Silverpeaks Rosella Ridge via Cedar Spur
Sunday 20 May 2018
This was a trip the Otago Tramping Club did in November last year and it looked like an interesting trip. Four of us meet early at 7.30am and headed for the Silver Peaks car park, with the weather outlook looking not bad for the day with strong N/W winds changing to a cold front and rain by late afternoon.
We set off about 9am and took the Green Ridge Track to the old Green Hut site. We then took the track down the ridge, dropping steeply near the bottom to Possum Hut. After a wee break followed a good track down the South branch of the Waikouaiti River, which was more like a creek, for about a 1 km till we found the track we were looking for over the river. After crossing the river we followed a good track for about 200m until it split into two tracks. With no signs on which was the way to go we took the high track that went up. The track was well worn but in some places the ground cover was starting to take over.
After about an hour of uphill we came to another intersection with what was the other track that we had decided not to take further down. This time the tracks were marked and we found we had come up the Direct Spur track while the other track was the Cedar Spur track. From here it was a bit of a grunt up onto Rosealla Ridge arriving about 1pm. Lunch was had beside the Rosealla Ridge track in the bush to get out of the strong wind that had picked up.
We then followed the Rosealla Ridge track N/E over Little Pulpit Rock for about an hour, with great views when we weren’t getting bowled over by the wind, until we came to the Hunters Access track which took us steeply back down into the valley below. It was then back up the river track, checking the map a couple of times as there were a few tracks going in different directions and we wanted to take the direct track back up to the road near Possum hut. We starting the last steep climb up to the road about 4.30pm and got back to the Vehicle at 5.15pm just as the rain and the cold front started to come through.
It was a big day out, but a goodie. Thanks to John, Bess and Marian for your company for the day.
Neville
Logging near the Herbert Forest Tracks
24 May 2018
We have been informed by Port Blakely that later next week, they will begin harvesting trees near the top of Breakneck Rd, near the top of the Hoods Creek Track. Any walkers crossing from the top of Hoods Creek Track to the top of the Podocarp Track need to be aware of logging trucks coming down Breakneck Rd onto Couches Rd and out Middle Ridge gate. Walkers going to the bottom of Hoods Creek, at the pond intersection, there will be logging trucks on Breakneck Rd, through to Middle Ridge Rd.
They will be harvesting for about 3 months, after which they have a number of other areas to harvest. This includes right on the intersection of Diamond Hill and Breakneck Rd, near the top of the Hoods Creek Track, plus near the top of the Podocarp. There will be a digger working here soon to prepare the road for trucks so please stay well away from machinery, until you have caught the attention of the operator. We will advise closer to the time for these later areas.
Twizel Area: Biking and Walking 12th-13th May
There were 11 of us in all and fortunately 11 made it back.
The day began with a scone at the Wrinkly Ram in Omarama. It fell apart in your mouth and was chokka full of savoury bits and bobs. But it was also where we first met to hatch a plan for the keen and less keen.
We ditched our gear at the Twizel High Country lodge which suited our purposes to a tee. Thank you Karyl for organising this accommodation.
Three of our posse stayed in the town vicinity while eight of us embarked on the Dusky Trail. This is a 23k Grade 2 bike ride and is very do-able. It leaves very near the Pyramid car-park and follows the Fraser stream very slightly up-hill. It was quite an overcast day so the muted palette made the brilliantly diverse textures on the Dusky trail quite noteworthy. After lunch at the Fraser stream crossing, we had a small slog and a couple more opportunities to get the tootsies wet – then it was a fun little downhill – always a great reward after a gradual climb. Perhaps not so rewarding for Mike who was on a hybrid which was possibly 10% mountain bike and 90% town bike. I think he felt every rock on the trail to his core. Note to keen bikers – mountain bike tyres are more forgiving. Apart from Mike’s tyre, the only near fatality on the ride was John who managed to K.O. backwards from a perfectly static position. Really not so sure how he managed it but there was no permanent damage to his person or the dirt road. We lost over half an hour while several of the team endeavoured to change Mike’s tyre. NB It might be a good idea to get Maurice to recap us on bike maintenance again. We biked along the canals to our car and this was a real treat riding into the last of the day’s glorious sun. We’d taken a short-cut through a farm and, all told, we biked 33.3k that day. On return, we regrouped at the pub and discovered the rest of the crew had organised our pot-luck. Thanks ladies, top job ! Prize for best savoury dish was Pete and Kate for their delicious freshly-caught fish and Roz for her banana and limoncello mousse.
The next day, the group split up and Karyl’s team biked and walked – and coffee-ed at every nook and cranny of Twizel and it’s out-skirts. Meanwhile, John, Neville and I tramped up Ben Ohau, which is 1522m above sea level. Even car-racing sounds exhilarating when you need a distraction from a gradual up-hill challenge and the basic tramping knowledge they imparted was also greatly appreciated. One very interesting fact I learnt is that for every 300m you climb, the temperature will drop 2 degrees. Near the top we spotted a couple of chamois so we were pret-ty fortunate ! The view at the top was beautiful – orangey-ochre tussocks were complemented by a bright azure blue sky and lake. There were strips of fluffy white cloud layering the ranges behind Ohau, and in the distance there were some dangerous-looking jagged, snowy mountains. There were three other adventurers having lunch at the top. Due to time constraints we decided to return the same way rather than via Greta Stream. We’ll tots have to do that in future. It took us 2.5hrs up, and we shaved it back to 2hrs down. We hoofed it back to Twizel to get the crew back together and back to Oamaru. Thanks Karyl for all your organisation. Thanks to everyone else for your positivity in the face of the unknown. And great kai. Anna.
Club Night May 2018
The Clubs Annual Meeting saw all office holders returned for another year apart from one new committee member.
President John Chetwin reported that there had been 31 trips or events during the past year and the Clubs 40th Anniversary had been celebrated. An introduction to tramping course had been run resulting in safety skills being learnt and 7 new members joining the Club. The Herbert Forest Tracks had received regular maintenance and predator control from the Club. Subscriptions stay the same as last year.
Trip Reports;
The Introduction to Tramping course was reduced to one day with instruction in compass use and river crossings, even though it was a cold day. One instructor gave an involuntary demonstration of why it can be a bad idea to cross a river on your own!
One trip was cancelled because of adverse weather but an enjoyable bike and tramping weekend in the Twizel area was had.
Wednesday Walkers walked roads and bike trails in the Weston area, the Benmore Walkway with autumn colours, Dome Hills to the Big Rock, Kinbyron Station on the North side of the Waitaki River which was a new walk and the Earthquakes farm walk. 16 walkers enjoyed a guided walk down the Hollyford with a flight out to Milford.
Coming Trips are a Silver Peaks round trip, Mavora Lakes at Queens Birthday weekend and there will be a Herbert Forest maintenance day. See the “What’s on” page for details.
The evening finished with members showing pictures of the Hollyford trip, Lake Harris and Lake Wilson and a trail walk in the Rocky Mountains.
Clubnight April 2018
The April Meeting was attended by 21 people.
An Introduction to Tramping day had been held on Sunday 8 April with 12 attending and 9 members covering such topics as trip planning, gear, food, first aid , map and compass work, weather and hut etiquette. (Bess and Neville were thanked for their organisation and Jenny for food supplied.)On Sunday 15th, those wishing to attend a practical day will meet at 8 a.m.at Medway Street Carpark to go to Trotters Gorge for a 3 hour tramp with practical map reading, river crossing instruction and other tramping skills.
Club trips were to Lindis Peak over the Lindis Pass with views to Lake Wanaka, Dunstan and St. Bathans Ranges and distant peaks. Notable were the big stone tors around the Summit and the green appearance of surrounding hills.
Anniversary Weekend saw a tramp beginning at Lake Hawea and Timaru Creek for a group of 4, which on the second day met the 3 who began at the Ahuriri end, and they exchanged car keys.The 3 day tramp was on part of the Te Araroa Trail, and while offering some splendid views , was demanding.They tented and stayed in huts, one of which was an old musterers’ hut complete with dirt floor and mice.
Inclement weather at Easter meant the planned trip was cancelled. However, a couple of people tramped in in the Harris Saddle-Lake Wilson area and saw rock wrens and whio and experienced snow and a big frost.
Other members took a trip over the Old Ghost Road on the West Coast – 3 walking and 2 biking 85 kilometres on on a track with some challenges but good huts and some spectacular scenery
Wednesday Walkers reported on an excellent 5 day bike trip in early March on the trails of the Nelson area: Nelson – Tapawera – Motueka- Mapua and Rabbit Island, with much damage in some areas from Cyclone Gita. Other trips went to places as diverse as Chinaman’s Hut, Quailburn and over to the East Ahuriri Hut, Pleasant River to Bobby’s Head and Tavora Reserve on the coast, and around The Hays Farm in the Hakataramea on a brilliant day.
The activity for the evening was a check on the contents of members’ First Aid kits which they had brought along and practical advice on what needs to be in them from one of our members well qualified to oversee this and give good first aid advice as well as tips on helpful items to carry. There was good information on how to deal with various injuries and conditions which can occur, how to use a sling properly for different types of arm injury and how to deal with such things as copious bleeding, skin lacerations,broken bones, burns,hypothermia, the need for hydration and the need to watch out for one another.
It was a useful and timely exercise as well as a reminder to check contents of kits as winter approaches!