Author Archive

Mt Stalker

Monday, October 8th, 2012

I headed down to the carpark at 8am to meet up with 10 other trampers all ready to go and we picked up another two at Maheno which gave us a grand total of 13 which was a great turn out. The day was fine in Oamaru but the forecast was for rain in the morning clearing by afternoon. We all headed for Herbert where we turned off and went up Tulliemet rd into Mt Stalker station. We carried on driving on a farm road for another 6 km till we came to the place where we parked the cars and started our hike for the day. It was very foggy and a cold wind, so we put on our warm gear and headed off. We started off by hiking along the hill tops at about 900m and every now and then the fog would lift just a little to give us a peak of the great views around us. After about 1 hour hiking the fog lifted and it came out fine and the views were awesome. We then dropped down to the valley below to where we visited our first hut for the day. We had morning tea at the Gentle Anne Hut by the creek and by now it was getting quite warm. From here it was all uphill to about 1300m and a 10km hike to our next hut but Maurice looked at the map and thought there might be a shorter root up a very steep and rocky Mt Stalker so Maurice, Robbie, Bill, Steve and Ann all headed off to have a look and we decided that we would all meet up at the next hut. The rest of us crossed the creek and started our steep climb up a 4.w.d track for about 1 and half hours till we came to the main 4.W.D track that comes up the Otepopo Spur. By this time we were getting a bit hungry so we stopped for lunch. From our lunch spot we had great views from the sea right up the pig root to the remarkable mountains. After lunch we carried on up the Otepopo Spur, getting up to about 1300m with some small patches of snow still lying around. We finally came to our next turn off the track that comes up the Cayenne Spur. This track carries on up to Obi, Kattothyrst and Siberia hill of which we had great views of but we were going down this track towards Cayenne Hut to where we would meet the others. We arrived at the hut about 2.45pm to find the other relaxing in the hut so we join them for about half an hour. They had been there for about an hour. This hut has had a major rebuild over last couple of years. It was a short steep uphill from the hut and then it was an easy hike back to the cars, arriving there at 4.30pm just as the fog was starting to roll back in. All in all this was a 21km round trip, with awesome views and great company.

Thanks to – Robbie, Els, Uwe, Sylvia Maurice, Phyllis, Steve, Ann, Sam, Bill, Linda, Colin

and me Neville

An Unauthorized Version
News has come through of  a remarkable first ascent of Mt Stalker in a remote mountain range in the South Island of New Zealand. The expedition group included 3 New Zealanders  and 2 English climbers  and the successful ascent was via the south face , previously thought technically impossible . The expedition was lead by Maurice Gray and the Verhoef  express and later the group joined 6 others in an equally arduous circumnavigation of the area . The day was marked by a complete absence of what has become know in elite mountaineering circles  as the Leidecker view.
Notices have been placed in the Times of London , The  Mail of Oamaru  and the Saint- Emilion gazette.  Congratulatory telegrams  have been sent by the Governor General of New Zealand and  the Queen ..

Gentle Annie Hut
Having a break
Nice day
View down the valley
Track
Cayenne Hut
Good to sit down in Cayenne hut

[Show slideshow]

Club Night – March 2012

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

35 people attended the March meeting of the club. The president discussed a recent notification from the FMC on changes to club registration and outlined the various options. The matter was decided on a show of hands and there was a further debate on subscriptions for the coming year. Members were also asked to record their best ever tramp for use in future trip planning. The secretary gave various notices and there was a brief report on the progress with the web-site. Recent trip reports included a 2 day trip to Mt Somers in good weather with an opportunity to see interesting rock formations, varied landscape and excellent views. There was also a river crossings course and a number of cancelled trips due to bad weather. The Wednesday walkers group reported on several trips in the past couple of months to Dome hills, Awakino gorge and Kurow hill, Quailburn, Stoneyards, Clear Stream and an abortive trip to Mt’s Alexander and Nobbler because of fog.

The meeting then had a marvellous presentation from Ross Milmine on his trip to Chile and Argentina in November 2011. We were treated to entertaining description of a journey across two vast countries travelling in a small group using buses, ferries and planes. Part of the journey was on the Pan-American highway through Chile and the photos along the way gave us a glimpse of the rugged coastline, the volcanoes and spectacular mountain ranges and glaciers with some similar plants and landscape to New Zealand. There was also some insight into the people of the region and their lives. We saw red Chilean Fire bush giving vibrant colour to the Southern beech forests and Humboldt and Magellan penguins enjoying the isolated coastline. Switching to Patagonia, the scenery was even more spectacular with huge lakes, an abundance of wildlife and the famous rock towers near El Chalten rising amidst impressive glaciers some 10kms wide and 35 kms long. All of this was beautifully photographed and all major features described mixed with anecdotes bringing alive both the country and the culture. Finally from 55 degrees south, we fast forwarded to 23 degrees to the Iguazu falls on the border of Argentina and Brazil – tropical birds, lush vegetation and immense cascading waterfalls. A true South American odyssey.

Club Night – February 2012

Thursday, March 29th, 2012

The Oamaru Information Centre now sells Back Country Hut Tickets. Up to now access to these tickets has been difficult, so there is now no reason to not pay for the huts we use.
A submission on behalf of the Club has been made to the Ribbonwood Station Tenure Review.
The Club website is up and running, but needs improvement. This is being attended to, and will include a trip intentions page, but suggested improvements can be left on the website – North Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club.
The Herbert Forest Promotion day on the 15th April will feature the reopening of the Hoods Creek Track. Some track work and signage and track markers are yet to be put in place.
Ian Sutherland of North Otago Mountain Bikes spoke on co-operating with the Tramping Club to open up tracks in the Herbert Forest to both bikers and trampers.
A track clearing party will go to the upper South Temple track 26th – 28th February. Contact Bill Bews.
Tramping Club Trip reports included 6 members walking up the Kakanui River Gorge, one of the more picturesque spots in North Otago.
There was a biking round trip from Oamaru to Herbert Forest Swallows Track, which was walked, and then biking back via the Wainakarua coastal road. This included riding along the beach between All Day Bay and Campbells Bay. A damp but enjoyable day.
The Temple Basin was enjoyed by one party that did the round trip over Gun Barrel pass, and the other which did the return trip to the South Temple hut.
The Wednesday walkers have been to the Rock and Pillar Range, Clear Stream in Danseys Pass, the North branch of the Wainakarua River via Mt. Stalker, and a walk up towards Mt. Kyburn via the D O C access route on Danseys Pass.
Coming Club trips are a weekend trip to Mt. Summers, a river crossing course, something we all need to practice, and a day trip to Cayenne and Gentle Annie Huts via Mt. Stalker. Look on the website for more information, and to see reports and photos of past trips.
The Club Night Guest Speaker was club member Laszlo Meszeros, who fascinated us with his talk and photos of his 800k walk along the Camina de Santiago Trail in North West Spain, in June last year. The trail is one of several that Christian Pilgrims walk to Santiago de Compostela. This one started in France, although he started in Pamplona where he watched and filmed the “running of the bulls” in all its vivid detail! The walk took 30 days, walking up to 40 k per day with temperatures ranging from 14 to 42 degrees, and heights above sea level from o to 1200meters. The trail can also be ridden by bike or horse. Thousands of pilgrims were walking it because of the pilgrimage, the scenery ranging from low arid hills to lush green forest, and the challenge of walking such a long distance. The 12th century architecture of the stone arch buildings and bridges was well illustrated in his photos. A trail passport, stamped along the way, ensured that he received a certificate of completion in Santiago de Compostela.
The next Club night is on the 12th March, 7-30pm in the St Pauls Church Lounge Coquet St. Oamaru, where we will hear about “Patagonia, 25 to 55 degrees south”.
Wednesday walkers meet outside the Towey St. tennis courts at 8-30am each Wednesday for a day walk. Bring your lunch etc.