Following the packrafting weekend I headed up to Hanmer Springs. I planned to tick off a little trip I'd meant to do a few years ago in the St James Conservation Area. That time I'd aborted the tramp after feeling uncomfortable about some people hanging around the carpark where I'd left my car, but the upside had been the very enjoyable Four Peaks Tramp instead.
After a night in Hanmer Springs it was over Jacks Pass then along the Tophouse Road alongside a very bony upper Clarence. I parked at Fowlers Hut and set off up the track to Fowlers Pass. It's a narrow track that makes its way steadily upwards, at times quite steep. There was some snow in the higher gullies but none along the track. It's mostly tussock clad with a mixture of low alpine plants.
It took an hour to the top of the pass. Once over the pass the change in landscape is marked, with big rocky outcrops and scree slopes. The track zig zags down to a stream which you follow all the way down the valley, crossing it and a few tributaries along the way. There's some nice stands of beech forest, interspersed with tussock wetlands.
Once in the valley the track continues down with easy travel along the valley floor. The stream needs to be crossed again, and it's not easy to do it without getting wet feet. Ahead the valley opens up, and amongst some poplars and rowan trees the historic Stanleyvale Hut can be seen.
It's a lovely wee two roomer, with an open fireplace but not much wood around so no chance of having a fire. I arrived around 1:40, having left at 10:15. A late lunch was in order...
As I crossed the valley towards the hut I could see the way to Lake Guyon, and the snow covered peaks beyond. I was a little tired, and hadn't yet had lunch, and the sun was heading that way putting the peaks in shade. I decided to leave my visit to Lake Guyon until the morning, leave real early for the 1.5 hour walk there, have breakfast, then walk back. That would give me better views, and enough daylight for the return over the pass.
I put the shoes and socks out in the sun to dry, but the sun was gone from the valley by 4pm. The hut has heaps of books and some information about the hut's history. A guy called Sean seems to have lived there for a while trapping and hunting, and now does some ongoing maintenance and pest control.
I had dinner and by 6:15 it was pitch black outside, though the stars were pretty spectacular. The hut book mentioned rats and mice, so I hung all my food for the night. Aside from a trio of Frenchies walking back out at lunchtime, I'd met no-one all day. After dinner I savoured a nice cup of hot chocolate then off to bed!
I'd set the alarm for 6am, not particularly onerous when I had gone to bed so early. I dressed and packed away the sleeping gear, leaving the food bags hanging. I'd packed my daypack last night so I was out the door at first light for the walk to Lake Guyon.
The track is a 4wd track which follows the contours along the side of the valley before dropping down into the lower valley and Lake Guyon with snow covered peaks beyond. The sun was shining perfectly on the peaks for some spectacular photography, so I felt totally justified in going this morning. Although there was a thick frost on the valley floor I was well rugged up and fine whilst moving.
Once reaching the lake edge I walked around to Lake Guyon hut. It's not got the character of Stanleyvale Hut but does have a firebox and lots of wood around so would have been cosy overnight. I made a coffee, ate a muesli bar, and then headed back.
The sun was starting to make an appearance on the valley floor and since my fingers were pretty cold it was nice to get some warmth at last. I only took my jacket off for the climb up to the top valley and the final walk back to the hut.
Packed up fully, I headed off just after 10am. The walk up the valley was nice, but I knew the final climb up to the pass would be a bit of a slog. The feet again got wet on the numerous river crossings and I stopped for lunch at a spot in the beech forest where someone had erected a hide or wind shelter out of branches.
The final grunt up the 8 zigzags to the pass seemed less precarious than the descent. I was glad I'd had lunch earlier down in the trees as the wind was quite cold, but thankfully quite light.
The walk down to the car was an easy stroll, enjoying the wonderful vegetated hills. They would be amazing in summer when all the alpine plants would be flowering.
Back at the car I got out of my wet shoes and socks and headed through to Hanmer Springs. First stop the famous hot pools, then somewhere to stay the night.
