28th October 2020
The Hooker valley is never an easy access adventure, and this time around was no exception. Glacial recession is certainly playing its part in creating hazards and obstacles for us to endure. Straight after climbing Dixon and Aoraki another small weather window appeared, and I set about checking out conditions on the South Face of Mt Hicks with some companions.
Light drizzle and valley cloud made our travels cooler, until the sun sent its rays through the cloud for a brief period. Just half an hour of radiation was enough to burn my fair skin and leave me with a ridiculous helmet strap tan line.
The following morning we got our first proper glimpse of Hicks and within minutes reached the foot of our intended route, the steep and imposing ‘Neo-Curver’ route. On arrival we could hear water running, and pit marks in the snow indicated that the already thin ice was reaching a tipping point and shedding some weight. The South Face would have to wait for another occasion when conditions were more favourable.
We were all keen to make the most of the day, and indeed the most of the journey up the Hooker Valley, and diverted our attention around the corner to the standard route. There is no easy way up Hicks – it’s famous for this – and ‘The Curtain’ route is neither wildly aesthetic or ‘safe’. But it is perhaps the shortest route to the top and the least steep. We took the ‘Book Corner’ route (2 pitches of ice and mixed climbing) to the top of the abseil route and finished with the summit step, reaching the top just before midday.
Temperatures, up to this point, were frustratingly high and damaging to the ice. Now they were just warm and comfortable and made our vantage point particularly special.
As I get closer to completing all the photographing and filming I can’t help feeling that with more time I could have captured a summer route and a winter route to represent each mountain better. But that would make my project even larger. Perhaps for the next edition!!
Until next time,
Gavin