Robert Ridge safety improvements
I’ve heard several tales of people coming to harm on the Robert Ridge Route in Nelson Lakes National Park, especially when snow and ice are present. One that sticks in my mind is the weekend a tramper waded through snow on the less exposed Speargrass Hut route (taking advice to avoid the icy Robert Ridge) and on arriving at Angelus Hut found two others in residence. One proclaimed the Robert Ridge Route to be dangerous. The following day, the weekend crowds arrived and it was a miracle no one died. One tramper ended up in a snow hole up to his armpits, another slipped and sliced his leg with a crampon. Near dark, there were reports of 11 trampers slowly making their way along the ridge. Most didn’t have ice axes…