Show Weekend saw us heading up to Arthur’s Pass for a three day trip from the Hawdon Shelter. We headed up Woolshed Hill before descending to the Casey Valley and completing the classic Casey Binser Tramp, a reasonable distance that allowed us to stretch our legs.
We had originally considered traversing the Savannah Range to the East Hawdon, but the strong gusty wind blowing straight at us down the Hawdon Valley made us reconsider. Looking across towards The Divide, the Tarn Col was completely closed in and probably very wet.
From Point 1445 we descended a spur to the Casey Valley and the Andrew’s Stream. The spur is open in the top and bottom sections, but the middle part is suffering from vigorous regrowth and was very spindly.
We camped near the bottom of the spur at the first flats after the Casey Saddle track rejoins the stream. We’d passed this campsite a few times, one of several good spots that abound at both ends of Hallelujah Flat. As a result of the extended Bush Bash, it was already late by the time we pitched the tent, so not much time for lazing around, but we meet a hunter heading back down valley who had similar experience with the bush understorey on the climb up to Pt 1478.
We camped near the bottom of the spur at the first flats after the Casey Saddle track rejoins the stream. We’d passed this campsite a few times, one of several good spots that abound at both ends of Hallelujah Flat. As a result of the extended Bush Bash, it was already late by the time we pitched the tent, so not much time for lazing around, but we meet a hunter heading back down valley who had similar experience with the bush understorey on the climb up to Pt 1478.
Not withstanding the bad weather forecast for the Saturday, and the mass of cloud we had seen to the West, the next day turned out to be fine. We crossed Casey Saddle, - well known territory for us now and had a first lunch at the Surprise Stream, before descending through the beech Forest to Casey Hut for lunch.
We hadn’t walked the track out along the Poulter Valley before and were pleasantly surprised by it. The first section through the bush – with the giant Red Beech is the best. After that the track has a park like feel, before crossing in to Mt White Station, where the area feels more desolate and barren. This was surprisingly tiring, along a 4WD track in the late afternoon heat.
We made camp on terraces just above Pete Stream which saved us from a mass of sand flies and camping next to an area with 4WD access.
By the Sunday the weather had thought about changing, but couldn’t decide. We cruised the route back from here: A long gentle climb to Binser Saddle at just over 1000m, then a quick descent to the Mount White Road and a small section of valley walking back to the car. There isn’t much to see on the section of track from Binser Saddle out to the road, in fact it’s main plus point is that it is an all weather route straightforward route which can used to get to and from better things.
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