A Tararua photo essay by Peter Laurenson, July 2020.
It was Level One. Shaun Barnett and I had to get out and do SOMETHING. The forecast was for horizontal snowing, followed by a post-southerly window next day. So we plugged up through deep snow (from just 800 metres) to Jumbo Hut, managed to get the fire going, and enjoyed a surprisingly cosy night listening to the rattle of snow on the hut exterior. Next morning dawned blue-bird.
this picture is at about 1,000 metres on Rainguage Spur
Looking over Jumbo Hut, east to the Wairarapa
Jumbo directly ahead of Shaun. At right, Angle Knob, McGregor, the Broken Axe Pinnacles and Three Kings. At left, the ridge leading to Holdsworth
Shaun, staunch in shorts, as we reach Jumbo Hut
Now putting his snowshoes to work. They kept him on the surface about half the time.
Normally to reach Jumbo from the hut takes 20-30 mins. It took us 2 hours. In crampons, at times I resorted to hands and knees!
Jumbo Hut at dawn
For more captioned Tararua images - www.occasionalclimber.co.nz
The sign that normally indicates the way to Angle Knob, Holdsworth and Jumbo Hut
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