole time. I found that New Zealand shrubs make completely reliable handholds - and as there are no native grazing animals in the country, they are devoid of thorns or spines: I just reached up and pulled .We pitched just one section at the top of the slope, above which the angle eased and the terrain gave way to scree and snow sl'opesSam looking down from the top of this pitchand abseling down it on the descentAbove the pitch the angle eased a bit: looking up the valley past Crosscut towards TalbotEarly morning (ascent) photograph: Homer Saddle R of centre and McPhersonWe headed diagonally R up scree slopes then put on crampons and went diagonally L up this snow slope: there was actually a lot more snow climbing than the pictures suggest and it was soft and slippery in placesAs we climbed higher the view towards Talbot and McPherson improved: the road leading up to the tunnel looks a long way below A zoomed view - the Llawreny peaks behindLooking back down the slope: pyramid Peak 2295m behindA wider view: the road heading down the valley can be seen on the RPhotos from our high point - about 2250mWe reached the North ridge, and looked down on Lake Marian over 5000 ft below . This was as far as we could manage in a single (15 hour) day. A group came past - headed for the summit, but they were carrying camping equipment Views of Sam and myself with Lake Marianditto with Tutoko and Madeleine Looking just West of North to Tutoko and Madeleine: the four peaks of Crosscut in the foregroundLooking roughly South West: Pyramid peak has several routes on itLooking North East: on the near ridge, the Peak on the R is Mt. Lyttle 1899m: the 2060m peak on the L is un-named - as are many in the area: at the back is 2830m Pikirakatahi (Mt. Earnslaw) - the second highest peak (after Aspiring) in Otago Further R - forests in the Hollyford valleyA picture from the Web shows (far L) Conical hill and Mt Xenicus - close to Harris Saddle on The Routeburn, from where I had last seen the Darrans three years earlier: We descended by exactly the same route. Below the short abseil Sam had built tiny cairns on ledges to guide us as the gully can only be crossed at one point. It was very hot in the afternoon sun and near the bottom we had a lighthearted discussion as to whether i needed to continue wearing my helmet
However when we reached the riverbed, I found that my ankle muscles were so totally knackered that I could not walk on the rounded cobbles
- my boots just slid off
l eventually managed the km or so to the road by chosing flat areas to step - but it took an age. I think Sam just thought I was tired
So ended my brilliant four-day stay in the Darrans: certainly the steepest and probably the most exciting mountains I have ever visited