Mount Hodges and Orca

Yesterday, Tommy, Alistair, Lyndsay and I took a trek up to Mount Hodges.  Hodges is one of the highest summits in our permitted travel limits, and is the South-Western gatepost to the Bore Valley, which meanders to the North, eventually leading to Maiviken.

Shackleton pose at the summit of Orca!

We approached the ascent from the South, climbing to Gull Lake from the abandoned whaling station, and then climbing coarse scree adjacent to the entrance to Hodges Bowl, and winding round to the western face of Orca. Orca is a smaller mountain, located just to the South of Hodges.  It is a relatively easy ascent, although the western face is steep, and the scree is loose in places.  The summit offers not only an excellent place to stop for lunch, but a detailed view of the ascent to Hodges summit.  From Orca, it looks steep, and that's because it is.
It took us three and a half hours to summit, and the breathtaking views made up for the high winds blowing the snow cap into our eyes and our camera lenses!
The descent was forged by instinct, and we found a steep, but direct route back to sea level down the eastern face.  We even found some steep snow down a gully, which was icy and fairly compact... ideal for a bit of bare back sledding... The drop was perhaps 50 feet, and there was the odd rock to avoid but it was great fun!
Heres some pics as usual...

Hodges summit

Timer and Tripod group photo - hodges summit

Showing the petrel mountains and the Alardyce range in the background

Orca - Cumberland East bay in the background

Along the ridge to the west from Hodges.