Ben Ohau – June 2012

Ben Ohau stands as a sentinel overlooking Lake Ohau and forming the southern tip of the Ben Ohau Range.  At 1552 metres, it provides a 1000 metre climb from the road.  The Greta Stream carpark at its base is 165 km from Oamaru and is reached via SH83, SH8, Max Smith Drive, over the Ohau A power station and west alongside the Ohau Canal to the Glen Lyon Road.  The tramp is entirely on conservation land.

Six set off on a fine Sunday morning, cool with a light westerly breeze.  The day was to provide a short window of fine weather in between storms.  We left the Greta Stream carpark at 10.30 am and started on the steady climb up the old 4wd track which initially zigzags, then proceeds in a long sweep across the northern face to its highest point.  From there we climbed up a fence line, over a mixture of rock and sub-alpine vegetation, to reach the summit at around 12.15.

After being buzzed by a light plane which approached from the direction of Twizel, we perched on rocks protruding from drifts of old snow to lunch and enjoy one of the great vantage points – with views from Pukaki, Twizel, Lakes Benmore and Ruataniwha, the Benmore Range, Omarama, the St Cuthbert, Ewe, Diadem and Ohau Ranges around to Lake Ohau and the Neumann Range.

A chill breeze encouraged us on our way by 1.45, back down the fence line to the 4wd track where we turned east and followed it along the ridge towards Twizel.  After about 3 km, at the lowest point on the ridge, we left the track and turned north down a tussock face which narrowed to a gully before coming out on to the Greta Stream at around 3.30.  On the way we spooked a small black pig and dispatched a wilding pine.

From there, we headed back west, following a disused farm track down the Greta Valley, through a small gorge, impressive rock faces and colourful dracophylla and snowberries.  After 5 stream crossings, the track led up the bank on the true right through some remnant beech forest and along a poled route across tussock terraces toward Lake Ohau. At one point the poles stopped and the track came to a sudden end in a patch of scrub.  This required a climb over a fence on to an old farm track which continued the descent to the road, where a DOC sign confirmed we had been on the correct route.  The final leg was ten minutes along the road to reach the cars dead on 5pm.

The day provided a 16km walk with 1000 metres ascent and descent, mountain and valley terrain, and tussock, forest and sub-alpine flora.  Bess, Brian, Jane, Linda and Sam added to the entertainment.

John.