You win some….you loose some….and sometimes you just need to listen to your gut. Even when that means you have to loose…(or win, depending on how you look at it).
I was really looking forward to this trip. A big day was on the cards with some solid West Coast bush and open tops navigation involved.
My trip started after work with me driving with a full car across Arthur’s Pass and to the Jackson’s campground. I arrived late and made dinner before heading up to my campsite for some shut eye.
The perks of having a station wagon is the ability to sleep in it! Fold the back seats down and inflate my airbed and violà! Bed!
Sleep was relatively undisturbed which was nice and even though the car was reading -5°C when I got up, I was toasty warm in my sleeping bag.
Breakfast was consumed and I was on the road to the base of today’s goal, Mt Pfeifer (1,704m).
I parked up, geared up then began my ascent crossing the Otira River.
Very little information has been put online around Mt Pfeifer but after some serious digging found that the best way up is via Paratu Stream. After some bush bashing I found the stream and started rock hopping my way up to avoid wet feet!
Even though I was in May, it became very obvious that this gully had not seen sunlight in a long time. Almost every surface had a layer of ice over it making for some slow progress! A mixture of the icy conditions and having to pick my route made for slower progress than first anticipated.
After a big push through a dry gully and treacherous icy rock beds, I felt sun on my face for the 1st time all day. It was glorious.
From this saddle I also got my first glimpse at Pfeifer. A stunning peak towering high over the Taramakau Valley.
After a quick bit of Vitamin D, I pushed on through thick West Coast bush and eventually breaking out onto the open tops. A bit further from the bush edge had me at a nice plateau and alpine tarn.
Now, something I had indicated earlier in this post was my gut telling me to turn back.
From the moment I had woken up I had a gut feel about today. I squashed it earlier on as hunger, nerves or whatever I was willing to tell myself. I intentionally stopped at this tarn as I felt that this was the commitment moment.
If I were to continue, the risks grew greater with exposure, rocky bluffs to navigate and the idea of walking out under head torch.
Could I have reached the summit, probably. Was it worth the risk of ignoring my gut and putting myself in a dangerous situation, not a chance.
I listened to my gut and although I was bummed to not summit, I was happy enough with the knowledge that there were more peaks to summit and Pfeifer will be there even after my challenge.
So, I did what any good human does, ate most of my food then had a siesta overlooking the stunning Taramakau Valley.
There are definitely worse places to be.
Time came round to start the sketchy descent back to the car. And when I say sketchy, I mean it. Going down was worse than up! There were many slips and slides but fortunately never ended up on my butt.
6 hours after leaving the car I was back crossing the Otira just as the Trans Alpine train came rushing past.
My legs were sore and I was successful in my game of chicken as I got changed on the side of the road without giving anyone more than what they expected on their journey.
An unsuccessful walk, still ticking off 1,238m of climbing, 14km distance and 6 hours walking.
I live to fight another day.
Till next time,
Cam.