Time: 4.5 hours (car park to summit 2 hours and 10 minutes)
Distance: 9 km
Start: Lake Clearwater car park
Finish: Same place (it's there and back)
Date: Friday 20th October 2023
It is a two hour drive from Halswell to Lake Clearwater. Low cloud was covering the alps and we were psychologically preparing ourselves for a viewless summitting of Mt Guy - plus I was secretly a little worried as half our crew were wearing shorts. I had forgotten to mention that it might be a full-on alpine experience - a possibility of snow and ice on the ground, howling winds, oh, and rain was also forecast. Fortuitously none of these things came to be and noone got hypothermia. We are talking hardy South Island chicks here. As we got closer to Lake Clearwater, the clouds cleared and we could see that wonderful back-drop of Ka Tiritiri o Te Moana/The Southern Alps.
We parked the car and stepped out into the cold wind - Jaysus - it whipped around our ears like a whirling dervish. As if by magic, goose bumps materialised on bare legs. Sharyn kindly handed each of us a frooze ball and we set off at a brisk pace. We were heading anti-clockwise on the Lake Clearwater Te Puna a Taka Circuit, chatting about a variety of life's pithier topics: war, evacuation, diversity, menopause and other transitions. The 30 minutes to the Mt. Guy turn-off flew by in a jiffy.
Just on from the junction, we climbed the turnstile and were now at the base of the mountain ready for the big climb. The wind had dropped and the sun was out. Beauuutiiful. A track time of one hour and 15 minutes from the base of the mountain to the summit (it took us 1:40). We plodded our way upwards, stopping to admire the views and catch our breath.
The track was steep and slightly scree-ish in places, but easy to follow and, near the summit, the gradient eased somewhat. We admired the reddy subalpine tussocks and the colours of the lichens.
We lingered at the summit, amidst a mist that came and went. Despite being in the middle of the wop wops, a few other people were milling around - a couple of blokes from Ashburton brewing a cup of tea and a group of tourists. We managed to get some summit group photos.
It was time to return and we packed up our stuff. Sometimes the descent is harder on the body - especially the knees. It was quick enough though, and in a jiffy we were back on the Lake Clearwater/Te Puna a Taka Circuit and then at the car. It was too late for coffees so we headed to the Mt. Somers General Store for icecreams.
