Club Night – May 2012

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

The Club held its 36^th Annual Meeting on the 14^th May 2012. There are slight changes to office bearers with Bronwyn McCone remaining President and Neville Corry becoming treasurer. Uwe Grasmueck is newsletter editor. Subs were increased slightly for family and social members.

The Club is a nominee for the Trust Power Otago Community Services Award.

Mountain Safety are running a First Aid course in June.

Trips organized by the club over the last month included a South Temple social trip by 4 members.

The Hoods Creek Reopening day was held on the 15^th April in brilliant weather with about 90 attending. Groups then walked the various tracks in the Herbert Forest which is owned by Blakely Pacific.

Mount Buster near Naseby was climbed on a blustery day by 8 members, with a visit also to the Buster gold diggings, which at 1200m are the highest gold diggings in New Zealand.

The Routeburn Caples circuit was walked by 5 members. Incidents they came across included saving the Routeburn Falls hut from burning down upon walking into the hut to find a white spirit stove burning out of control. Luckily there was only smoke damage. There was a search and rescue operation happening in the Caples Valley, with helicopters everywhere. Members were impressed with the quality upgrade of the McKellar Saddle track.

The Wednesday Walkers climbed Station Peak from Little Roderick, walked the Benmore Walkway to the peninsula with brilliant autumn colours, climbed Mt.Difficulty from The Dasher, and did an anticlockwise circuit which included the Earthquakes Reserve near Duntroon.

Coming Club trips are the Elephant Hill – Mussen circuit on the 20^th May, Dunedin Hills including the Pipeline and Swampy on the 27^th May, and Otehake River in Arthurs Pass on Queens birthday weekend, where a soak in the hot pool is a must do. More details are on the NOTMC website.

Guest speakers were Club members Ann and Steve Leidecker who walked several day trips in the Appenine and Apuane Mountain ranges of Italy in September last year with a group of 12 friends.

They based themselves in Sommocolonia where they rented a very reasonably priced villa. Sightseeing in the pretty towns of Lucca and Barga started the trip. Then a day walk, including an extensive limestone cave tour, in the Apuane foothills. The views from the steep ridges were spectacular.

The third day saw them in the Appenine foothills climbing 2054m Mt.Prado, the route taking them up through the green beech forest and along a long ridge above the tree line.

The next day saw them walking through colourful heather, tussock, and wild bilberry meadows close to their Villa in the Appenine’s. Mt.Rommechio at 1700m and Cima del Ormo at 1850m were their objectives with a 24k round trip.

The last walk showed the limestone and high grade marble of the Opuane Mountains, where they visited a delightful church built into the cliff face, and saw the marble quarry that Michelangelo used for his masterpieces.

The pictures and talk were an enticement to members to visit this scenic part of Italy with its many well marked tracks.

Club Night – April 2012

Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012

Recent trips include the Big Kuri Circuit in behind Hampden, with 6 trampers enjoying a day out.

An extended anniversary weekend enabled 14 members to walk the Rees- Dart track. This was done with half walking from each end and swapping keys to save transport problems. The weather ranged from fine to rain to snow to fine.  Some side creeks were up at times but all were able to be safely crossed. It was cold for the anticlockwise party crossing the Rees saddle in 2-3 inches of snow, and they were glad to get to the Shelter Rock hut. Both parties were out by early afternoon on the fourth day, and it was homeward bound from an enjoyable trip.

A working bee was held to clear the Swallows Track in preparation for the guided walk day in Herbert Forest. More needs to be done, especially up the gully of the Swallows Track. Any member with spare time and a pair of loppers is welcome to clear the track.

The Wednesday Walkers day trips have been to the Windsor Tapui area with a circuit over Rakis Table, Belmont, and Victoria Hills, and through the old railway tunnel. Pigeon Bush was visited and the old Totara tree measured, giving an estimated age of about 1500 years. It was agreed at the Club night that this was considerably older than the member who celebrated his birthday that day!

There was also a round trip of Elephant Hill and Mussen.

Eight members visited Stewart Island for five days, flying into Masons Bay, and walking and boating out to Oban with day walks to explore. Kiwi were spotted, and they were entertained by the antics of kaka, bellbirds, tui and theStewart Island robin.

Another group biked the Central Otago Rail Trail.

On the 15^th April the Hoods Creek track in Herbert Forest will be reopened, and there will be guided walks available on it plus the Swallows and Podocarp tracks. Signs should be followed from SH1 south of Herbert to the Breakneck Road meeting place, with the opening at 9-30am and guided walks starting from 10am until midday. Walk lengths range from one to five hours. If the weather is unsuitable the event will be held on the 22^nd April. Postponement will be announced on the local radios and the NOTMC notices website.

Coming trips are a Mt.Buster circuit on the 29^th April, and the Routeburn – Caples 10^th to the 13^th May. Visit our trips website for details of these .

Guest Speaker at the April club night was Denis Brown, telling us about his second trip to Macquarie Island to eradicate the rabbits, rats, and mice there. Because of poor flying weather the $26m project was not completed in 2010, so they returned in late autumn 2011 to finish the job. “Pestoff” a waffrin based bait was spread over every square meter of the 25k by 5k island. The Australian based team of 41 included a N Z contingent, led by local helicopter pilot John Oakes because of their expertise in bait placement. Denis was the communications expert, but duties also included cooks help, cleaning and helicopter refueling. The team reached the island via Hobart on a chartered P&O ship and included a cargo of 4 squirrel helicopters for bait spreading, and 13 dogs for clean up work. Thermal imaging on the helicopters was used to find the last of the rabbits and the dogs and shooters will continue for at least 2 years to ensure total eradication. Calcivirus had been introduced a few years ago, so the rabbit numbers had been drastically reduced, making it easier to poison the rest.

We were enthralled by Denis’s portrayal of life on the island, the excellent still and video photos of birds, seals, scenery, and getting round the island. The weather ranged from the odd fine calm day to blizzards and up to 30cm of snow. When the weather was too bad to fly the helicopters, they explored the island, staying in the strategically placed huts that were well insulated and well stocked with food and fuel. Being a world heritage island, all rubbish had to be removed.

Wild life include numerous birds such as Petrel, King and Royal Penguins, and Albatross. There were Hooker Seals who needed to be given a wide birth or they would bite you, and huge  – up to 4 tonne Elephant Seals who got in the way and had to be shifted somehow.

There are still many other islands in the world that need pest eradication, funding being the main constraint. The Antipodes may be the next local island to be cleared.

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.