Mt Travers

Climbed on an impulse solo trip in Nelson Lakes National Park over Easter 2010.

Only decided to head bush on Thursday night and by Friday morning was slogging up the Travers Valley. Had a smooth but long trip until turning off the main valley track at Summit Creek.

A couple of hours of bashing through bush on a vague track brought me to a magnificent basin ringed by Travers (2338m) and a series of unnamed points just on dusk where I set up my tent.

Saturday morning dawned with fog filling the basin I was camped in and visibility reduced to less than 10 minutes.

The lure of the sleeping bag proved too strong and I didn't emerge from my tent until 7.30am when the mist started to show signs of thinning.

Soon after setting out the mist lifted and I could see the small saddle I was to aim for between the north-east ridge and north buttress.

The saddle was easily reached and soon I was on the north-east ridge. After one exposed sidle The main range was reached and it a scramble over large slabs quickly brought me to the summit by 9am.

A exhilarating scree run down the western side of the north buttress led to a speed descent before packing up my tent for the long slog backdown the Travers Valley.