Bushline Hut-Lake Angelus-Sunset Saddle-Hopeless-Travers "loop"

January 12, 2026

The kids had an epic girly (7 girls) sleepover planned up Mt Robert at Bushline Hut. The weather was lovely and they were having a great time, bouncing around the hut like baby elephants, playing manhunt in the tussocks and I was in bed by the time spotlight started.
The next morning I rose before dawn and departed from the hut watching the light change as I walked in the cool morning air along the ridge to Lake Angelus. From there I headed around the bottom of the Hinapouri Tarn, past some large groups packing up their tents and a few more scattered further up the tarn. 
The ascent to Sunset saddle was easy to follow, a trail and lots of cairns, with panoramic views from the saddle.
Down the Hopeless the top section was a boulder field with a lot of cairns all the way, a little patch of snow and a amazing luminous blue/turquoise tarn that fed into a waterfall down the bluffs. The route down was easy to find (a lot of cairns) although when I looked back up I was supremely happy to be coming down and not up in the building heat.
Hopeless Creek Hut was a lovely little hut with a lot of character although it's surprising it has not been wiped out by an avalanche in winter as a scree slope comes right down to it.
The rest of the walk was mostly in beautiful beech forest by clear flowing rivers. Usually I walk out of the Travers on the Lower Travers Track but thought I'd go down the other side for a change on the Lakehead Track. The Lower Travers is much nicer, Lakehead is swampy, has hot open fields to cross and you miss following the stunning Travers River.
The "loop" took 9hrs. Solid walking, soaking in the scenery & a light pack with enough to stay overnight (uncomfortably) if I felt the need. I was lucky to have the rest of the crew pick me up along the lake on the way back.
Find Nelson Lakes art here.

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