Trip Reports
The Glens Working Bee
Monday, March 5th, 2018
The Glens Working Bee
3rd March 2018
After a request from David W who has taken on the task of clearing and planting native trees in this neglected reserve, the club offered to assist for a morning to help clear flowering currant and broom.
It was a misty morning with a meeting time of 9am at the Glen Street carpark. The start time came and went with only two members and David making their presence. As we prepared to do battle with the flowering currant and broom Robbie appeared with his usual smile, exlpaining that he and the others had parked at the wrong street end and were now on their way. (Very timely that the club has a navigation course comimg up in April ). Seven members eagerly attacked the unwanted vegetation and very soon large piles of cuttings were stacked at the top of the track for removal elsewhere later.
A smoko break was called to replenish the fluid lost as it had become quite humid and we were working on a steep bank. After another hour a large area had been cleared ready for planting and an end to the day’s work.
A great effort by the club members and David for giving up their time on this worthwhile project which I am sure will be enjoyed by future generations.
Weston school pupils, lead by Jenny are also active in planting and caring for native trees in The Glens Reserve.
Those who toiled for the morning were John, Robbie, Bess, Steve, Anne, Phyllis an Maurice.
Dingle Saddle and Canyon Creek
Wednesday, February 21st, 2018
17/18th Feb 2018
The focus of this particular overnight trip was to encourage those who hadn’t quite got to tenting, to take the plunge and join others in the same boat, to camp out beside the vehicles, thus avoiding the next step of carrying all that stuff on you back. There just happened to be an added bonus of a couple of pretty special day walks in this area.
However, the original theme of camping out evaporated quickly when the option of taking over the unoccupied Base Hut for the night became the option. The fact that it was raining at this time made the decision unanimous.
Saturday’s walk was to the ridge behind Base hut to look into the Dingle Valley. The rain ceased early in the day and we had fabulous views from the top. However the strong and chilly wind shortened our exploration along the ridge.
Sunday – a short drive to the locked gate and we were off on foot to Canyon Creek, an easy forty minute flat walk. Then there was the twenty minute grunt to the vantage point above the Canyon where you see all the way up valley to the 220m high rock terrace across the entire valley.
The top of this was our objective for those who desired, but still some two hours away.
As we got closer, the thought of ever getting up there evaporated, as this valley walk takes you right to the bottom of this 220m monster. However, with lots of encouragement from those that had been there before, the trundling was replaced with more serious concentration and “don’t look down”.
At the top, once again a chilly wind had us hunkering down in a small but dry river cutting, except for one of our party who ventured towards the middle of the cirque and with arms held high, screamed his elation at being so privileged to be at this place. I’m sure everyone there, shared his sentiment.
A very cautious descent followed by an almost easy walk back to the vehicles completed yet another enjoyable tramping weekend.
The ten participants were, Bill, Bess, Chris, Colin, Jenny, John, Marian, Neville, Roz, and Vicky.
Hinewai Reserve, Banks Peninsula
Monday, February 5th, 2018
February 3,4 2018
After rescheduling this trip from the last program it was disappointing that just 4 of us set out to explore this reserve. More so because the range of walks are pretty easy and the accommodation at the Lodge quite luxurious leaving few excuses for not coming.
Four of us departed around 4.30pm on the Friday and after a dinner stop at Ashburton we arrived at Hinewai just on dark, just enough light for the brief walk down from the carpark, we were greeted by the sole occupier with a cup of relaxing tea before hitting the sack.
Rain set in during the night and continued into the following morning which did curtail our keenness to some extent. After breakfast we did venture out and explored some of the tracks leading to various features which are well identified with some quite humorous signage.
The reserve was still farmed until about 1987 but little evidence remains now and regeneration has been very successful with native vegetation having now taking dominance over the gorse that was prevalent earlier. Some original stands of native trees were there and still are, with some of the only tawhairaunui (red beech) to be found on the east coast of the South Island. Totara and kahikatea were the only other really big trees on the reserve, but other natives include mahoe, seven finger, five finger, tarata, putaputaweta(marble leaf), wineberry, karamu, kaikomako, mikimiki, popoporo, ongaonga,mapou and kanuka, are all well represented.
This vegetation supports an abundant bird life and many of these are native as well, including ruru (morepork), kahu (falcon), Pipipi( brown creeper), piwakawaka(fantail), ngirungiru(tomtit), pihoihoi(NZ pipit), kereru, korimako(bellbird) tauhou(silvereye), riroriro(grey warbler)and titipounamu(rifleman). The kotukutuku( tree fuscia) were well covered in fruit which is called konini and very nice tasting they are. Tui are in the reserve but we found none.
Our morning walk found us on the Purple Peak track eventually and when we found ourselves on the relatively clear area of the Brocheries the rain was quite unpleasant and we headed back to the lodge for some dryness and lunch.
It cleared up soon after lunch so other options were discussed and it was decided to drive down to Otanerito(Long Bay) and explore the lower parts of the reserve and for some to walk back up to the lodge while the vehicle was eventually to be driven back to the lodge by one of the party after she had gone as far as she wanted to….
So, 3 of us had a very pleasant up hill journey back to the lodge in sunshine with the birds singing and a pleasant creek burbling beside us for much of the way.
Were were enjoying a late afternoon tea when the remaining member stumbled in and on enquiry as to how it was it came to pass that our vehicle had not made it back due to a breakdown en route….bugger!!!, never good when it is the only vehicle you have.
Two of us set off to investigate and thought we’d fixed the problem after splicing the broken radiator overflow tube back together, but it was not to be and the repair only got us another 200m further up the road before coming to a grinding overheated stop. Further inspection discovered that the fan belt was broken, so that was where she stayed. Getting back to the lodge and the manager’s landline( no cell phone reception) it became clear that no immediate repair was possible and alternative travel arrangements were needed to get home.
Luckily for us a plan involving a members son based in the big smoke and another members wife who was willing to pick us up from Lincoln was able to be implemented . So after a big clean up of the lodge and a very short walk on the Sunday morning, we were picked up. The offending vehicle was abandoned to be dealt with by a local garage, including having it trailered back to Akaroa.
We headed back and after an early lunch in Lincoln and transferring our gear from one rescuers vehicle to the other, we squashed 5 up into the smallish beemer of the second rescuer and motored home.
We were very grateful to both our rescuers and the slight discomfort of a squashed up trip home was a very small price to pay. It just remains for the writer to pick up not just the vehicle but also the bill for towing and repairs for this trip to be concluded. All in all still a good trip and many thanks for those who came and for the patience shown in the journey home and to our rescuers.
Those who came were John, Marion, Karyl and Robbie
Mts. Alexander and Nobbler
Wednesday, January 31st, 2018
Sunday 28 January 2018
Mounts Alexander (1357 metres) and Nobbler (1550 metres) stand at the northern end of the Kakanui Range and are most readily accessed from the top of the Danseys Pass Road, just over 71km from Oamaru and at 935 metres. Seven trampers set off from Oamaru, picking up an eighth on the way. Fortunately, most of the road had just been graded so only the last climb was badly corrugated.
We set off just on 9.30 on a 4wd track which wound up the hill to the south of the road, past a fertilizer bin and then more steeply up to a station hut at just on 1300 metres, where we met the final two members of the party. From there, the track undulated to the south-west, crossing two knobs before reaching the shallow summit of Mt Alexander shortly before midday. After a brief stop and survey of the rather daunting route to Mt Nobbler, the party split with one group backtracking to the fork before heading down and the other descending directly through tussock and Spaniards to the valley some 300 discouraging metres below. There the two groups met up and first lunch was taken before the climb.
Mt Nobbler loomed 500 metres above. The group again split, the gung-ho types heading straight up a fenceline, which was direct but steep, and the remainder opting for the straight out slog up the zig-zag track. The Nobbler summit – or at least the point with the remains of the trig on it – was reached between 1.30 and 2.00pm. The splendid 360 degree views were enjoyed as some tucked into a second lunch and all rested and pondered the return track. The weather had held – forecast thunderstorms did not eventuate – and light cloud cover ensured that the temperature remained warm rather than excessively hot. To the north and south, Mounts Domett and Pisgah remained shrouded in cloud most of the day.
Fed and rested, we headed down to the valley, up the zig-zag track to Alexander, then back along the undulating track (the undulations had grown since the morning) to the hut. Water bottles replenished, and it was down the final leg to the cars, reaching them just over 8 hours from the start. The total trip had been around 21km and involved two climbs totalling 800 metres plus undulations in warm conditions. And so the two northernmost peaks of the Kakanui Range could be ticked off by Bess, Dean, Mark, Bron, Jane, Anne, Steve, Helen, Rodney and John.
Potts Hut – Hakatere Conservation Park
Tuesday, January 16th, 2018
12-14 January 2018
After two previous postponements, third time lucky was what we were hoping for, but days before departure a drought breaking rain hit the West Coast spilling large amounts of rain across The Divide to the East Coast rivers.
The trip was planned as a circuit returning via the Potts River and on an open tussock face to the car park.
With a fine overhead forecast we set off on Friday evening for Mount Somers and onto Woolshed Creek carpark to camp for the night.
On Saturday morning we were up early and drove to the Potts River carpark. Conditions were fine with low cloud overhead.
Our team of seven made their way up the true left of the river on part of the Te Araroa Trail before a gradual climb to the track leading to Mystery Lake where we had lunch. A short steep climb and a sidle then lead us to the junction of Boundary Creek and Dogs Range. Two of our party decided not to go onto Potts Hut but instead would take a look over at Boundary hut and return to camp beside Mystery Lake for the night while the other five attacked the long slog up onto the Dogs Range, described by one as undulating country.
With the clearing weather some great views were had of the Ashburton Lakes, Mesopotamia, and across to the Sinclair Range. Finally after a 1000metre climb from the car park we arrived at the high point only to be followed by a 600metre descent to an unnamed lake and then down further to Potts Hut completing a 9 hour day.
A brew, some food and a short siesta revived us at this very scenic spot. The Potts Hut was once a musterer’s place of abode, complete with dog kennels and a horse paddock.
The river was running very high and the prospects did not look good for the return leg on Sunday. After placing a marker at the river’s edge we all retired to bed hoping for a lower level in the morning.
With a 6am wake-up call a check of the river revealed only a small drop in the level but not enough to safely cross so we returned uphill and part way along the Dogs Range to a saddle where we descended down a face through tussocks and around to connect with the track leading to Mystery Lake, cutting off a considerable amount of time. This saw us back at the cars only an hour after our other two companions who had already returned from their shortened but enjoyable trip.
It was great to have one of our younger members, Forrester out on his first weekend tramp, a big introduction which he managed with honours.
Thanks to the team of Vicky, Mike, Bron, Robbie, Forrester and Phyllis for another enjoyable time in the hills.
Maurice
