A cup half full. An expedition half complete.

There’s no where like exploring in the mountains to make one realize that following another’s footsteps is only a fraction as hard as finding the way for the first time. Sometime ago I read in the guidebook to the Inland Kaikoura range which have some of the highest mountains in New Zealand -

“On a clear winter's day the snowclad peaks of the Inland Kaikoura Range are a dramatic feature, easily visible from the Marlborough plains and from many vantage points to the west and south.
No information has been found for the remote 2000-2400m peaks on the Inland range south of those described below. Access to these presents few challenges from the Clarence Valley, apart from remoteness and long ridges.”

Well - here was a challenge which in a small country like ours where every nook and cranny seems to have been repeatedly trodden over (one thinks anyway) - Traverse the Inland Kaikoura range and cross those remote peaks south of Alarm (about midway through the range) that have drawn a blank information wise. About the best info available was seeing some photos the peaks as viewed from the vast sheep stations situated far below.

December saw me doing small exploratory trip in the Inland Kaikoura's over 5 days with Ben and Jake. Originally we wanted to traverse the whole range but with limited time decided on a loop instead encompassing the highest peaks and an exploration of possibilities to do the full traverse at a later date. Heading south of Mt Alarm, Mt Mitre and Muzzel saddle made the trip worth while in the exploratory sense and a bit of peak bagging on way climbing the four highest peaks on the range and bivvying high was fun. Unfortunately we missed 2 main objectives - the very remote Mount Symonds - which was indeed remote and 2578m a hairy looking peak south of Alarm. Ben excelled soloing a couple of Spires/Pinnacles himself South of Mitre and another East of Alarm. More unclimbed possibilities opened up - the full South Ridge line of Pinnacles to Mitre , a Southern route up Alarm by its couloir and the magnificent South face/wall of Alarm (not for me though). We came out bashing our way through Matagori (a tough spiky Tree/Bush) into the Shin river via the Tongue spur giving us all new respect for Sir Ed who soloed the whole route to the top of Tapuaenuku and back midwinter in 1944 (definitely a long way to go ) and ended up at parking lot without having crossed our own trail once.

The Expedition is half complete and the remaining Southerly portion of the Inland Kaikoura ridgeline now remains to be traversed but having viewed it now from closer up I am hoping the near future will bring a conclusion to our traverse and our cup will be filled!

Jake, Ben and Nathan