Trip Reports
Paradise Creek 16/17 November 2024
Tuesday, November 19th, 2024
The upper Paradise Creek is in a hanging valley above the Huxley River and it flows into the Hopkins. A weather window opened up for 4 of us and provided a fine weekend. Rain on the previous Friday had made the 4wd part of the access to Monument Hut just tricky enough.
Access to the last stretch of riverbed before Monument was compromised and so our vehicle was left about 2km before the hut and clothes were changed and packs donned for our tramp. As we got to Monument Hut, we could see a 4wd stuck in the river and a young man rescuing his gear from it. He’d been unfortunate enough to have driven into the river to cross it without checking how good the bottom was and lost traction in the loose gravel.
We couldn’t help him so carried on to the Huxley Bridge where we had lunch on the other side. Just after spotting 6 deer on the far side of the grassy flat, we started our steep assent of the bushy hill which leads to a ridge at the 1100m contour. Very slow travel on this with lots of tree fells providing interesting route finding opportunities.
Eventually we got to a ridge at the correct contour and surprise surprise there was a DoC 200 trap and a trap line right along this ridge leading to further traps. This provided a decent route for us to follow right along until we dropped slightly and found ourselves at the edge of the bushline which happened to coincide with the start of the grassy flats along that section of Paradise Creek.
Our hard slog up the hill was well rewarded, it had taken over 3 hours to get here but the views of the cirque leading to Mt Boanerges and Taiaha Peak were spectacular. We didn’t waste any time in finding a suitable camp spot and tents were quickly erected and a welcome brew put on. The usual world issues were solved that evening and just after bed time a group of Kea was heard overhead which did leave anxiety for the safety of our tents. The night was moonlit, cold and filled with the occasional noise of avalanches coming off Taiaha Peak.
Morning saw us getting up at 6 with a decent frost on the tents and people sharing how they stayed warm at various parts of the night. Kea once again were heard overhead, but not seen. A Karearea was seen however. By 7 we were on the move to check out the head of the valley and had only gone a short while when we saw that we did have some neighbours in the form of 3 hunters who had been there for 2 nights. They had bagged 3 Thar and a deer the previous day and were looking forward to a big day of lugging out their catch.
The head of the valley was about 2km and although we didn’t get right to the end, we did go far enough to see all that we wanted before returning to our camp to have a brew and pack up.
The return trip was so much easier as we followed the ridge and the trap route all the way down into the Hopkins valley and a fast walk back to the car. The trapped 4wd at Monument was no longer there in the river, so that guy must have some mates.
A great trip, very strenuous at times, visiting an area which is not often seen by many.
Photography by Lorena can be seen on her Facebook (look up Lorena Marshal) or eventually on the NOTMC Facebook page.
Thanks to Julian for the 4wd driving, and Jenny and Lorena for their company.
Robbie
Kahikatea Lodge Circuit, Mt Miserable, 13 October 2024
Monday, October 14th, 2024
Nine of us met up at the Mt Misery Road corner on Sunday morning. A quick transference to accommodate everyone into a 4WD and away up the hill through Glencoe Run to the end of the road carpark. The weather forecast predicted a change after lunch, but in the meantime conditions were cold and windy but otherwise fine. The circuit proposed involved going down the fairly steep muddy track ( newly marked by DoC) down to a creek before a short steep pinch (15 min) to the saddle where the Lodge is located. Morning tea was enjoyed here and for those who had not been to this location an inspection of the new hut and the particularly impressive composting toilet.
We carried on from the saddle in a clockwise direction to climb up through tussock, following the ridge all the way up with very good views of the surrounding hills and a great overview of large parts of the Waianakarua Reserve including the entire length of the Staircase Ridge. Meeting up with the 4WD track and marked route to Mt Miserable we decided to carry on to Mt Miserable. This is one of the least impressive mountain tops and only distinguished from other tops by the trig. But great views and the location for lunch. Conditions started to deteriorate and we had to dress up for the occasion, with even small bits of snow coming down and the build up of major clouds from the south.
Down the 4WD track and the marked route back towards the carpark just in time as the rain came pelting down at exactly that point. The road out was still dry enough not to pose any difficulties in the drive back down.
This was a fairly short tramp in terms of distance (just 7km) but this country is steep and and the tussock can be slow to walk in so no speed records were set in our 5 hour walk.
A very enjoyable day out in our own backyard with great views in every direction.
Thanks to Bess,Charlotte, Shirley, Jenny, Rodney, David, Colin and Mike for coming along.
Robbie
Herbert Forest Working Bee 29 September 2024
Monday, September 30th, 2024
Eleven of us gathered at the Swallows Carpark on the first morning of daylight saving summer time. A good effort from the usual crowd who come to the working bee’s. There were a variety of jobs on the list from cleaning up after wind events to step building and timber walkways to general snipping and tidying up.
A big effort to retrieve some of the steps deposited in other places so that the new walkway over a muddy slippery hole before the ladder on the Hoods. Most of the effort went into the Hoods and this walk has become better as a result.
The track is almost ready for the summer season, with just a bit more ongaonga control needed in patches and a bit more board walk over some particularly muddy bits.
After many years spent doing these jobs I have realised that there will always be more to do, but generally all the tracks are very walkable and show off a great slice of native bush.
Those who came were; Maurice and Phyllis, Mike, Jenny, Neville, John, Bess, David, Noel, Julian and Robbie
Herbert Forest Bike Ride
Tuesday, September 17th, 2024
Sunday 15 September 2024
Eleven members turned out to the Reid Rd carpark with their bikes on a cold but dry morning. The forecast was not flash with a Southerly change bringing rain by about 1pm.
There had been substantial rain in the preceding days and this precluded a lot happening on the actual bike tracks, which were likely to be muddy and slippery in places.
So it was suggested that we would stick to the roads and maybe head up Mt Misery Road from Pa Rd. Away we all went up Breakneck Road, onto Pa Rd and turned into Glencoe Rd, but some had issues and before too long 2 had pulled out and headed back down and by the time we got to the Orchid Reserve another one pulled out and headed home once Mt Misery Rd was reached.
The rest of us headed along the very scenic ridge road with great views of some of the still snow clad hills to be had. The track without the gravel was pretty sticky and before we reached one of the last hills to go down to the Red Hut some more of the party stopped.
But 4 of us did venture into the muddy track and had our lunch at the Red Hut. The weather did turn nastier here so not much time passed before we headed back too. It is pretty much all down hill, very speedy, down to the Middle Ridge Gate and further down Middle Ridge with just a deviation through track number 3 which was fun.
On to South Ridge and down to the Carpark at Reid Rd. The other 4 had got back just a little bit earlier.
Quick pack-up and away home before the rain set in.
Thanks to all who came and made this a fun ride.
Robbie
Orbells Cave
Monday, September 9th, 2024
Sunday 8 September 2024
It was a good day for tramping: clear blue sky, warm sun, but with a strong westerly gale and some rain forecast for late afternoon. As it happened, the wind dropped as the cloud came in mid-afternoon and the rain held off until we were on the way home. The drive in was long – 98 km, 24 km of which was on gravel roads in behind Waikouaiti. Blucher Road wound tortuously along a ridge south-east from Bucklands Crossing, then turned south to become Lamb Hill Road which wound its way some more to the Bendoran Huts where it became a farm track. It was a spectacular drive with tussock clad peaks, deep valleys, hairpin bends, switchbacks and steep drop-offs.
Ten trampers had left Oamaru in three vehicles, picking up another at Maheno and the twelfth at Waianakarua. We parked by the Bendoran Huts and, just on 10 o’clock, started walking a couple of hundred metres down the road to turn left through a gate up a short hill before turning downhill and south-west, walking into the teeth of the fierce westerly. The 4wd track we were following wound around the hill before turning down a side stream to meet Orbells Creek at the bottom by some stock yards. Across the creek was a prominent rock which offered some shelter and, as it was now after 10.30, we settled down for morning tea on a sunny bank beside some stock yards.
After smoko, we took a track which climbed up the hill behind us and down the other side to meet the creek again. (On the return journey, we spied a track which followed Orbells Creek on the true left and would have avoided this hill.) We crossed the creek and followed it for a short distance before leaving it to climb 200 metres over a saddle and drop down to a side stream. Rather than follow the track which climbed again, we decided to sidle down the valley to the left. Some went down the true left, others on the right. Some on the left crossed to the right; those on the right crossed to the left and back to the right on meeting the main creek which had followed a big loop to the south. Routes were available down both sides until the valley opened out where the destination caves could be seen in a prominent schist rock face above the true left. A short walk down the creek, through some yards, across the creek and up a short climb took us to the caves: two large openings in the rock offering airy shelter. One had a small spring which watered a small patch of lush grass. Both had clearly provided bedding for livestock, so care was needed in selecting luncheon seating.
We had reached the caves shortly before 1 o’clock and enjoyed lunch on the sunny hillside below the caves. From there we could look down the valley to the Three O’clock Stream which Orbells Creek flows into and which, in turn, joins the Taieri River near Hindon. At 1.30 we set off on the return journey, climbing four hills to reach the cars at around 4.30. A fairly strenuous day in interesting country new to many was enjoyed by Rex, Lorena, Bess, Julian, Lynette, Neville, David, Keith, Jenny, Jane, Robbie and John.
