Club Night November 2021

Thursday, November 11th, 2021

November 8th Club Night was attended by 17 people.

Trip Reports: 10 trampers went to Hermit’s Cave in the Silverpeaks area, up Green Ridge to Pulpit Rock and then to Hermit’s Cave. Going above the cave gave a view of Jubilee Hut and there are two more caves in the area and a number of tracks to discover on other trips. 

      A group went to Dunedin  and to Signal Hill which gave good views of the Otago Peninsula and out to sea . There are also lots of tracks to be explored in this area.

      Wednesday Walkers went to Duntroon and walked to Elephant rocks and back;they covered 14 km. The next week they did the Domett Loop. A trip went from Anderson’s Lagoon to the Shag River mouth  to look at nesting shags and their young in the colony along the cliffs, as well as sea lions on the beach.. There was a good farm walk up from Tussocky Road to Big Stony . The Wanderers went to a spot above the Shag River mouth, and walked some of the Mountain bike tracks in Herbert Forest, followed by a spectacular garden walk in the area. 

     The main business of the evening was Trip Planning for the Summer Programme, and this produced ideas for some exciting and different summer tramps and bike rides for a range of abilities, which will be something to look forward to.

Club Night 11 October 2021

Thursday, October 14th, 2021

14 masked and spaced out members attended the Clubs October meeting under covid level 2.

Robbie reported that the large pine tree lying lengthwise along the Hoods Creek track in the Herbert Forest has had a temporary track cut around it.

Since the last meeting one trip was cancelled because of adverse weather, but a trip up Maryburn stream was enjoyed by a small group who then climbed Simons Hill.

The Wednesday Walkers had walks on the Roseneath Station loop, the lower part of Station Peak, the Herbert Forest circuit and the escarpment from Waianakarua to Herbert.

Coming trips are to the Silverpeaks looking for the Hermits Cave, the Rock and Pillar Range, and the Signal Hill track from Logan Park.

There was discussion on the draft Waitaki District Councils Spatial Plan looking at urban housing expansion over the next 30 years. Concern was expressed about the possible inclusion of reserve areas being used for housing, in this plan.

Jonathan then took us down memory lane, looking through the Clubs archives at old trips, annual reports and bushcraft / survival courses.
Jane Naish expanded on one of these which was her first bushcraft course in the Hopkins Valley. Basically it was about why you don’t go up the Hopkins for a bushcraft course in a Nor’wester.
 It rained heavily and the rivers rose rapidly. A family in their hut had to be evacuated across the Hopkins pending the birth of their next child, members river crossings and hypothermia were coped with and another family group with an imbalance of food and wine was helped out, making it a bushcraft course to remember and learn from.

Club Night September 2021

Saturday, September 18th, 2021

The club managed to hold its monthly meeting under Covid 19 Level 2 rules.

Pre lockdown 5 members enjoyed a day on skis and snow shoes at Ohau ski field.
The weather turned out OK and a meal at the lodge on the way home capped of a good day.

Also pre lockdown the Wednesday Walkers had a new day walk on Elginview Station with excellent views over the Waitaki Valley from the North side.
 A 15k walk around Oamaru was managed under Level 2.

Coming trips are to Maryburn and Simons Hill, and a 2 day trip to the East Ahuriri from Quailburn, camping at some tarns.

The main event of the evening was a quiz with 80 questions on topics of tramping, geography, flora and fauna and general knowledge. All competitors were given “brain food” sweets at the start which were furtively slipped under our masks during the event, though they didn’t help much for some. Margie was a clear winner with a score of 56.

Club Night 9 August 2021

Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

The Club decided to participate in Conservation Week at the beginning of September. The committee will decide what to do.

Members were asked to report any wallaby sightings while out in the hills to a District Council, especially sightings on the south side of the Waitaki River.

Trip Reports
The Wednesday Walkers had day trips to Cornish Head and Matanaka, finishing with a return beach walk to the Waikouaiti River Mouth, the Earthquakes and farm walk near Duntroon,  The Tapui 3 Peaks and 2 Tunnels circuit, and the A2O track from Aviemore to Kurow.
The Tramping Club had a  weekend trip to Queenstown, where they joined up with Hokanui Tramping Club members. They walked the Mt Crichton Loop Track which took them past Lake Dispute. Some went night skiing or down the luge, and on Sunday they did the Sawpit Gully Walkway near Arrowtown.

The other Tramping Club Trip was to the Waiorau Snow Farm where they enjoyed snow shoeing and cross country skiing, staying in Wanaka. They managed to make it home over the Lindis Pass in a snow storm.

Coming Trips are skiing at Ohau, a weekend of Dunedin walks, and climbing the Ben Ohau Range returning via the Greta Track. The September Club night will be a quiz night.

The rest of the Club night was taken up with planning trips until the end of the year.

Club Night July 2021

Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

Club Trips

6 Members walked the length of Katiki Beach from the North end and continued round over the Shag Point Rock Shelf at low tide. The exit from the beach was, as usual, guarded by a contingent of fur seals, but as they were sleeping in the warm sun, it was easy to dodge around them.

Mt Cargill was climbed from Bethune’s Gully along with lots of other walkers and runners. The fine day enabled 360 degree views including the Rock and Pillar Range. They returned via the Organ Pipes.

Woosies bike trip from Kakanui took them down the coast, with the pedal power bikes turning up Bowalley Rd. and the ebikes continuing to the Waianakarua River. Both groups returned via inland routes to lunch at the Kakanui Café.

Coming Trips are to Big Hut on the Rock and Pillar Range, Queenstown walks with the Hokanui Tramping Club and cross country skiing at the Cardrona Ski Farm.

Wednesday Walkers had return walks on the A2O from Windsor through Rakis Tunnel and Otematata to Benmore Dam. A Timaru coastal walk revealed substantial damage from the previous night’s high seas, and a circuit from Ashlands Rd to overlooking Trotters Gorge and a return via Snake Gully was endured in a bitterly cold Sou-wester.

Club members then showed photos of various trips they had been on.

They included a return trip up the Karangarua River to Douglas Pass, some exquisite photos of mountain flowers, a tramp on Great Barrier Island, “creatures of the forest” showing life like moss covered stumps, the Hump Ridge track in a snow storm, and the Able Tasman which finished with a kayak trip in rough seas.