Trip Reports
Ben Lomond
Wednesday, June 19th, 2024
16 June 2024
Ben Lomond is the highest point on the ridge separating the Maerewhenua and Otekaieke valleys.
After a week of fluctuating weather forecasts, the day dawned fine and nine trampers left Oamaru
at 8 o‘clock, picking up a tenth at Duntroon, and turned down Special School Road to park just
before the farm track dropped down off the terrace. After a preliminary discussion it was decided
that six would head for the top while four would aim for a shorter walk. Among the latter was the
supposed trip leader who had left his boots at home.
All set off just before 9 o’clock dropping down off the terrace to the valley floor and crossing the
Otekaieke River by a stock bridge. It was then through a couple of gates to start up the steep climb
to the Ben Lomond ridge. The main group took a direct route up while the shorter walkers followed
the zig-zag track.
The group who were attempting a longer distance headed towards Lower Ben Lomond (994 metres)
where they stopped for lunch at about noon. A discussion was held whether they try and make it to
Ben Lomond itself, but with what looked like a change in the weather coming and shorter amount of
daylight available it was decided to turn back after lunch following the high path for the views rather
than descending into the river valley.
The other four stopped at a fenceline about half-way along the top ridge (about 830 metres) and
lunched on a sheltered knob with fine views of the mountains in the St Mary Range. Two returned
down the fenceline while the last two (including the bootless leader) returned by the track.
All ten met up before the bridge and returned to the cars at 2.30pm. The Duntroon Hotel debrief
concluded that it had been a very good day with fine weather, great views and a good workout. So
said Roz, Lorena, David, Robbie, Julian, Neville, Rex, Neil, Jane and John.
Staircase Ridge 12 May 2024
Monday, May 13th, 2024
Seven trampers turned out for this walk which does have quite strenuous climbs in it. It was a fine chilly morning as we set off down the hill to the Middle Branch of the Waianakarua River. Birdsong was unusually loud and the big descent was undertaken in good spirits. We had been joined by two younger potential members so some observation was required to see if they were going to be ok going up the Staircase ridge. As many members will know, the river part of this trip is particularly slippery at this time of the year, but luckily there had been no frost and fairly dry conditions meant it wasn’t too bad.
It was the same for the very steep climb out of the river bed going up the initial part of the Staircase ridge, probably as dry as I have seen. One of the young fellows developed blisters fairly early on which were dealt with on a few occasions during our walk, hopefully it didn’t put him off altogether. The track had ben trimmed since the last time I was there and the going was relatively easy.
DoC has taken on the maintenance of both the Tabletop and Staircase tracks and the track markers put in are probably better than ever, well done to the 2 local rangers responsible. This group set no speed records and by about lunchtime we had reached Pt 499 which provided some good views and a good place to have a leisurely lunch and the chance to have look around and pick out the various landmarks.
It was decided to return from whence we had come at this time and a pleasant, mostly downhill journey brought us back to the river and the last grind up the hill back to the vehicles by 3.30. A very pleasant day’s walk in good company with good accompanying birdsong along the way. Thanks to Neville,Neil, Helen, Rodney, Henry and Archie for coming.
Robbie
Top Dingle Hut April 2024
Friday, May 10th, 2024
Trip Report, Top Dingle Hut, 27 – 28 April, 2024
But the forecast was good and the mountains looked inviting with a fresh coating of early snow, so the three trampers continued further up Birchwood Rd intending to climb over to the Dingle Burn Valley to stay the night at the Top Dingle Hut. (It’s always wise to have an alternative trip planned if trying to cross the Ahuriri!)
Robbie drove us right up to the Dingle Burn Track carpark, and the three of us headed off up the track at 11.30am. We reached the saddle by 1pm, having lunched lower down to shelter from the freezing wind blowing off the snowy peaks. Then we headed down the steep ridge to the Dingle Valley below, reaching Top Dingle Hut soon after 2.30pm.
Top Dingle Hut is well worth a visit: a small 1963 hut with 6 bunks, fireplace, stainless steel bench and bespoke table and stools. Surrounded by beech trees, catching the afternoon sun, looking out over the Dingle Burn to mighty peaks above, it is a place to linger. After settling in with hot drinks and afternoon tea, we spent the sunny late afternoon collecting firewood from the forest, then settling in for a game of Five Crowns by the blazing fire.
Leaving at 8am the next morning to climb back up the hill, we reached the saddle by 10am, so we had time to walk for an hour north along the ridge to a small tarn. The day was perfect, windless and sunny, and the views up the Ahuriri valley over to Mt Barth, Mt Huxley, and Mt Maitland were magnificent. Another hour back to the saddle and a quick descent in an hour to the carpark made for a comfortable five hour walk in all.
Many thanks to Robbie for leading the alternative trip and to Karen for joining us on another stunning Ahuriri adventure. Snowy Gorge still awaits us!
Jenny Kitchin.
Mt Obi
Thursday, April 18th, 2024
Sunday 7 April 2024
Seven of us left Oamaru on a fine morning and headed down to Palmerston and then inland on the Pigroot Rd to the rest area by the Pigroot creek bridge to meet up with our three members from Dunedin.
It was then on with the day packs and across the road to walk up Pigroot creek or what we thought was the right creek. However we soon realised we were in the wrong creek, so we soon put it right by climbing up a wee hill to be above Pigroot creek. We kept this height over a few gullies to finally pick up the 4WD track that we would follow to the top.
It was a warm hike up a steep track that just kept on going, but the views out to the Maniototo and south were amazing and we could hear the Stags in the distance roaring. At point 1128m two of our members headed back down. The rest of the group veered east onto another track that levelled off and then dropped down a bit before a 200m grunt up to meet the main track under Obi that comes up from Shingly Creek Rd.
At this point another member stopped there to rest and have lunch while the rest of the group headed on up to reach the top of Obi 1426m at about 1.15pm.
As it was such a nice day a leisurely lunch was taken with amazing 360 degree views of the coast, the Kakanui Mountains of Mt Dasher, Mt Evelyn, Kakanui Peak and Mt Domett in the distance, right through to the mountains around Queenstown.
All things have to come to an end so at 2pm it was back down the track to meet up with the member that had lunch at the track junction. We then headed down the track towards Shingly Creek Rd but about ¾ of the way down we dropped off the main track and took another track west down to Siberia creek. It was then down the creek through a bit of scrub back out to the river flats and back to the cars getting back at about 4pm.
It was such a nice day to be in the hills and I would like to thank the farmers that let us through their properties. So after nearly 17km and a 900m climb that took about nearly 7 hrs, everyone had had an enjoyable day.
Thanks to Julian, Lynette, Tizzy, Geoff, Mary, Neil, Tim, Helen and Rodney for their company for the day.
Neville
Trip Report, Mt Domett, 9/10 March 2024
Wednesday, March 13th, 2024
A good forecast for this weekend ensured that a climb up to the summit was on. A good sized crew of 8 was all set for this trip and duly arrived at Baileys Yards in the Danseys Pass area before 2pm on the Saturday for the walk in to Chinaman’s Hut up the Otekaieke River. It was a nice walk in and upon arrival those with tents established their camp . Unfortunately for the leader it was discovered that his boots had had a catastrophic failure with one of the soles having completely detached from the boot and the other also pretty dodgy…. there would be no summit for those boots.
A nice warm evening and pleasant setting with a game of 5 Crowns to finish off saw everyone in bed by 9. The following morning an early wakeup at 5.30 got us off to start walking up the river to the start of the uphill section at the head of the valley. The leader had to send his merry crew off up the hill at this point on their own, owing to his decrepit boots. He anxiously tried to follow their progress with the aid of binoculars but after just a short while failed there too as the crew disappeared from sight.
He gradually slunk back to camp eventually and met up with the other component of this weekend’s participants, a small group of 3 who had walked in just to Chinaman’s Hut for a day walk and after sharing his anxiety for the welfare of the summit crew they returned back to the vehicle and he started to pack up and take down every other tent.
Before long half the crew returned to the hut, the mountain had repelled them with shingle scree and steepness and they packed up the remainder of their gear ready for the walk out. The 3 who did reach the summit took quite a bit longer to return but were buoyed by their success. The leader cunningly had jerry rigged his failing footwear with multiple laces and was able to return to the vehicle in booted feet, but said boots will never feel the crunch of riverbeds again and were unceremoniously dumped in the rubbish bin upon return. This was a very good trip with a happy crew and a great result, well done everyone and thanks for your company. Those who came were; Aahmes, Gabriel, Jenny, David, Julian, Jonathon, Augusta, Maurice, John, Phyllis and Robbie