I thought Easter would be sufficient time for going up Mt Richmond, and mentioned the prospect to a friend.
He said he would love to come but wanted a different time, and a different route to what I was proposing, ie, the funnest day you can have near Nelson: climbing Mt Fell from the Pelorus River.
He suggested leaving from the Wairau Valley, which means you drive halfway to the top. You can pop up and back in a day.
I smiled and realised why I prefer tramping on my own. I didn’t bring the subject up again.
In any case the weather wasn’t suitable, the run into the Easter brought Cyclone Debbie, then Cyclone Cook. Not quite as much rain as predicted but still plenty on Easter Friday.
I went a week later which was also a long weekend, if you took off the Monday before a Tuesday Anzac Day. I left on Friday morning as well. This would give me five days to make it not a complete race.
This is how it went . . .
