Date: January 1 - 4, 2024
Location: Barrier Range, Dart Valley, Mount Aspiring National Park, Otago, New Zealand
Total Trip Distance: 35.52 mi / 57.16 km
Total Elevation Gain: 9,240 ft / 2,816 m
Trip Duration: 4 days
Team: Solo
Field Notes: The Barrier Range is one of the most stunning ranges I have ever laid eyes on. Two days of travel is typically required to reach the alpine with very strong navigation skills. The crux of the trip is route finding once across the wire bridge at Daley's Flat. There is a natural rock bridge 80 meters above the Dart that allows easy travel across the Margaret Burn (location on map). Finding this rock bridge is critical. From here, a 500 meter bushwhack gives way to an open ridge line. Tarns and spectacular camp spots are at 1,540 meters. To summit Johansen, climb the SW face and then sidle east to bypass the summit ridge to avoid false summits. Scramble up exposed rock on the SE ridge to reach the true summit.
Rating: II, 1+
Just two days after climbing Mount Aurum I found myself heading up the Dart Valley. The weather forecast was giving me three very solid days of high pressure and I knew that this was realistically my only chance to visit the Barrier Range over the next year.
Sometimes when opportunity strikes you find yourself surprised by how quickly it comes. This is the beauty of riding the wave of life.
The Dart Valley is a huge contrast to the Rees side. The Dart River is massive, fed by the huge glaciers of the Whitbourn, Hesse, and Dart. The Rees River you can drive, bike, or walk through. When I went to climb Mount Clarke I loved biking up the wide open valley. In contrast, as I made my way up the Dart it was a series of ups and downs, spending much time in the forests.
It was about 17.5 km's to reach my first destination of the trip, Daley's Flat Hut. My pack was the heaviest it had been in a very long time. Two ice axes, crampons, helmet, mountaineering boots, shelter, and four days of food. There was no way to go lightweight on this one. I broke up the approach into a series of one to one and a half hour stops so that I didn't burn myself out as days two and three would be much bigger.
After five hours on the dot I arrived at Daley's Flat Hut and was surprised to only see a few folks there, being New Years on the popular Rees-Dart track. The people that were there, however, were a real treat to be around. For most trips I do, I almost always have the hut to myself and I love the solitude. But it was great to share a hut with some new folks. One person I really enjoyed speaking to was Ryan from Florida. We both shared a passion for maps, adventures, health, and life. It was a pleasure to meet him.
I had a leisurely morning before I began the climb to reach the Barrier Range. I figured it would be another five hour day and saw no point rushing out. I shared a nice morning with Ryan and his wife, excited to hear about their additional travel plans in New Zealand. They made their way out of the hut around ten and I followed soon after, butterflies in my stomach.
To be honest, the scariest part of the trip was crossing the wire bridge above the Dart! God bless the people who put that in.
As soon as I crossed the wire bridge there is nothing but forest. I had spent months of research on this route and it was time to make it happen. I headed in a northerly direction and looked for a deer trail that would lead me to the natural rock bridge.
I didn't find much of a deer trail but made my way through the bush for about thirty minutes and landed directly on the rock bridge. Stoked! I will make a note here: finding this rock bridge is critical as I'm not sure how one would be able to get across the Margaret Burn without it.
Feeling more confident, I found a very solid deer trail that took me directly up through the forest for about three hundred meters. This was not bad at all! Then reality struck as it always does in the hills. The deer trail ended and I met some pretty heinous scrub and terrain. I'm not sure how to describe this, but there were huge holes and chasms in the mountain side that would lead to dead ends. My parents would be so disappointed to hear the words that were coming out of my mouth! Finally, I broke out of the scrub and reached tussock slopes at the 1,100 meter mark. I continued to make my way upwards, feeling drained and dehydrated. The terrain was much easier now and I was waiting for my first view of the Barrier Range that I have dreamed about for so long.
Tussock gave way to rock and at 1500 meters I was in another planet. What lay in front of me was arguably the most spectacular group of mountains I have ever laid eyes on. The peaks of the Barrier Range combined with the gnarly Margaret Glacier looked formidable. Two days of hard work and I felt very much rewarded.
I set up a camp out of the wind and took a spectacular swim in the nearby alpine tarn. This was a campsite of dreams.
I hung out in my sleeping bag, drinking tea and admiring the view when I heard voices in the distance. No way I thought...people? Sure enough, three women came bounding up over the ridge and right into camp. I was barefoot just laying in my sleeping bag and they literally thought I came up here like that as my tent was out of sight! Hilarious. That night I went to bed early as my plan was to be up for sunrise.
My alarm rang at five and I quickly gathered my things, made a coffee, and set out for the climb. The morning was of the Gods. Perfection. Calm. Alpenglow baked the peaks. I'll allow the photos to speak for themselves.
My goal was to climb Johansen first, than head down to Seal Col, then bag Stefansson and Watkins. I gained the snowfields below Johansen and worked my up the southwest face. The snow was perfect and the morning stunning. I was pinching myself. At the top of the southwest face I followed the broad ridge up to the summit plateau. From here it seemed an easy walk to the summit. A few final steps and I shouted out in excitement as I thought I reached the top, however, when I reached the peak I realized it was a false summit! I looked further along the ridge and there was a point that was definitely higher, with some very exposed climbing to reach it.
In that very moment I thought about just accepting where I was but something inside of me urged to keep exploring. I down climbed the ridge and then sidled along to the east. I had a look at the true summit and the climbing seemed exposed, again my mind convinced me this was good enough. I knew I would regret this if I did not keep pushing, there was absolutely no reason to turn around. I sidled under the summit and began to climb the southeast ridge. Scree gave way to steep ledges but the rock was surprisingly very solid and enjoyable to climb. Once above the ledges, I gained a narrow and exposed ridge that took me directly to the summit. From here I let out of a shout of joy - I couldn't believe it. I had dreamed of climbing in the Barrier Range ever since I came across photos of this place so many years ago. Here I was, in perfect weather, in complete solitude, on a lofty summit.
Dreams are the seedlings of reality. - Napoleon Hill
After hanging out on the summit for thirty minutes or so, I decided to keep moving. I down climbed the ridge and put crampons back on. It was nine in the morning and the snow was completely isothermic.
Being that I was on a southeast aspect and to climb Steffanson required me to climb steep southeast facing slopes, I decided to call it a day. Personally, I didn't really care. I was stoked to bag Johansen and knew that anything besides that was a bonus. In an hour I was back at camp, beaming. The girls congratulated me on the successful summit and it was nice to share our successful journeys with each other. It was dope to see three badass chicks getting after it in the peaks. They were on one hell of a mission. It was also good they ran into me because I was able to give them the beta on how to find the rock bridge on their GPS (even though they would have found it anyways).
I went back to camp, had breakfast, packed up and left. A storm was coming in and there was no point lingering. That night I slept in a fully packed Daleys Hut. The following morning I put one foot in front of the other for five hours and reached the end of the trip, exhausted and excited to pay a visit to Miss Woollys.
Happy days...
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