June 2014 Club Night
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.