On November 18th, Roi and I embarked on a journey to climb the Somnus Couloir, which is on Somnus peak, near the Routeburn track. I didn't think this could be done in a weekend from Christchurch, but it turns out it can. We began our drive down on Saturday morning, grabbing a pie in Fairlie and picking up Amiel in Cromwell. The weather was picture-perfect as we reached the Routeburn track near Glenorchy and commenced our hike towards Routeburn Flats hut.
After a refreshing break at the hut, we ventured onto the Routeburn North Branch track, relishing its remote ambiance. Compared to the highway that is the Routeburn main track, this track required a little more route finding. Gills Biv, a massive rock bivouac near the end of the North branch, caught our attention later on. While initially considering staying the night there, we decided against it to avoid an early morning river crossing and instead camped strategically on the opposite side.
I opted to sleep under the stars while Roi and Amiel slept in Amiel's Macpac Olympus tent. The night sky was clear, offering a great view of the stars with only minimal interruptions from sandflies.
The following morning, our day began at 3 am with a hearty breakfast before we embarked on the Somnus couloir ascent. Initially, the climb was manageable, but as we progressed, the couloir’s steepness grew, flanked by imposing vertical walls. We transitioned to crampons once the snow began. The snow was nice and firm and good for crampons. Spring is probably a good time to climb this route. There were some small shrunds to climb over around the midway point. I can imagine that in the late season, negotiating the couloir would be much harder.
Reaching the couloir's zenith, we found ourselves on a vast snow field, basking in the sun's warmth. The final stretch included a short, steep snow slope and an easy walk along the summit ridge, culminating in our summit triumph around 8:45 am. The panoramic views were amazing, and it was a great feeling to be on the summit in good time.
However, the descent wasn't without its challenges. Melting ice and snow from above posed a hazard, and unfortunately, Roi was injured when a chunk struck his helmet, resulting in a cut to his chin. Hastening our exit from the couloir, we made it back to camp by 11 am.
After a swift lunch and packing up, our journey back commenced. Retracing our steps toward Routeburn Flats hut and eventually to the car, we had to head back to Christchurch due to work commitments the next day.
Despite the challenges, the climb was exhilarating, made even better by the excellent company.
