Sullivans Dam, Mt Cargill
Sullivans Dam / Mount Cargill 14th July
Undaunted by the unfavourable weather forecast, nine members set off from Oamaru to go tramping in the Mt Cargill area. As we approached the Dunedin Northern Motorway we encountered the sweeper truck spreading grit on the fresh coat of snow which blanketed the road. For the time being it was fine but cold so after parking the cars down Leith Valley Road we donned parkas, overpants, hats and gloves and set off past Sullivans Dam and followed a sometimes muddy track beside a pipeline. This lead us to a fence crossing, a bash through a forest of recently pruned pinus radiata, two more fence crossings and into farmland. Brief views of North Dunedin appeared from here before the black clouds and snow came in again.
Once over a stile and shelter from the storm, we entered a forest of pine trees where we encountered
snow laden gorse which had collapsed onto the track after the recent storms. Relief from the pin pricks came when a formed road called The Three Peaks Track appeared which was followed until we turned off and made our way up a hill of milled timber following faint pink markers to reach Cowan Road. Meanwhile the snow began to fall once again.
The A H Reed Track lead us up to Mt Cargill, but unfortunately there were no views at the top.The wind whistling through the communications tower on top could be heard long before we arrived there. The snow encrusted bush on the side of the track made it look like Christmas Card scenery. For our return, an attempt was made to follow the Escarpment Track, but after about 10minutes descending it became impenetrable with all the windfall damage. A quick lunch break in deteriorating weather near the bush was taken at mid-day before we decided to re-trace our steps back to the Three Peaks Track. From there we were able to link up with the Cloud Forests of Leith Track which also had a lot of damage. Extra care was taken as the snow and damp conditions made the board walks very slippery. Nine trampers finally emerged from the snow laden bush to walk around Sullivans Dam and back to the cars at 2:30pm. Of course we couldn’t pass Palmerston without stopping for an icecream.
Thanks to Jo, John A, Murray (who were all on their first outing with the club) Evelyn, Linda, Noel, John C and Maurice for their company while braving the adverse weather conditions and getting “out there”
Phyllis
On top of Mt Cargill
Sullivans Dam car park
July 6 & 7, Big Hut, Rock and Pillars, Potluck Dessert Trip
Too cold for shorts?
The prevailing snow conditions and an expected very high wind situation brought about a change of trip for this weekend.
Saturday morning saw 7 members heading out to go and do something around Mt Somers and when we collected in Geraldine for a quick coffee etc a discussion took place and we decided to head for the Pinnacle Hut. Hut tickets were bought at the Stavely Store and the request was made to drop back in on our return to report on conditions as no one had been in since the storm.
We were ready to go by 11 and away up to Duke’s Knob, we encountered only moderate damage to the trees and track at this stage. A deviation to Sharplin Falls was well rewarded with a spectacular display from the extra water in the river due to the meltwater. Lunch was had on the top of the knob with a view. We had gusty NW winds and fine weather but not overly warm. Down the other side and down to the Bowyer River, a brief encounter with an Iranian man who had returned after finding the track too hard to find beyond a slip made us slightly apprehensive. The damage to the track was now extensive with many trees having just fallen over in soggy conditions followed by a large snow dump. The snow was still there in many places and the track was quite hard to follow as it simply disappeared for extensive sections, it was also quite deep, deeper where the track beneath provided water channels and the snow had been hollowed out providing plenty of spots where legs vanished and were hard to retrieve, you know how that goes.
Up the last steeper slope and the little pass from where the hut can be seen, it looks so close from there, in good conditions taking just quarter of an hour. This time it took another hour to get here, the snow being quite deep. It was very good to get here by twilight, it would have been more difficult in the dark. The hut was well stocked with dry wood and some coal and it didn’t take long to warm the place and get hot drinks happening followed by food. The hut is usually serviced with running water in the hut but not now, the intake from the creek further up has probably come unstuck. Water was not far away with plenty of meltwater close by. Getting to the loo was also harder than usual and did involve close encounters with the cold snow.
We enjoyed a very good night up there, especially the very abundant dessert spread. One member showing exceptional abilities when it came to the consumption of whipped cream, not heeding in the slightest the many dire predictions made on the state of his intestinal tracts. We all ate plenty and felt very good indeed. Some merriment followed with the silly vegetable game providing plenty of laughs.
The following morning dawned with deteriorating conditions, more blustery wind and overcast. It was unanimously decided that a return the same way was the only thing to do given the snow conditions and the weather. It was much faster returning along the route clearly made the previous day and we were out for lunch in the carpark just as it started to clag in and looking backwards on the drive home the entire mountain was enveloped with cloud and it was clearly raining. Icecreams in Geraldine where it was fine and warm and home in good time. A very enjoyable winter weekend that provided plent of adventure and exercise. Thanks to Jac, Uwe, Sylvia, Maurice, John, Phyllis.
Robbie
The first of many for this member!!
Club Night June 2013
Over 40 members and visitors attended the Clubs monthly meeting.
Trip Reports. Some trips were cancelled because of the weather, however in spite of an atrocious weather forecast, the Queen’s Birthday Kepler Track trip went ahead with seven keen trampers heading down on the Friday in a mini bus.
After being dropped off on Saturday morning at Rainbow Reach, they headed for Iris burn Hut, some 22km away. They were treated to a vibrant display of Fiordland fungi along the side of the track, which slowed the photographers down. They were kept awake by heavy rain and hut shaking thunder that night, but there was only light drizzle as they ascended the zig zag to the first shelter the next morning. The side streams were still raging though. However across the top they were accompanied by horizontal rain and slushy snow, and Luxmore Hut was a welcome sight. The sun came out during their descent to the control gates the next morning. A trip enjoyed by all.
The Wednesday Walkers day trips have been a Tapui farm walk including the old railway tunnel and Belmont Hill, the Waiho Walkway with lunch at the Waiho Forks Hotel, the Moeraki Walkway and along the beach to the South Kaik at times watched by basking seals, and Trig L near Palmerston. The number of people walking ranged from 12 to 32.
Coming Club Trips are Mt. Orr from Station Peak Road, and the annual Big Hut trip. Further information is available on the NOTMC website .
Our guest speaker was local mountaineer Nick Shearer, who spoke and showed photos of a N Z group’s Yangma expedition to Eastern Nepal in October last year, their aim being to climb two peaks near Mt. Kanchenjunga. They were assisted by seven Sherpa staff, and 34 local porters carrying 50kg to 125kg of gear each, some of them women.
The expedition left from Kathmandu on a 25 hour bus trip followed by a 12 day walk up a narrowing valley to base camp. Yaks were used as transport for the last section. The final village of Yangma at 4200m asl. housed about 50 people and was just two days yak travel over a pass to Tibet. Base Camp was a day further on at 4400m in a lovely alpine yak pasture.
The first mountain summit of Syao Kang, 6000m was an easy gradient though altitude was becoming an increasing hurdle. The second mountain, Chaw at 6400m proved too much of a challenge mainly because of avalanche danger, however two of the party climbed to a pass looking down into Tibet.
One of the party had serious altitude sickness and stayed at base camp, eventually being helicoptered back to Kathmandu. The rest walked out via another scenic route.
We were treated to some spectacular scenery, a glimpse of the difficult country they travelled through, and an insight into the Nepalese friendly culture.
Nepal, like a lot of emerging countries is a mix of old and new, the people using yak transport and cell phones. Politics don’t affect the mountain dwellers, though new roads are bringing the benefits as well as the adverse effects of civilisation closer. For example health treatment is becoming easier to access but so are sweetened drinks such as coca cola!
Kepler Track
It has been 23 years since I last walked the Kepler Track so what has changed? Well the track is still in the same place with ongoing improvements and forced modifications. The huts were the most noticeable difference. It looked like they had been on steroids, being much larger now.
After departing at 2pm on Friday for the Te Anau Holiday Park we arrived as the rain began. The forecast for the weekend was awful but we are the optimists.
Saturday at 8:30am we were transported to Rainbow Reach by Tracknet where we crossed the Waiau River on a long swingbridge to begin our journey to Iris Burn hut 22kms away which would require most of the daylight hours. This was going to be a hard ask as the pathway was lined in a
“guard of honour” style with so many different coloured and shaped fungi to view and our photographers in the group were forever stopping to capture this amazing show.
The day was overcast with broken cloud, temperature mild and the bush ever so colourful after the rain: couldn’t have been better.
A snack at Moturau Hut and some more photos of the glassy lake with snow capped peaks in the background, a photographers dream.
The group had split up to do their own thing, but came together past Rocky Point for lunch.
While crossing the site of the Big Slip of 1984, it showed me how time and nature can repair the appearance of these major events, as I looked back on photos taken 23 years ago when it was quite raw.
At last Iris Burn Hut appears, no one in residence. After getting the fire going we walked 20mins to view the Iris Burn Waterfall, a short distance further on from the hut. It was turning on a great show as we were dampened by the spray.
The rain had returned as we were joined by four more people for the night in the hut. Our party retired early to ready ourselves for the uphill journey next day, but the weather gods had different plans to keep us awake. As the rain intensified the lightning show began closely followed by thunder. At the height of the front pasing over the thunder shook the hut, what an amazing force.
All to soon it was Sunday morning, rain still falling and misty on the tops. Breakfast over, hut cleaned our party moved out at their own pace heading for the many zig zags to the bush line. With the nights downpour we were treated to a spectacular show of force while crossing a bridge spanning a steep side stream of the Iris Burn. This white raging mass of water was a highlight in my many years of tramping. The bushline reached and ahead the many manmade ladders of steps await us. Once on the ridge leading to Hanging Valley Shelter the driving wind-blown rain attacked but it wasn’t long before we reached the shelter for an early lunch. The rain eased when leaving with the wind behind us now we made our way through some slushy snow across the exposed ridges to the Forest Burn Shelter. From here it was mostly downhill to the warmth of Luxmore Hut. While sharing the hut with a party of scouts who were staying for two nights it made for a very warm and noisey place. The afternoon cloud lifted revealing fine views of Lake Te Anau and its surroundings, giving cause for more photos.
A head torch start on Monday gave us a view of Te Anau township twinkling in the early light. The track was all downhill to Brod Bay passing the impressive limestone bluffs en-route. With the lake calm, air still and clear skies the last section to the Control Gates was walked reflecting on a very enjoyable tramp.After a shower at the holiday park and lunch in Te Anau we set off towards Oamaru.
The team of Bronwyn, Phyllis, Noel, Bill, Neville, Sam and Maurice.
Whats next ?
Club Night, May 2013
There was a good attendance at the Club’s AGM with 3 new or prospective members welcomed.
In her Annual Report, President Bronwyn McCone urged members to become more active in trip planning and organising. She highlighted the schools tramping training programme that the Club ran as being a big success, as was the Herbert Forest Guided Walk day with over 80 people enjoying the tracks there.
Our Treasurer reported a small loss for the year as a result of the one off cost of setting up the NOTMC website. The subscription fees will stay the same as last year.
Apart from Jane Green becoming the new Vice President, and Karyl Robertson and Colin Wollstein coming on the committee, the office bearers remain the same.
Trip Reports
14 members headed up to The Hermitage in mid April hoping to stay a night at Mueller Hut. However this hut is a popular place and when they arrived there were only 3 beds left. Plan B was a day trip which was enjoyed by all, with some climbing Mt. Olivier as well. They stayed at the well equipped Canterbury Mountaineering Club hut and visited the Tasman Glacier the next day.
The Herbert Forest working bee was cancelled because of heavy rain even though 18 turned up to go. However another three hardy souls braved the mud to shift a heavy bridge to a better site.
The annual Guided Walk Day was again popular with over 60 visitors enjoying a day in Herbert Forest.
The Wednesday Walkers have been to Devil’s Elbow where two falcons were sighted, Mts. McKenzie and Trotter, and the Benmore Walkway on glorious autumn day even though it was foggy when they left Oamaru.Twentyseven did a circuit around the Pipeline track and up to Swampy in the Silver Peaks, and recently one group walked around Cape Wanbrow and the Golf Course, while another climbed Kurow Hill. That evening a large group of past and present Wednesday Walkers celebrated their 25th anniversary with a dinner at the Maheno Tavern.
Coming trips are to Mt Kirkleston, and a Queens Birthday clockwise circuit of the Kepler Track. More details are on the NOTMC website in “What’s On”
Dave Mellish then organised a quiz of mainly tramping topics, which provided some inspired answers.
The final task was to provide a caption for a photo of a group up in the mountains gazing into the distance, which provide some hilarious suggestions!