Using ropes while tramping

Yes, [snow down low in the bush on the Solution Range](https://www.icloud.com/sharedalbum/#B165Uzl7VIG7ecT;8BC0E02C-6CA1-4972-B7DD-690F890F7C06) so definitely single figures temp in the air and the water and a solid wind as well. Water stayed clear the whole time in spite of days of heavy thunderstorms/rain. I don't share you optimism about a great crossing point further up, still too much volume and flow was my assessment. If you were silly enough to come out to that point at that time of year without a pack raft, you'd be screwed. Back up the Clark and up the Zeillian Ck route into the Moeraki? Find a big flax thicket and spend half a day making a [Mokihi](https://teara.govt.nz/en/artwork/18587/travelling-on-a-mokihi) from flax and or raupo stalks might be the best option. (In which case having a decent length of rope or cord to tie up some big bundles of flax stalks would be a big help, and save a lot of time). So another use for a rope when tramping, if we're trying to get back to the original topic...

Enjoying seeing a bit of discussion here :) Thanks Ian_H, you’ve answered one thing in particular I was wondering about – how to climb down and not leave rope behind. Hadn’t been thinking about river crossings at all, but makes sense.