Mt Somers – Hike to Woolshed Hut

Friday 12th May
Well the plan was for one more adventure before we head home. Maybe one too many. We headed out to Mt Somers. The morning was cool and the sky started reasonably clear. We stopped at the iSite to buy our hut tickets (serviced hut $15 each), check the track condition and the weather. We were given the name of a lady who does transfers from the finish of the track to the start so we could do the whole distance one way. I gave her a call and she only charges $30 total for this service. This meant we could go from Sharplin Falls track via Pinnacles Hut to Woolshed Hut (6 hours 11.4km). And then tomorrow down to Woolshed carpark (3 hrs 5km). Prior to this we had decided we would just do the smaller loop track – Woolshed carpark to Woolshed hut via Miners track (3 hours 5 km) and return tomorrow via Mt Somers track (South face) and Rhyolite Ridge Track back to Woolshed carpark (3 hours 5.4km). DB was still thinking we would do the smaller loop track but I said to him “Come on have some adventure”. We tossed both ideas around and by the time we got to Mt Somers it was drizzling. Decision was made to just do the loop and be happy with that as our adventure. We donned I out wet weather gear and off we headed. As we started to go up we realised how much our legs had endured on the Scott’s track at Arthur’s Pass. They were a bit sore and weary. As we kept going we came across an old mine shaft and equipment. It was raining quite steadily now and there was nothing to see except low clouds and rain. I am sure on a nice day there would have been a lovely view. Onwards and upwards we went. The rain got considerably worse. We took one wrong turn and revised that about 5 minutes later and went bush to cut across to the track . We had taken a dirt road instead of the narrow track. Probably should have stayed on the road as it ended up in the same spot but I never like to not do the whole loop. We kept walking as the rain kept falling down. We finally reached the peak of today’s hike which was 934m where DB took a quick photo and we raced on. We finally made it to the hut. (5.61km, 1:57 – 8mins stopped, climbed 400m up). We were wet and a little cold. Now to see how our new gear had fared. Ok 10/10 for my Kathmandu waterproof pants only the bottom of my pants were wet about 20cm from the bottom. My top was quite damp but my thermal underneath my top was dry. My boots were quite wet outside but my socks only a little damp. DB not so good. His North Face pants weren’t as waterproof as mine, his hiking pants were quite wet underneath, his shirt the same, but thermal top was dry. His shoes were wet with wet socks. Oh well. He needs to improve on that. He isn’t impressed as his pants were dearer than mine.

We went into the hut and went about starting the fire. This took a little while but we are very grateful to the previous hutters who left dry wood and kindling by the fireplace. Now to enjoy some quiet time as it is only 2.30pm. I was still a little cool so I took off my outer layer pants and put thermals duds on and jumped in my sleeping bag. Warm as toast in no time. Time to have a big cup of tea and a read.

The rest of the day went by nicely. We received no visitors, we had the cabin which was probably a good thing as we had wet clothes strewn from one end of the cabin to the other. Hoping that they would dry by the morning when we had to put them on. I kept thinking of Johanna and her trek on Stuart Island where she said she had a dry set of clothes for the night time and just had to put the wet ones back on in the morning. No wonder she was ready for it to be done 8 days later.

We had a quiet dinner, a read and then hit the sack in our private hut on Mt Somers. Woohoo!! We sure do love this.