Merrie Range: Lake Roe-Lake St Patrick-Centre Pass
Original post
Im looking for information on the Merrie Range from Tamatea Peak North to Lake Saint Patrick and West to Centre Pass. Does anyone know if it is possible to take a ridgeline route North to these places?
Moirs Guide South and Google searches have listed ways over Tamtea to Lake Roe from the Florance, but I really want to try and reach St Patrick from here. It looks poosible on the topomap and Googleearth, but I appreciate how different things can be in real life!
From Saint Patrick I thought it looked possible to get up onto the ridgeline West of Mt Watson then follow the ridge up under peak 1764 to Mt Ward then drop down to Pillans Pass and then over Mt Memphis to Centre Pass. Any ideas if this is possible?
Cheers.
Hi Yarmoss,
I have no idea bout that but if you're looking for a partern to tramp that area, I'm quite keen. Been willing to tramp from the Florence to Lake ROe for a while now.
Sure! Im looking at going over the Christmas/New Years period from about the 23rd-ish December to the 6th-ish Janurary, with another trip in the Hollyford area tacked on at the end 6th-ish to 9th-ish. Work commitments means middle of Jan to middle of Feb is no good for me, although I may be able to do something in late Feb.
What dates would suit you? Looking at your profile I see you're at Otago Uni? So am I, if you want to meet up to talk things over face to face.
Good luck, and I do mean it. I've had 3 goes at getting out of the Florence / Jaquery to Lake Roe and beyond at xmas / new year over the last decade. All of them turned back by persistent nor-westers. Swore I'd leave it for February-April next time! But looks like amazing country. I'll be jealous as hell if you manage it.
Good point MadPom. I have never been there but I have for years dreamily looked at photos of those rolling tussock hills and scattered lakes. But for some reason all these pics are taken when the weather is nice. :-( My only attempt to visit that area, in the 1970s, was terminated in the Grebe, before we even got the Florence by, you guessed it, rain! But I do remember someone did shoot a deer so we gnawed on venison steaks instead.
What turned you back, MadPom, rain, or snow? I was just over at Milford Sound for Labour weekend and theres a worrying large amount of snow on all the hills due to the Spring dumps. Doubt its going to shift much by Janurary hmmm.....
The man said nor-wester. That means rain and lots of it. Snow is good because that means it is turning to the south and might just clear up soon.
Rain and wind twice. Wind and snow-cover once. The latter, I ran out of tussocks to hold onto every time the gusts hit once I reached the snowline ...
Spent a total of 10 days in those 2 valleys waiting for the weather to improve over the years. First time was with just a fly sheet. Won't be repeating that mistake: eaten alive!
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| Forum | Tracks, routes, and huts |
|---|---|
| Started by | Yarmoss |
| On | 7 September 2010 |
| Replies | 7 |
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