Dorset and Carkeek

Labour weekend and time for Janine's birthday trip.  These are typically slightly over-ambitious efforts to knock a peak or a hut or two off her bucket list.  

A few old maps and cold beers and we have a solid trip design.  Which changes the day before we leave.

Thursday after work into Atiwhakatu, Friday the party splits with Mike and Janine following the tops around the Kings to Girdlestone and on to Dorset Ridge while I descend the spur near South King to Dorset Creek and up to Dorset Hut.  Saturday - spur to the Waiohine River and up to Carkeek Hut.  Sunday - spur to Park Forks, down river and up to McGregor Biv.  Monday - stroll out via Jumbo.

Janine gets to tick off the Kings and a couple of huts and there's a couple of spurs and a bit of new ridgeline for me.  

It's a good plan on paper, but I'm at pains to point out that there's a few biggish days involved and with a few climbs everyone will be glad of every kilo they don't pack.  (i.e no bags of carrots and spare stoves Mike)   

 

But, actually ...

We stop at a pub in Carterton for a cheap and cheerful dinner - the clientele is a little dodgy though with Ron Marks stooging around looking for a loose electorate or mayoral seat to purloin.  

We're under headlights by the time we get to Atiwhakatu Hut around 9pm.  The occupants are all in bed, so Janine finds a bunk while Mike and I doss down on the deck - there's a bit of wind but it's a mild night. 

Friday: over the top

We get away about 7am and head up valley along a track that is a little less of a highway than last night.  Mike surprises a couple of large goats that stay just out of sight ahead of us for the next kilometer or so.  

At the swingbridge marking the short climb to the saddle I leave them having a snack as I'm keen to push on to give me good time to navigate my route.  We confirm contingency plans including Tarn Ridge Hut and what to do if anyone doesn't turn up when expected.  

The DOC sign in the saddle says 1 hr to the bushline which raises an eyebrow.  It takes me 1:10 - I'm not fit but I think it's a bit of an optimistic estimate for many parties climbing 500m. 

It's windy above the bushline but a beautiful day.  I sidle the top of Baldy and head up to the ridge just south of South King.  It's been a while since I've been here - other times have been in clag so it is quite nice to see for a change.  I get a good buffetting on the way up but the wind fades at the top.  

At the ridge a figure is coming down from South King.  It's a DOC hut inspector (Harvey) - he has just come from Mid King Biv.  He visited Tarn Ridge Hut yesterday and notes the tap is broken (still) and he had to use water from a bucket.    

He and his colleague do the entire Lower North Island between them and I'm interested that they are still allowed to travel solo in these safety conscious times.  He can't confirm if Tarn Ridge Hut is being replaced although notes that a business case has been submitted which is a good sign.  

After a good yarn he heads off for the Pinnacles and McGregor while I tuck into the tussock out of the wind for a snack and wait for Janine and Mike to appear on Baldy.

Looking down on Baldy

The wind drops away while I snooze in the sun.  At last, two tiny figures crawl over the top of Baldy and start heading for the saddle.  It's about 1.45 and I'm keen to keep moving so I flick them a Whats App message to note the Tarn Ridge water situation and I'll see them at Dorset Hut tonight or near Tarn Ridge Hut in the morning.  I'm thinking the latter is more likely given it will probably be after three by the time they get to the ridge.  I'm not too worried as the weather forecast is good, they have a tent and the common sense to fill up at a tarn if their water gets low. 

The spur I'm after is marked as a route on the old maps and it is easy to find on such a clear day (there's a wee tarn just before it, so it would be pretty straight forward in clag too).    

Looking westish - McGregor on left, the spur is behind the hummock on right

Looking down the spur - the other spur runs up to Dorset Hut on the bushline, just right of centre

It's about half an hour easy travel down to the bushline and there's enough foot trail to suggest this route receives a bit of traffic.  I'm interested to get a bit of a view across the face below the Broken Axe Pinnacles.  This is supposedly where the Sutch party came down after one of them had a fall on their epic crossing from Levin.  Having climbed a fair way up one of the streams I know parts of it would be pretty tough to get down, but there looks like a spur just past the last pinnacle that could have been a goer.  Maybe another time.  

Northern face below the Pinnacles

In the bush it is typical goblin forest with lots of cutty grass.  There are permolat markers but it's surprisingly easy to wander off line and miss the next one.  It's not difficult but also not fast as you have to be careful with your footing.  

About 50 minutes from the bushline the markers head right to a side spur and there's even an orange triangle.  From here it gets steep and the last 20 meters sees me hanging off trees (there may have been an easier route that I missed at a fallen tree).  All up it takes two hours from the ridge.

 

Somewhere above, Mike and Janine get to the ridge and start heading along past the Kings - while I cool my feet in Dorset creek.  

There are some markers for the crossing point - on the true right there are a couple of permolat markers on a tree marking where you start a steep clamber onto the spur to Dorset hut.  On the true left an orange triangle marks where you leave the creek and head towards the steep spur I've just come down.  

I take a good break and start the climb about 4pm.  The bottom is a bit of a scramble and then it's just a slow grind.  Again, it's easy to miss the markers - but no particular hardship if you do as the bush is reasonably open.   At about 1060m there's a gully in the spur (you can see the flatter spot on the contours) and the markers take a turn left to cross it to join the spur proper for the last 80m (vertical) to the hut.   

It has taken an hour 25 from the stream and the hut has just lost the afternoon sun.  

I check-in on the Inreach and peer across the valley to see two small dots inching their way towards Adkin.  I settle into the empty hut and periodically gauge their progress and work out that they will either be camping on the ridge or coming off Girdlestone in the dark.  I'm just composing a message to home base to text Mike when the Inreach beeps: "M&J camping on ridge, see you tarn ridge hut tomorrow."  Perfect.

Dorset Hut on a sunny morning

The hut is one of my favourites - it's tidy, dry and well looked after (mostly by hunters I suspect).  The vestibule is closed in with a sink - wonderfully civilised.

I've lost sight of the figures on the ridge but afterwards learn that they had water from a tarn and, while I am enjoying the evening sun outside Dorset hut, they are watching clag forming on the east side of the ridge and closing in around Girdlestone.

Yeah, let's stop now.

They find the last flattish spot on the ridge and set up camp.  Although not entirely to plan, the upside is the clag delivers the conditions for a Spectre of the Brocken.  

Mike has smuggled a birthday cake for Janine in his pack and they settle in on the cusp between the cloud and a spectacular sunset.  Janine reports not much sleep - not because of Mike's feet in her face but the limited space means the tent can't be pulled tight and it flaps in the wind all night.  

Saturday:  A change of plan 

The morning is a pearler and I can just make out the orange dot of their tent on the ridge as I head out from Dorset hut around 7.30.  I follow a trail up through the tussock but then lose and find it again as I make my way to the ridge top.  There's a cairn where I hit the ridge top so I must have been following about the right line, although Mike and Janine later report there is a signpost further west on the ridge.   

M&J's eerie - Dorset ridge on right

Up Dorset Ridge - Girdlestone at centre

As I potter up the ridge I note that the orange dot is still there - they're clearly not in a hurry this morning.  However, as I pass the tarn I hear Mike hailing me from across the valley.  I can't reply as I have started developing a cold and have no voice.  I wave cheerfully and head on up to just short of Girdlestone to wait for them.

Dorset Ridge - the hut is at the bushline on the far spur that runs left 

Although it's a beautiful day, I'm aware that the wind has changed and low cloud is forming to the west and spilling over the main range - it could be a bit claggy by the time I get around to Carkeek Ridge.

It takes about an hour and a half to get from the hut to the ridge and I have a pleasant hour snoozing in the tussock waiting for the rest of the party to make their way off Girdlestone.  

When they arrive, they've reached the same conclusion as me - dropping down the old tracks from Dorset Ridge and back up to Carkeek is no longer an option given the time, and there would be a mutiny at the prospect of following the tops to Carkeek given the long day they had yesterday.   

We change the plan - they will head to Dorset hut for a short day and bag the hut then head to Mitre Flats tomorrow.  I'll follow the tops to Carkeek and follow the original plan to exit at Holdsworth on Monday and pick them up at the Pines.  

We part our ways again and I head towards Tarn Ridge while they have their sights set firmly on a cooked lunch by the Dorset tarn.  

Tarn Ridge towards Lancaster

Time for lunch

It's hot work under the sun and I'm almost glad when the threatened clag starts to coalesce around the pinnacles.  Conscious of the lack of water on Carkeek Ridge I fill up at a tarn on Tarn ridge and chuck in a couple of aqua tabs.  

The clag spills up from the Arete Stream valley and toys with the Waiohine Pinnacles.  Views into a sun dappled upper Waiohine River Valley and Carkeek Ridge come and go.

  

I'm in clag on the top of Lancaster so take a bearing for Carkeek Ridge and after a few seconds see a cairn.  The second cairn is a bit off-line to the right and could lead to dropping towards an outcrop off the ridge - quickly remedied by another glance at the compass.   

I'm soon in clear air again and stop around 2pm for lunch on the flanks of Thompson looking back at a miraculously exposed Lancaster.  Across the Park Valley chainsaws in the mist indicate a track crew are hard at work - on a Saturday. 

Lancaster from Thompson

Carkeek Ridge

It's good travel along the ridge, there's enough ground trail to keep things flowing although you have to keep your eyes peeled in places to find it amongst the tussocks.  This time through I get to see some spectacular erosion chutes south of Carkeek - last time they just plunged away into greyness.  

I figure the rest of the party are comfortably ensconced in Dorset Hut by now tucking into whatever other illicit (and weighty) contraband they have smuggled in.  I continue along the ridge under a higher cloud ceiling that promises to be set for the duration.   Across the valley clag is now spilling over the length of Tarn Ridge.   

   

Point 1285 marks where I left this ridge last time through to do the down and up to Dorset Ridge.  I don't recall much of the route beyond seeing some old permolat markers on the way up to Dorset.  I suspect it is quite well travelled though as the trail from here to Carkeek Hut suddenly becomes fair more obvious with cairns and, in the scrub, tape.  

The route ducks in and out of the bush edge with some pretty wee clearings and, just before the hut, pieces of the helicopter that crashed here are stacked beside the path.  It's 4pm - about 2 hours from my lunch stop on Thompson and 8 and a half hours from Dorset Hut (including that long snooze below Girdlestone). 

The hut is in good nick and the last visit was in July.  Usually this just means people haven't been using the logbook, but I'm inclined to believe it as I walk through a few cobwebs inside.  The last visitor reported flying in to a snowclad ridge, shooting some deer on day one and then spending three days snowed in before flying out again.   Like Dorset, it is well provisioned, well cared for and no signs of rats chewing the food.   

It's not sunny, but warm enough and it's pleasant to lie on the cool moss in the clearing before the hut as I wait to ping a checkin message back to base and receive an updated weather forecast.

After that I have a leisurely evening and hit the sack.

Sunday:  I think I can ...

Sunday is the day there's supposed to be the odd shower - around 3pm according to Garmin.  However, as I get under way around 7.30 there is already a prickle of moisture in the air.  There wasn't any noticeable rain over night though so I'm expecting the river section to be fine.  

I'm looking forward to this next bit.  I have been along as far as pt 1080 and recall some of the most gorgeous goblin forest I'd ever seen.  I assume this ridge cops all the moisture and rain from the north and west as well as anything that spills across from the south or east.  This supports a mass of moss and lichens on the gnarly trunks.     

I've not been down here to the river, so this is another bit of red line for the trip.  There are markers and the track is mostly pretty obvious, but you have to keep your eyes open.  A little bit under an hour and a half later I'm at the improbably green point between the Waiohine and Park rivers.  Park Forks.  

Park on the left, Waiohine on the right

Meanwhile, Mike and Janine have left Dorset Hut on a similarly drizzly morning (not surprising as they are less than 3km away).  They follow a different route from the hut to the ridge and find the signpost to the hut.  Their route is up and over to Mitre then down to the flats for the night.  They've done most of it before and provided Mike doesn't fall over again they should have another leisurely day.   

For me, the section of river is marked as gorgeish on the map - I came up it some years back and don't recall any problems so I'm hopeful there won't be any swimming.  

It turns out to be pretty good travel.  Lots of river crossings and care needed but I manage to avoid the deepest pools only getting in up to my waist.  It is pretty, and even though there is a steady drizzle I'm within my comfort zone and enjoy the wander about 40 minutes downstream to Dorset Creek.  

There are markers for where to start up the spur.  It's steep and initially requires a bit of a scramble.  Then it just goes unrelentingly up with indifferent permolat marking.  I take it slowly as I figure there's plenty of time to get to McGregor and assess options for the rest of the day.  

I've travelled parts of this ridge a few times now, including in the dark, and there's always a few bits where the marking is easy to lose.  For some reason I get a bit turned around at pt 1000 but sit down for a snack and check the compass and I'm soon back on track.  About seven years ago I came down this way and had exactly the same experience.  

I've slowed somewhat today so it takes 2hr 45 from the river to the bushline.  

I drop down to McGregor hut to get out of the drizzle and have a bit of lunch.  It's exactly a year ago that Janine and I stopped here on a trip to take in the plane crash on Shingle-Slip Knob.  Another terrifying birthday adventure.   

It's not yet 1pm so I'm thinking that if it is not too bad on the tops, I could skip Jumbo or even just head all the way to the car.  I've always thought Carkeek was doable in a day with a weekender pack so it would be interesting to see.   I chuck on another layer though as it's cooler and the drizzle isn't letting up. 

 

At about the same time that I'm contemplating my next move, Mike and Janine are experiencing the clag on the way over Brockett and Mitre.  

Mitre

It's a little windy and claggy on top but once past Angle Knob it's easy going and I'm at Jumbo in about 1 hr 35.  A couple of groups are in loc trying to get soggy firewood to light.  I have a berth booked but at 2.30 it's too early to stop so I head on down to Atiwhakatu.  The drizzle has now turned into light rain.

About 10 people come up hill as I make my way down and I'm pleased not to have stayed at Jumbo. 

An hour ten from Jumbo and Atiwhakatu is heaving.  I take one look in the door and leave them to it.

By 5.10pm I'm at the carpark.  Under 10 hours from Carkeek and I'm definitely not fit so it is easily a weekender trip.  

And that's that.  I have takeaways, a shower and a comfortable bed at brother number one's place while Janine shares the Mitre Flats Hut floor with a hoard of others and Mike camps outside in a bog. Not my idea of an enjoyable evening but they bump into people they know and have some good yarns. 

In the morning I dry sodden kit, before heading out to pick them up at the Pines.  It's a nice sunny day and there's a party from HVTC waiting for a pick-up.  Mike and Janine eventually turn up and we head off for a late lunch at The Offering in Greytown (which is looking more and more like a boutique shopping street in Khandallah).

All up a successful trip.  Mike and Janine bagged some new peaks and a hut, I ticked all my boxes, and some valuable lessons about optimism bias and how to camp on ridges.

Pinnacle Ridge and Mid King

The weekend forecast is promising some fairly ordinary weather, but with a few weeks away from tramping I'm not about to pass up the chance of getting out. With a bit of thought I string together a clever combination of three pieces of uncharted territory into what looks like an intriguing over-nighter.

The plan is to start at the Holdsworth road end, cross the stream above Donnelly flats and follow Pinnacle Ridge all the way to Baldy then up to South King, then pop along to Middle King and down to Mid King Biv before following the spur down to South Mitre Stream and Mitre Flats Hut. Next, head down river on the Barra track crossing the river at some point to find a way back over to Holdsworth road end. A good proportion of which I have either never been on or not recently.

What:   Navigation trip - supposed to be overnight but ...

Where: Pinnacle Ridge and Middle King

When:  27 May 2017

Why:    Nav practice and some interesting looking routes

Who:    Solo

Map:    Map

It's a bit before 6am and the rain is just starting as I leave a dark Hutt valley and head over the Rimutakas.  At Holdsworth, light is starting to seep in through the clouds so I farf around a bit until it's bright enough to head out without a torch - about 7.25am.  

The bush is wet and still, and the rain is holding off for now. I know which spur I'm heading for and assume there will be some ground trail - but have no idea where to cross the stream.  In the end I pick a point just before the intersection where two tracks head back to the car park. In retrospect there is likely to be a better spot further along.  It's not too bad travel through the bush on on the true left - albeit with wet boots from the stream - and eventually a few markers indicate a way on to the spur.  This soon develops into a full blown track with frequent markers; from antique to recent. At the bottom there are breaks in the canopy giving views back down valley and up towards Powell Hut (invisible today).

Well marked

Down valley across Donnelly Flats ... probably

It's very pleasant open bush with a well formed trail that climbs steadily but gently.

At one point on the way up an old Forest Service sign is propped by the track - it clearly indicates something significant used to be here somewhere - perhaps an old park boundary?

At about 0900 travel along the ridge is far quicker than expected and I'm approaching Pt 846.  There should be a fairly obvious trail towards Pinnacle via a saddle - and sure enough there is.  Complete with a liberal scattering of markers and home made signs.

Beautifully crafted (marking the route I came up)

The route north along Pinnacle Ridge - also well  marked

About quarter of an hour later there is another intersection with some more beautifully hand crafted signs providing advice about getting to Atiwhakatu hut down a spur (well marked) and back to the intersection at Pt 846.

They've even angled the sign to let you know it goes downhill

Fewer people travel the section towards Baldy but it's still well marked and good travel.  There are a few spots where I wander off the trail but quickly work back onto it again. There's quite a bit of fairly flat travel to get to the saddle about 0950 - 2 hr 25 from the car - possibly faster than the valley track.

A marker on the Barra track is scratched to indicate where to find the turnoff to Pinnacle Ridge.

I'm a good hour ahead of schedule so am starting to think that completing the loop in a day is on the cards - it will mean a bit of torch light travel towards the end but ... worth a crack.

However, there is now the small matter of climbing 650m up Baldy then another 280m to South King. At least the first part is under cover.

To the south-west the bushline around Jumbo hut is mostly just below the clag but I don't spot the hut.  Underfoot the track is benefiting from a DOC sponsored trim - relatively recent given the state of the fern fronds and astelia blades that litter the ground.

At 10.25 the bush gives way to the tops; a chance to pause, grab a bite, break out gloves and have a look around.  A steady drizzle is falling and the view drifts in and out as the surrounding clag thickens and thins.  Pinnacle ridge is somewhere far below and almost indistinguishable.

From the bushline looking south

It's cold and wet on the tops but the northwester is not so bad with the ridgeline far above providing some shelter. Visibility drops as I climb and I 'm glad of my new windstopper gloves. Everything not actually underneath my rain coat is soon sopping wet.  Without a view there's nothing to do but put the head down and plod on up.

A possible side trip to the Broken Axe Pinnacles is completely off the cards now - even if I hadn't been looking to compress the trip to one day, these conditions aren't really conducive to scrambling around slick, sheer rock and tussock.

At the ridge, the wind is delighted to gain unrestricted access to my left ear and glasses lens. One layer under my raincoat is starting to feel a little light. It's not far to Middle King though so I keep moving; sidling below South King and heading through the lumpy saddle to Middle King.  In the low visibility it feels completely unlike the last time through. The wooden sign to the biv is a welcome sight; confirming I am exactly where I thought I was.

The right turn rapidly drops me below the ridge line and the rain and wind suddenly fade away - the clag - not so much.  The ground trail comes and goes - it is a little less formed than I am expecting but the spur is generally pretty obvious so it is quickly found again when you wander off. It is slow going but eventually the trail approaches the bushline and I make out an orange triangle. At the triangle I note there is a ground trail leading left back to the spine of the spur and to the right - down and along the bushline. I follow right and soon am ducking into the bush to follow a marked track to the biv.

Mid King Biv - built by the Forest Service in case you didn't know

The cheerful orange biv is in a delightful bushy spot with a branch of Baldy Creek cascading down from the basin above.  It's a little messy with a fire pit beside a nearby rock and a bit of detritus from less than careful tenants but it would be a great place to wake in the morning.  I almost regret that I'm not stopping for the night but at 12.25 it's a little early.

There is enough cell reception to push out a message indicating that I will probably try to get out tonight then time to sit down and have a bite to eat.

The hut is evidently looked after by a bunch of ex Forest Service workers.  It would originally have been used by deer cullers and they are keen to let everyone know that it is in such good nick because of their conscientious efforts.  And good on them.

In the end I stop for almost half an hour before heading out into the rain. I'm not quite sure how to regain the spur but in the end elect for following the track back to the bushline and keeping an eye out for side trails heading in the right direction.  I don't see any and end up climbing back to the first orange triangle on the bush edge and the trail I had noticed earlier - sure enough this leads up to the spur and dives back into the bush with a well trod trail to follow.  There are sporadic pink tape markers and once I get my eye in - more frequent rock markers on logs.

It is generally quite an easy going trail down the spur. Around 800m and below there are places where it is not so easy to find and the spur face flattens or splits but by keeping an eye out for cairns and tape and half an eye on the compass it is not too bad to follow the spur until the sounds of streams on both sides drifts up from below.

Eventually the trail drops off a terrace and joins Baldy creek near a well built cairn. A few meters downstream I work my way onto terraces on the true right of South Mitre stream which is vigorous enough that I don't fancy following the stream bed.  The trails come and go and eventually I cross to avoid scrambling to avoid a bluffy section - as I slop out of the midthigh deep stream and up the bank I stumble onto the cables for the swingbridge to Barton track.  Sweet.

A few minutes later fresh boot prints on the track indicate I won't be the only person at Mitre Flats hut. Sure enough three chaps from Wanganui Tramping club are in for the weekend having come up the Barra track from The Pines.  It's about 2.15; an hour 25 after leaving the Biv.

The log book indicates we are the first visitors in 2 weeks - I find this hard to believe but have noticed before that despite its size and location, this hut doesn't seem to get a lot of visitors. Flicking back through the pages I find my entry from December and add a note to indicate that I managed to complete that trip.

What with a bit of a chat and filling in the log book, 20 minutes have drifted away before I turn south to follow the Barra track down river.

I  pause briefly on the swing bridge to look up river to the slip where, about 30 years ago, I spent a cold night bivvied behind the roots of a tree after the boys brigade trip I was on missed the track in the dark.  Valuable lesson learnt.

From the Mitre swing bridge to the slip

A little over two hours later I'm approaching the road end (The Pines) and plotting my next move.  In theory I should be able to cross the river on a marked bridge, follow a 4WD track up towards Winzenburg Hill then drop through a low saddle to follow a stream down to the Holdsworth road end.  As it is approaching 5 on a decidedly wet and dull day there is no chance that this will be completed in daylight.

The bridge turns out to be blocked by a 3m high steel gate decorated with barbed wire - with a handy gap for agile trampers prepared to do a bit of scrambling.  On the other side the 4WD track is easy to find and climbs rapidly to a mature pine block.  The track is easy to follow under the trees although before long the head torch is necessary.

My map shows a 4WD track heading into the saddle below Pinnacle but in the dark and clag I can't find a sign of it - the less desirable route is a marked 4WD track up a spur to the east to the ridge top (this has been taken off the online topo maps). This degenerates and disappears. I'm left struggling through gorse and scrub in a wretched effort to get to the ridge - the only consultation is that the map indicates more mature bush on the other side.

On the ridge I have no clue where exactly I am but am content to take a bearing which I know will drop me into a stream leading to the Holdsworth car park. A fence is buried in the scrub at about the point I expect and on the other side are larger trees and more sparse undergrowth, The southerly blasts cold clag into the bush.

Scrambling down hill and out of the gorse is a relief.  Before long the trickle of water gives me a route to follow without having to think too hard. The bush has rich humus and all that delightful rotten wood that makes travel more interesting.

Part way down, the strap on my torch comes loose as I'm scrambling down a tiny water fall - a branch takes advantage of the momentary distraction to flick the glasses off my face and somewhere into the darkness. This is more than somewhat aggravating.

Fixing the torch is easy but it's the last time I buy one from Katmandu. Being careful where I step I systematically extract rotten branches from the trickle - inspecting them from 6 inches before throwing them away. No glasses.  Next I comb the bed and surrounding banks - from 6 inches away. No glasses. About this point I'm contemplating bush bashing down stream by braille but that doesn't help once I get to the car.  I start casting more widely and with immense relieve the blue glasses legs in a puddle catch my eye - just slightly upstream from where I expected.

It takes a while to get to the mouth of the stream - the usual amount of log jambs and scrambles and the odd weta hanging off the log I want to grovel under. An odd shape in the stream bed turns out to be a water supply intake. I follow the pipe and am soon on a trail which takes a surprisingly long time to work down valley to some water tanks then some DOC sheds. Then another long wander along a gravel road down to the camp ground.

At 8.35 - after a bit over 13 hours on the go - the rain is just holding off while I peel off sodden gear to chuck it in the boot.

Brother number one is happy to receive a late visitor in desperate need of a shower and hot food. Fortunately Janne has a fresh pot of delicious ham-hock and barley soup which restores the inner man before the outer man is rendered more socially acceptable.

A wonderful wee loop trip apart from the last bit. Probably better done as a two day trip returning by finding a way up to 800 then Pinnacle.