Conical Hill 945m
22-6-2024
10 of us met at the car park in Oamaru all looking for a good day in the hills. The weather
forecast was fine but cool with a change late afternoon in which time we would be out by
then.
We all piled into two Vehicles and headed down to Palmerston where we met two other
members from Dunedin. We then headed about 20km inland on the Pigroot Rd to we
turned off into Kinross Station. There is an easement through Kinross station to the top of
Conical Peak with a car park and a DOC sign being just off the Pigroot Rd, but we had been
in contact with the farmer that we were going to be on this property and he was happy for
us to park in his yards.
At about 9.30am we headed off up the easement track which has orange poles on the fence.
At 10.30am at about the 600m mark we stopped for morning tea with views north-
northwest towards the snow-capped Kakanui Mountains and the southernmost peak of Obi.
We then carried on up the track and at about the 750m mark we got a view of the top of
Conical peak and of the headwaters of the South Branch of the Waianakarua River.
At about noon the 1st of the party reached the top of Conical Peak 945m and the rest of the
party that wanted to get to the top all arrived over the next half an hour. A leisurely Lunch
was taken in fine clam conditions with 360 degree views and views of the North and South
Branches of the Waianakarua River and to the northwest to the start of the Kakanui
Mountains and southwest across to the snow-capped Rock and Piller Range.
At about 1pm we headed off back down the track with the cloud that had been sitting out at
sea all day was starting to roll in, all arriving back at the cars about 3pm with everyone
agreeing it had been a good day out in good conditions for a winter hike.
Over the day we covered 15.5 km, an 800m climb from the cars to the top and it took us
about 5 ½ hours. On the way home we stopped at the Dunback pub but it was closed so it
was back to Palmerston where there was a thick drizzle. A debrief of ice cream and coffee
was taken and to farewell our two Dunedin members.
Thanks for making it a good day out; Maurice, Phyllis, Ross F, Geoff, John, Rex, David N,
Rodney, Helen and our two newbie’s Sarah and Rory.
Neville
