Lewis Pass Area - Organiser: Roger Bruce

With the threat of an inclement weather forecast, 10 trampers left Nelson at various times on Friday afternoon bound for Marble Hill at the foot of the Lewis Pass, to set up camp for the night. Everyone had arrived by 8.30pm to indifferent weather – low fog and mist and light rain. Saturday morning dawned with similar conditions but a decision was made to carrry on with the climb to Travers Peak. We drove over the Pass to Deer Valley where we left the cars, then over the road and up through the bush reaching the bushline in 1.5 hours. Above the bush the weather was a lot cooler and the light rain was very persistent. We went on and up a fairly exposed rocky tussock ridge until the top was reached in 1.5 hours. This was very unusual with no rock cairns or markers. Unfortunately the view was obliterated by low fog and mist. With the temperature getting lower, not much time was spent on the top, preferring to head down to the bush edge for lunch and then back to the cars. A decision was then made to abandon the remainder of the trip because of the weather.

Several members of the party stopped at Maruia Springs for a swim in the hot pools before heading home to Nelson. The party consisted of: Uta Purcell, Arthur Jonas, Yvonne Kyle, David Blunt, Dion Pont, Mark Stevens, Shirley Gabrielsen, and visitors Roger McMichael and Karen.