Mount Horrible- Otamatakou, 17 May 2015

It was an early start at 7am at carpark for all (just one straggler arriving as the clock struck 7 as he had slept in having woken up at 6.50am, no breakfast and only managed to get his socks on before breaking two road rules to get to the meeting place by the departure time – wont mention his name!!!!) There was a great turn out with 15 members, Maurice, Phyllis, Tim, Bronwyn, Theresa, Linda, Robbie, Neville, John, Jane, Steve and Ann, Marcel, Noel and Ross. We travelled in 4 vehicles arriving at the track car park next to the camping grounds around 8.30am weather being overcast and a light northerly wind. We followed doc markers to the Otamatakou Station boundary and followed the 4WD track up the mountain for roughly 300m and made a right turn and climbed up to a small saddle and then over to the ridge. We are reassembled at the ridge and then followed the ridge to the fence line which we followed to the top. We had great views but a very cold wind. We spent around 45 minutes at the top before making our way back down to the vehicles. We headed for home with Jane and her car load stopping for icecreams at Kurow. Noel

Deep Stream Tramp Report 10-5-2015

After all the good weather the week leading up to this day Tramp I was hoping it was going to hold out for this day because it had been a while since we had been out due to the weather. Sunday dawned fine so 7 of as headed off up the Waitaki Valley to the Aviemore Dam where we started our day. It was on with our day packs and off up the road on the north side of Lake Aviemore to the start of the Deep Stream public walkway. The walkway track follows around the side of a small deep lake that Deep Stream flows into. The track is about 2km long and along the way there are a couple of picnic spots. At the head of the lake and where the stream flows into it is where the walkway finishes but we had permission from the farmer to carry on up the stream. After crossing the stream the gorge opens up into a big flat valley. We followed a 4WD track up the valley till the stream veers to the right and goes into a bit of a gorge. We decided to go high along the true left of the stream to meet up with a wee valley that meets the gorge from the east. We headed up this valley but had to go higher up to get out of the scrub and matagouri that wasn’t very nice to go through. This valley was just hopping with wallabies; I have never seen so many in one place in all my tramping years. One popped up in some scrub beside me and I thought it was going to hop over me. At the top of the valley on a saddle we had lunch looking down over Lake Waitaki. After lunch we had to drop down into a wee gorge, push through a bit more scrub and matagouri to get up to a fence and 4WD track on the other side. We follow this track but it turned into a dry creek bed that took us down to other 4WD track pass the remains of a old stone building and along to the fisherman’s bends camping ground beside Lake Waitaki. It was then over a gate and up a gravel road back to the cars. The whole day took us 5 and half hours, with good weather and great company. Thanks to Bron, Linda, John, Jane, Phyllis and Maurice for a good day out Neville

Coming down dry creek bed

Stone building remains

Club Meeting, May 2015

The monthly meeting, which included the AGM, was held in the revamped Search and Rescue Headquarters to ascertain whether these premises would be a suitable venue for future club meetings.

The AGM saw Jane Green re-elected as President. Robbie Verhoef and Neville Corry retained their positions of Secretary and Treasurer.

Members voted in favour of holding future club meetings in the SAR Headquarters.

During the General Meeting Wednesday Walkers reported on day trips in April to the Benmore Walkway, Elephant Hill and Mussen – both on the northern side of the Waitaki River, and Mt Dryburgh from the Hakataramea side. The first trip for May to Mt Difficulty (inland from Five Forks) from The Hectors Road saw walkers battle cold winds and needle-like rain.

A club trip to Aspiring hut planned for ANZAC weekend was cancelled due to bad weather. Wallabies were roaming in large numbers when a group walked from Lake Aviemore, up and beyond Deep Stream earlier this month.

Modern technology enabled members to be given helpful tips on how to navigate the club’s website – www.NOTMC.org.nz.

Guest speaker, club member and keen photographer Noel Pullan, shared his ‘Views from the Tops’ – stunning photos from some of his climbing expeditions in the Southern Alps, Kaikoura ranges and Mts Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Egmont in the North Island. Noel can claim membership of the ‘Ten Thousand Club’ – ie those who have climbed to altitudes of 10,000 feet or more. On one trip he climbed three 10,000 feet peaks in three days. Most of us only get to look up to these peaks from ground level but Noel’s images transported us to razor-edged ridge lines, seemingly impassable rock faces and enabled us to look down on endless lines of icy peaks and snaking glaciers and be in awe of the miniscule dots that were the climbers and huts in the snow below. Magnificent!

Club Night 13th April 2015

The club held a very successful Open Day in the Herbert Forest on Sunday 12 April with over sixty people (including an eighty year old) enjoying walking the tracks in small groups, guided by club members. Many folk had travelled down from South Canterbury. The forecasted rain turned out to be a very short early shower and sunshine prevailed for the remainder of the day. The tracks were in very good condition, thanks to recent working bees by members of the club.

Recent tramps have been to the ABC caves in the Silverpeaks district, and  over the Easter break to the Harper Pass – between the Lewis and Arthurs Passes, which is  part of the Te Araroa Trail.

Wednesday Walkers have enjoyed walks around Otematata and Livingstone, the Nimrod Reserve track  in the Hunter Hills, the Domett Loop and  walks closer to home on the Oamaru  Walkway and local beaches. A large contingent had a great time biking the Clutha Gold and Roxburgh Gorge Trails before Easter.

Club night speaker, Jane Matchett and her team mates Mike and Kevin shared their experiences in the GODZone Adventure race last year, starting and finishing in Kaikoura. Participants knew nothing about the course until four hours before the start of the race so navigational and logistical skills were put to the test as well as the sheer physical demands of the 520km course. Over six days, sections included an ascent of Mt Tapuae-o-Uenuku (2885m), biking 151km through Molesworth Station and paddling the length of the Hurunui River. Not for the faint hearted!

Herbert Forest Guided Walks Day, Sunday 12th April 2015

Herbert Forest Swallows, Podocarp, Glenburnie Loop and Hoods Tracks. See the Herbert Forest map > About us > Tracks

A Guided walk day was held for theses tracks on Sunday April 12th 2015.

This was a family day and you could choose between walks that were easy, medium, or the lot. There was also a special nature guided walk available.

The day was not held last year because of wet weather, but although the weather threatened to turn nasty, it did not eventuate.

The tracks were in good condition thanks to the efforts of tramping club members over the last few weeks, which included step and bridge building.

Over 60 walkers enjoyed the walks  guided by Tramping Club members. Radio communication was provided by  the North Otago Search and Rescue team.

A large proportion of the walkers opted to do all the tracks with families opting for the shorter Swallows track which has a cave on it.

The large native trees and bird life are a feature of this remnant Podocarp forest.