10-11 August 2019

Leader: Patrick Liss

Originally scheduled as a Holdsworth-Jumbo circuit, bad weather changed our plans. The forecast warned of “severe gales” and windchill temperatures of minus 10 or lower. We decided to go ahead anyway and see how it turned out, the option of staying in the recently opened Powell Hut # 4 was quite inviting.

Our first stop was at the Clareville Bakery where we rendezvoused having travelled over in 3 cars. We started walking from the Holdsworth roadend at about 10.30am. The weather was surprisingly benign and though a bit windy in the bush, we only donned parkas for the last few minutes before Powell Hut. After a bite to eat and assessing the weather (we’d had a few sleety showers by then) we decided to climb Mt Holdsworth and come back to stay in the hut. (Powell Mansion might be a better name for it!) It was pretty bracing out there, we had a bit of buffeting from the wind and a few hail showers, but quite do-able and good to get at least to the top of Holdsworth. There were a few others the hut, but apart from a couple that got to High Ridge, no-one else ventured out.

After a comfortable night we re-traced our steps on Sunday (in the rain this time). Owen, Jeff, David and Tony detoured to check out a dilapidated hunters hut on Pig Flat and we were all out by lunch time. A quick change into dry clothes and then lunch in Carterton was a good way to finish what turned out to be an enjoyable trip.

Those on the trip were:

Patrick Liss, Owen Cox, Marian Cox, David Williams, Tony Quayle, Jeff Franks, Brandon Holman, Tim Allott, Paula Richardson, Kate Livingston