Trip Reports
Clutha Gold Waihola to Lawrence Bike Ride
Saturday, March 9th, 2024
Sunday 25 February 2024
The Plan
To cycle on the Clutha Gold Trail between Waihola and Lawrence
The Logistics
Twelve people, three cars,two trailers with 4 people in each car.
Five bikes on each trailer and two on a bike rack on a car all pre-loaded the night before departure at 7.00am
The Mission
All 3 cars met at Waihola at start of the trail. Drivers swapped cars and 2 with 5 people drove to Lawrence. The remaining 7 started biking from Waihola while leaving a car and trailer there.
The Highlights Waihola to Lawrence Group
Biking on boardwalks across the water of Lake Waihola.
Crossing some amazing bridges (Real works of art)
Plenty of free apples beside the trail before Milton (Given the thumbs-up by Jenny)
Lunch under the trees in the Stuart Reserve
Two tunnels (One under the main road)
Lovely avenues of trees
More boardwalks and concrete pathways
Finally some downhill for Colin, the only non-battery bike
Meeting our other group for a catch-up in the Manuka Gorge (swapping keys as well)
Biking on a back road past the Waitahuna cemetery
Coffee and hot pies at the Coffee Cart in Waitahuna
Great downhill ride into Lawrence
Well maintained track with good surface
The Negatives
A headwind from Waihola to Milton
Lots of rabbits South of Waihola
Two losing battery power just short of Lawrence
The Conclusion
Both groups arrived at their destinations at around 3.30pm
No punctures
No major issues with the bikes
No accidents
With a timely meeting at Palmerston on the way home, a great day was enjoyed with the company of Jenny, Lynn, Karyl, Noel, Colin and Maurice (Waihola to Lawrence Group)
and Bev, Vicki, Robbie, John and Ross (Lawrence to Waihola Group)
Phyllis
Meeting Report 12.2.24
Monday, March 4th, 2024
Julian led our meeting this time, starting with Trip Reports:
Mitchells Hut in the Kakanui ranges.
This trip was reduced to a day trip because of bad weather.Trampers explored Siberia and Kattothyrst areas.
Herbert Forest Working Bee
Very well attended (13 people) 60 Steps were carted in and tracks tidied up.
Little Canyon Creek
Access to this was difficult because of a large mud slide and trampers ended up walking an extra 3 kms to start of tramp.It was quite a push up to 3 tarns.Quite a long wknd Robbie had some good photos .
Caples Greenstone Waitangi Wknd.
The weather looked ominous before leaving but it turned out fine.Trampers left Glenorchy and spent the 1st night in the Upper Caples Deerstalkers hut 2nd night at McKellar Hut and 3rd at the Greenstone hut.Very competitive cards each evening. A lovely walk and photos to.
Wednesday walkers gave their report
Up and Coming Trips
Dome Hills A day walk with good views
Clutha Gold Bike Ride From Lawerence to Waihola A new section.
Herbert Forest Working Bee A follow up before winter.
Mt Domet from Chinamans Hut Options available to do as much or as little as you like.
Trip Planning Followed
Meeting closed 8.40 pm followed by a cup of tea.
Doctors Point – Mopanui, Sunday 11 February 2024
Monday, March 4th, 2024
Six club members left Oamaru in two vehicles and headed south to Waitati, before continuing on along Doctors Point Road and eventually meeting up with the three Dunedin-based members, Jane, Helen & Rodney, at the top of White Road and the start/end point of the Mopanui Ridgeline Track. After preparing for the day’s walking, we set-off at 9:38 a.m., initially making our way back down the 900-metre length of White Road to reach Doctors Point Road and the further 1-kilometre walk out to Doctors Point Beach.
After 25 minutes, we arrived at Doctors Point Beach and began the beach section of the walk, heading southeast along the coast during the oncoming low tide. A short distance along Doctors Point Beach we passed through ‘Taoka’s Arches’, giving continued low tide access to the remainder of the beach. After 50 minutes of walking, we’d made our way to our first destination of the day, the Mapoutahi Pā site, where Jane had some prepared notes to share about the dark history of this 18th century Māori pā site, while we were able to take in the views across to Blueskin Bay, Warrington and the surrounding area.
After 15 minutes, we were on our way once again, from the headland of the Mapoutahi Pā site and beach of Pūrākaunui Bay, we made our way south-southeast along the 3.7-kilometre length of Osborne Road around the edge of Pūrākaunui Inlet to the settlement of Osborne, while a light drizzle shower passed by. We turned southwest onto Pūrākaunui Station Road and commenced the 100-metre vertical ascent up to the Main South Line Railway, beneath the bush-covered peak of Mopanui (468m). At the top of Pūrākaunui Station Road, we crossed over the Main South Line Railway and regrouped for a lunch break at the entrance to the McKessar Track, a little over two hours after setting-out from the vehicles.
After the short lunch break, we initially started out up the McKessar Track, before branching off to the left to continue uphill onto a series of side tracks that would eventually lead us onto the peak of Mopanui. A short, but steep climb up the rocks surrounding the top of Mopanui was negotiated and all nine party members were soon enjoying the views from the top of the peak, an hour after starting up the McKessar Track. Half an hour of spectacular scenery from the top of Mopanui was enough before we all set-off once again, this time down the short track on the southern side of Mopanui, heading down to Mopanui Road in the direction of the Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary. Upon completing this relatively short bush walk, one member opted to head straight out to the Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary, while the remaining eight of us continued on along the 1.8-kilometre walk towards the northern end of the road, much of the way bordering an historic 19th century drystone wall and the modern 1.9-metre high, 47-kilometre long predator-proof fence surrounding the Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary. After 25 minutes we’d reached the end of Mopanui Road, but then continued north along the Mopanui Ridgeline Track, leading down a long flat, shallow gradient ridge with expansive views across Blueskin Bay to the Silver Peaks, eventually passing through a privately owned section of bush, which lead us out to the parked vehicles on White Road, arriving at 3:00 p.m. and completing a round trip of 5 hours and 22 minutes. Soon after, we drove back out to Waitati for a debrief and refreshments at the Blueskin Nurseries & Café, before parting company and heading for home.
Many thanks to Bess, Geoff, Maurice & Phyllis and Mike & Vicki for making the drive south to join Jane, Helen and I on an enjoyable wander along the beach, through the forest and bush, and across the volcanic tops of this peaceful location in such close proximity to the city of Dunedin.
Rodney Meiklejohn.
Caples Greenstone
Saturday, February 24th, 2024
Waitangi Weekend 2024
With Waitangi day being on a Tuesday, I decided to put the Greenstone/Caples on the programme so we could have the Monday off to give us four days to do this track and I had seven members interested in coming along.
The plan was to go up the Caples valley, staying in the upper Caples hut which is managed by the NZ Deerstalkers and then over Mckellar Saddle into the Greenstone Valley, staying at the DOC Mckellar hut and then down to the DOC Greenstone hut.
The weather for the weekend was a bit of a mixed bag with a bit of rain each day and about 60mm forecasted for the last day, but everyone was keen so two vehicles left Oamaru at 6am on the Saturday morning. We had a morning tea stop in Cromwell and then a stop in Queenstown to buy some hut tickets and check the weather with DOC, which was still forecasted for a bit of rain and to pick up the key to the upper Caples hut.
We then headed out to Glenorchy and around the south side of Lake Wakatipu to the Greenstone car park. We had lunch in the car park shelter before starting the hike at about 12.15pm with the plan for the 1st day being to hike 5hrs 16km up to the upper Caples hut. The 1st haft hour we followed a track up above the river till it opened up to a big clearing where the Greenstone valley and the Caples valley meet. We then carried on up the Caples valley following the river in and out of Beach forest and grasses flats in light rain from time to time, so it was on and off with the rain jackets a bit.
After about 2 ½ hrs we crossed a bridge over a deep river gorge to arrive at the Mid Caples DOC hut, where we stopped for a break and a snack. It was then off further up the valley in improving weather over big grasses flats for about an hour till we entered the bush again on a well formed track till we reached the Upper Caples hut about 5pm.
There were six hunters in the hut and we were a bit of a surprise for them because they thought they were the only booking in the hut for the night. They had been there for a few days so had spread there gear out everywhere, but they soon made room for us and we all settled down for the night, playing cards (Five crowns) talking to the hunters and we were all in bed just after 9pm.
Day 2 we were all up and ready to go about 8.15am and the plan for the day was about 5 hrs hiking over 15km up over Mckellar saddle 945 m into the Greenstone valley to Mckellar hut. The day was a bit cloudy and cool but no rain, so we headed off up a well formed track in the bush, climbing steadily for about 2 ½ hrs till we came out of the bush on to a plateau. Across the top it was all board walked to protect the vegetation with a few tarns and it was a bit cool and misty around the mountain tops, so the views were a bit limited. Once the saddle had been reached it was a steep zig zag track down into the Greenstone valley to the head of the Lake Mckellar and the junction with the track that goes up to the Routeburn or down the Greenstone.
At this stage light rain was starting to fall so there was no mucking around, so we headed off down the track in the bush beside Lake Mckellar for 3 ½ km till we reached Mckellar hut about 1.15pm. At the hut we were the 1st there and we were welcomed by a very friendly hut warden who offered us some hot water and lit the fire for us before sitting down with us and giving us some info on the area. During the afternoon the rain kept falling and other wet hikers started to arrive and everyone was greeted by the warden. We played Five Crowns again and by this time everyone was starting to get quite competitive and we were all in bed by about 9.30pm and the rain continued all night.
Day 3 we were all up and ready to go about 8am and the plan for the day was about 5hrs hiking over 18km to the Greenstone hut. The day was overcast with a cool wind blowing down the valley which we would have behind us and the rain had all but stopped. The track from the hut follows down the river alternating between tussock flats which were a bit soggy with the rain over night and bush which had slippery tree roots. The track passes through an old landside before reaching a gorge and then crossing over a wire swing bridge over Steele creek, passing the private Steele creek private lodge and the other Deerstalkers Mid Greenstone hut. The track continued down the open valley past a white terraced bank back into the bush to a junction in the track that lead over a bridge over a gorge and up to a flat area where the Greenstone hut sits.
Once again we were the 1st to the hut just after 1pm and the sun had come out, so the afternoon was relaxing with some going for a wash down by the river and some having a bit of a snooze, but we got another game of Five Crowns in before tea. By late afternoon the hut was starting to get full with people, with some doing the TA, others just starting the hike up the valley and a few like us just hiking out the next day. It was a very relaxing night with everyone mingling together on the big deck outside the hut and there was two young Stags came out of the bush to feed about 50m from the hut. Once again cards were play before heading off to bed.
Day 4 we were all ready to go about 7.45am after watching three young Stags feeding not far from the hut and with the last day being 3-4 hrs and 12km. The heavy rain that was forecast was nowhere to be seen with sunny blue skies, so it was back down over the bridge back to the junction and back on to the main track. We continue down the Greenstone track where the Valley narrows sharply as the river enters a long section of gorge, but about halfway down the gorge it opens up to a large open area known as Slip Flat and a great wee camping spot. The track re-enters the bush and river gorge and carries on down to it opens but up again with the Caples valley.
It was then over a bridge over the Caples river and a 30 min walk back out to the car park, arriving about 11am after a very satisfying four days had by all. Driving back out we could see where all the rain went and that was up in the Dart valley. We all finished the day off with a debrief and lunch in Glenorchy before the long drive home.
I would like to thank Juilan, Lynette, Robbie, Jenny, Colin and Jane for your company and making it a very enjoyable hike.
Neville
Little Canyon Creek, 20/21 January
Monday, January 22nd, 2024
Trip Report Little Canyon Creek, 20/21 January
Things did not work out as hoped for. As we contemplated the dark clouds inhabiting the Ahuriri Valley from the Wrinkly Rams while sipping our coffees, we realised that the forecasted weather was different to reality. The occasional shower as we drove up the valley confirmed that the edge of the storm system going up the west coast was active here and the river was proof that intense rain had been here, it was high and the colour of mud. We met a 4wd coming back and the driver warned us that the road was blocked due to a mudslide just past Birchwood and a Prado was stuck to the axles in it. We then met Julian and Lynette with friends coming back, they were due to go up Canyon Creek but had changed their mind with the closure of the road they were headed somewhere else. We dithered around a bit trying to decide what to do, thinking about various options but in the end we decided to carry on and walk the extra road bit from Birchwood to Canyon Creek about 12km in total before Little Canyon Creek. And so it went, stopping at Base Hut for some lunch and walking through windy drizzle to the start of our route.
The last time I was here
it was a fairly straight forward route of about 3 km of beech forest up the creek, but this time a recent wind event had distributed many trees spread randomly across our path and resulted in a slow rate of travel. We found ourselves at the upper end finally by about 5.30pm and were ready to stop beside the roaring creek on some grassy flats and put up tents in the fresh and quite strong NW wind. It was chilly and the predicted 27C did not eventuate and more than once I wished for my feather jacket that was left at home. After a reasonable night sleep we got up and were away to the large single scree that led up to the tarns below the peak 1677 for a quick day trip. It was a lot warmer on this day and we stayed around the tarns long enough to take in the great views of the nearby Canyon Creek valley with Mt Barth at the head. A magical spot. Knowing that we had a long road walk ahead of us we didn’t linger too long and were soon on our way down the big scree, giving our legs a real pounding. Back to our camp spot by 11, we had an early lunch and packed up and were on our way out before 12. A different route was followed for the way out, quite a long way up from the previous day and it avoided all the wind fells which sped us along very well and halving the time. The day was very hot by now with a warm NW providing little relief from the intense heat as we walked back to Birchwood arriving back at the car at about 4.30 drained of all our energy and wilted from the heat.
The stop at the Oamarama Pub for a drink and a bowl of chips was just what we needed to get us back down the valley and home.
This was a good fitness gaining trip for the tramping season ahead going to an area few people visit ever. My thanks to Jenny, Jane , Jo and Scout for coming.
Robbie