Author Archive
Big Hut – Mid-Winter 14th 15th June 2014
Tuesday, June 17th, 2014
A night at Big Hut on the Rock and Pillars mid-Winter has become an annual event for the Tramping Club.
This year the response was less than usual with only four daring to experience the chill of a night at Big Hut. With only one vehicle and a 5km road section between both car parks, a bike was taken to retreive the car at the end of the tramp.
A forecast that was much better than previous years boded well for a clear sky and good views from the Rock and Pillar Range.
Departing from home at 8am the drive to the car park at Glencreay saw the temperature ranging from 7 deg. to-2 deg. After dropping off the bike we returned to the Lug Creek car park and began the journey up the zigzag 4wd track and on to the new Leaning Lodge for lunch.The OTMC have done a great job of rebuilding this hut.
The wind had picked up and even Colin put his long-johns on.
From the hut we went straight up to the top of the range from the first gut, and proceeded to Summit Rock on a thin layer of snow with a now very cold wind but good views in all directions.
While at Summit Rock two day trippers arrived from Big Hut, Tim Russel and Betty, also members of NOTMC, a nice surprise. It was not a place to linger too long so we moved on to our destination, Big Hut by 3pm.
With a brew to warm the inner body as the hut temperature was 6 deg. we started with a cheese and crackers entree, as there was a lot of food to get through on this mid-winter pot luck desert night.
After some table tennis and taking in the large amount of information displayed in the hut, it was time for food with a variety of beverages then deserts.
The AllBlacks test against England was listened to by various means, including sharing ear plugs on Colins radio, while Neville was in a world of his own listening to Johnny Cash (Ring of Fire) with the vocals and action to amuse the rugby listeners.
Sleep came easily with the sound of the wind outside while very comfortable in our sleeping bags.
Sunday morning and the kitchen registered 2 deg. still windy and now overcast outside. with a leisurely breakfast over, we packed and set off down the hill to the waiting bike and return of the car. With the warmer temperature and plenty of day left, we decided to visit Lake Sutton and return to Middlemarch for coffee a t Kissing Kate’s Cafe.
The homeward journey took in Macraes work site and a muddy Golden Bar Road to Palmerston, arriving home safe and well after a very enjoyable weekend with great company.
Maurice for Phyllis, Neville and Colin.
June 2014 Club Night
Sunday, June 15th, 2014
Jane Green commenced her term as President at the Monthly Club meeting.
The Herbert Forest has been covered in a T B vector control operation, we were advised to avoid the pellets. The signs on the tracks are to be spruced up and updated.
Trip Reports;
Chinaman’s Cave in the Horse Range was approached from the Hampden side via Duncans Road. A walk down towards Pigeon Bush crossing Trotters Creek led to the hard to find cave where a wanted chinaman once hid from the authorities. Another route was taken on the return trip.
Table Top was accessed from the South Block of Herbert Forest with a very steep descent to the south Branch of the Waianakarua River, then an easier climb to the top, returning by an easier route.
Some members had a relaxing weekend at Mt. Cook village which include a walk up the Hooker Valley.
Eleven members climbed Mt. Dryburgh from Fisherman’s Bend via a climb up a 600m gut. Fog hindered some views but it cleared up in the afternoon as they walked down a ridge back to the cars. A round trip of 19kms.
The Wednesday Walkers have climbed to the Awakino ski field, some going up a steep ridge towards Mt. Kohurau before descending to the ski field. There was shin deep snow on the plateau.
Next week a walk from Kuriheka up Ram Hill road was enjoyed before a cold southerly rain arrived. Lunch was eaten in a haybarn near Tulliemet road before the return, luckily downhill with the wind.
Elephant Hill and Mussen were walked as a round trip.
Last week 36 enjoyed a fine day trip to Devils Elbow on Mt. Stalker.
Coming Club trips are Big Hut probably via Leaning Lodge, a Silver Peaks circuit of Rosella Ridge to Pulpit Rock returning via Green Hill Track, Top Dingle Hut from the Ahuriri Valley and Hideaway Biv, also from the Ahuriri Valley.
Our Guest Speaker was Club Member Gail Papps, who gave an illustrated talk on her and husband Brian’s European river cruise.
Starting at Amsterdam they travelled via a 110ft. by 22 ft. luxury river boat 4000 km through Europe to Croatia. Countries they travelled through included The Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, and Croatia along the Rhine, Main and Danube rivers with interconnecting canals.
We were treated to views of castles perched on the side of the river valleys, the superb architecture of the towns and cities and all the different types of river traffic, ranging from their cruise boat to barges with new combine harvesters on them, to double barges carrying gravel being pushed rather than towed.
Their boat could flatten its superstructure in order to get under the really low bridges, and there were traffic lights at the tight river corners.
River cruises this distance have only been possible since the 1990s when the Europa canal was opened over the continental divide, however they did have to change boats once because of a canal workers strike.
May 2014 Club Night
Tuesday, May 13th, 2014
The Clubs Annual Meeting was held on the 14th May 2014.
President Bronwyn McCone summarised the past year in her report. The Club now has a new Personal Locator Beacon, taken on all trips, and available for members private use. Due to the wet season a lot of Club trips have had to be cancelled, however the skills course was well attended, and the website is working well.
Jane Green is the new President, with John Chetwin taking on the role of Vice President. Robbie Verhoef and Neville Corry retain their respective roles of Secretary and Treasurer.
10 members have volunteered to be “lost and injured” in a SAR exercise to be held in the Herbert Forest on the 17th May.
Because of the unsuitable weather the only Club trip over the last month was an overnight tramp up the South Temple, camping on the other side of the river from the hut to avoid another crossing.
Wednesday Walkers have been to the Benmore Walkway, Ashlands Road to South Peak near Hampden, a Moeraki farm walk which included an underpass under SH1 to the lagoon and beach south of the lighthouse and a climb to Station Peak from Little Roderick, a 500m climb but with great views of the Waitaki and Hakataramea valleys.
Coming Club trips, hopefully with better weather, are Chinamans Cave, a Tabletop circuit, Mt. Cook with “something for everyone”, and a round trip to Mt. Drybrough from Fishermans Bend. More details can be found in the “Whats On” page.
Club members showed photos of recent Club activities which were capped by Maurice’s ” It’s moments like these” hilarious photos of members on various trips, graphically described by “not always accurate” captions.
Alps to Ocean Part Two
Wednesday, April 16th, 2014
Following on from a weekend riding the lake sections of the A2O Trail late last year, section 8, Duntroon to Oamaru was the mission for Sun 13th April.
Most of us only wanted to ride one way, but Uwe set off at 7am for Duntroon arriving just as we were unloading the bikes from the trailer, nice timing. Bron was already there doing warm up laps up and down Duntroon’s main street.
The team of seven left Duntroon at 9am in overcast conditions, stopping to visit the Maori rock drawings and other information panels on route. Bill who had intended to ride so far with us then return to bring the car back to Oamaru, got a work call, and so returned earlier than expected.
As we pedalled past the limestone cliffs of Island Cliff I gained a new appreciation for this very scenic natural feature, followed by panoramic views of North Otago as we rode the high section of Peaks Road. A nice long downhill bought us to Windsor township where lunch was had on the step in front of the old Windsor store.
With riders refuelled we were on our way to complete the last section of our journey which included a bumpy ride on the trail next to the Weston Ngapara Highway and a short section of the old railway line ending the journey for most riders at Grasmuecks for coffee and hot-cross buns. Jane and I made the last dash down the railway and the new trail to Oamaru via the picturesque Oamaru Public Gardens to the waiting vehicles.
Thanks to, Bron, Silvia, Phyllis, Bill, Uwe, Jane, – Maurice.
Arthurs Pass. Lake Mavis via Goat Pass & Edwards Valley
Friday, March 28th, 2014
22nd – 24th March 2014
The enjoyment of tramping is not only while out there doing it, but the build-up with the wonder of what new country we will see, catching up with fellow club members and will the weather be kind.
The journey began with a long distance drive to Arthurs Pass to our accommodation for Friday night at the Christchurch Tramping Club’s hut, then down to the Wobbley Kea Cafe for a giant sized pizza for dinner. This was for half of our party as the other three had to leave Oamaru later. Our team of six spent a very comfortable night at the hut with storytelling and the usual taking the mickey out of things, before lights out.
At 7am Robbie was first up to have breakfast and prepare for the day ahead. After parking the cars at Greyneys, packs shouldered, we were on our way across the Bealey River to Goat Pass Hut via the Mingha Valley which is the route used in the Coast to Coast Run.
Fog blocked the views to the tops, but that soon improved. River crossings appeared more numerous than previous visits from what I could remember. Finally the crossings ceased and the hill work began ending on Dudley’s Knob where photos were taken with the element of a “Liedecker View”.
An early lunch was enjoyed in the sunshine at the Mingha Biv. The clever graphics on the inside walls of the biv were photographed and we were off on the last lap to Goat Pass Hut, arriving five hours after our start – a gentle way to break into the tramp. With the hut to ourselves, brew in hand and sitting in the sun life was as good as it gets. Later after a short walk across snow grass from the hut and up to a high point we were rewarded with great views up and down the Deception River and across to the tops above Temple Basin. We could also see our intended route up to Lake Mavis for the next day. As the day wore on more people started to arrive and by the evening there were at least thirty looking for a bed in the twenty bunk hut. It was interesting to note that a good number of these people did not have any form of bed mat. Lessons to be learned here.
Little sleep was had by some of us so it was pleasing to see daylight on Sunday morning and get breakfast over early so we could get on our way in clear skies with no fog. One hour uphill and Lake Mavis began to show. Several people had camped up there for the night and were making their way down. After shedding our packs we had time to explore around the outlet while waiting for the sun to appear over the ridge to paint a new picture of the lake.
The next stage to the crossing point on the ridge one km north of Mt Oates consisted of a rocky sidle then a climb ending with another grand view across the Edwards Valley to Tarn Col, Falling Mountain and the large tarn, our lunch spot 150mtrs of steep scree below.
The route to the valley floor began with more rock hopping followed by tussock to the steep gut which with care released us to freedom. Edwards Hut appeared with some attractive board-walked tarns in the foreground after nearly two hours of valley walking. With only our party in the hut for the night it made for a more peaceful place than the previous one. Uwe was first up at 6am Monday and lit all the cookers . Not sure what that was all about but it made for a leisurely breakfast while awaiting daylight for travel in the bush. A short distance from the hut we were rewarded after Robbie’s announcement “Blue Ducks” whereby a pair came floating downstream right past us while another pair flew overhead. It was good spotting as some of the party had not seen Blue Duck in the wild before. The ducks can be hard to see as they blend in with the water well.
The track down to the river flats demands your attention as it is quite rough with steep steps in places. Once out on the flats with easier going we stopped to chat with a camping party, the two girls about to bathe in the stream nearby obviously not expecting company. “Nothing we haven’t already seen before!”
After negotiating a steep rock wall with the help of a series of chains, the highway traffic could soon be seen and the last river crossing took us back to the cars, journey over.
Thanks for making a good trip that much better.
Bron, Jane, Phyllis, Uwe, Robbie
Maurice.
