Mt Trotter and Mt McKenzie
17th July 2016
After meeting the five Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club members plus Helen and Rodney at the turnoff south of Palmerston, we continued up Mt Trotter Rd, through the locked gate and parked at the Woolshed. Introductions were made between OTMC and NOTMC members and then off to a good start and up the east side of Mt Trotter. We grouped together at the top and at this stage, two of the OTMC members chose to return to Dunedin as they did not want to miss an astronomical talk. The remaining 22 went down the south side of Mt Trotter and then heading west along the fenceline to another fenceline which goes south east down the ridge. The party spread out and some were half way up Mt McKenzie before the others had arrived. Everyone reached the top of McKenzie by 12pm which is where we enjoyed lunch out of the cold south westerly. Brent told us the story of when he worked on the farm and on his motorbike he rode up Mt McKenzie – he came down too – not as intended. So after lunch, over the top and down the south side and around to the east where the columnar volcanic rock displays itself – it is quite unusual. At the bottom of McKenzie, we followed a 4WD track back to the pine trees and then on a lower terrace it continued back to the vehicles at the woolshed. We stopped at Hampden for an ice cream and a chance meeting with Bill and Pat, before heading home.
Many thanks to those who braved the cold wind and rain.
Peter, Leonie, Lucy, Nathan and Christine from OTMC; Helen and Rodney, Linda, Jac, Ros, Sylvia, Ewe, Els, Jane, John, Phyllis, Maurice, Robbie, Noel, Bronwyn, Brent, Maria, Dean and Bess
