Twilight Walk: Cape Wanbrow – 17 February 2025
On Monday night the 17th of February the club ran a twilight hike up to Cape Wanbrow, with the general public invited to join us. Three members of the public came along and about thirteen members of the club turned up.
We started at the park behind the Council building (Banks Park) at 6.30pm where we crossed the Oamaru Creek and then under the Thames St bridge to the park beside Steampunk HQ. From there we went around behind the historical area along the harbour and took a track up on to Test St beside Harbour View Rest Home.
We then walked along to the end of Test St and up into Cape Wanbrow reserve, and then uphill to the old gun site. There is a lot of history in this area, and along with visiting the old gun site, we also went down another track and visited the old lighthouse and underground lookout bunker. There was a bit of cloud cover and a cool wind, so we didn’t hang around long.
It was then off up around the top of the reserve and over to Lookout Point, but with the cloud cover there was not much of a view of the mountains, but still good views over Oamaru. We then took a walk through a bit of bush and out on to Avon St where we took another track back down onto Test St and retraced our steps back down into the harbour area.
We then walked down past Scott’s Brewery through Harbour St and the historical buildings, past the Harbourside railway station and back to the Medway St car park.
All up it took us just under two hours, and we walked just under 6 km. It was just a different and a new thing for the club to try out, and it may be something to look at again next summer with the longer nights.
I would like to thank the three members of the public that can along and our club members that joined in.
Neville
Trotters Gorge and North Peak (449m) – 16 February 2025
Seven of us left Oamaru and headed down to the Trotters Gorge reserve, where we met up with three more members.
We took the usual track up the valley past the Otago University hut with several creek crossings along the way, but no wet feet this time.
At the end of the maintained track we carried along a track that the club keeps clear from time to time until we got to the entrance of a track that the club maintains called Dave’s Track – named after at passed member of the club.
We have been maintaining Dave’s Track for many years now, but only have a clean up about once a year, so it was going to be interesting to see what it was like. The first half of the track was not too bad, but as we got further up there was a bit of gorse to push through and near the top it was pretty overgrown, with only the markers that I had put up during the last clean up showing the way out. So we will have to go back down at some stage and have another clean up.
Morning tea and a break were taken on the rocky outcrop where the track comes out. We then headed out on to the forestry road, where the coastal fog was coming and going. As we walked up the road the fog cleared to a very warm day.
After about 3km up the road we came to the North Peak cave which is just off the road. John Chetwin and I rediscovered the cave last November after it had been hidden in the forest for a number of years. The club had a photo taken in 1993 of club members by the cave before the trees grew up around it. Now that they have harvested the trees we were able to find it again, and hopefully it will not be lost again when they replant.
Also with the trees been harvested we were able to get up onto North Peak which has usually been hard to access, and not many of the club members had been up there. We had a leisurely lunch on North Peak in the heat with no breeze, taking in the view of the hills around us and the mountain in the distance, with the fog still lingering around the coast.
After lunch we retraced our steps back down on to the forestry road and down to just past South Peak, where we took another forestry road that follows a ridge before dropping steeply down an old fire break track back into the Trotters Gorge reserve.
We then retraced our steps back past the Otago University hut and the several creek crossings again back to the car park.
All up, we hiked 15.2 km in 6 hours and a total ascent of 289m.
Thanks to David, Julian, Rex, Lorena, Mary, Geoff, Robbie, Rodney, and Clare for the company for the day in very warm conditions.
Neville Corry
Mt Titiroa Traverse – 5-9 February 2025
Mt Titiroa Trasverse, Hope Arm to North Borland 5th– 9th February 2025
Two cars headed for Borland Lodge on Wednesday, with the group of six staying at Ryan’s Cottage. Next morning, we left one car at Borland Lodge and Julian managed to cram all six of us and our packs into his Everest, heading for Pearl Harbour at Lake Manapouri.
Clint from River Taxis was waiting for us at
8.30 am, ferrying us through the mist to Hope Arm in 30 minutes, pointing out islands and landmarks on the way. Chartering a boat for six was a reasonably cheap option.
After checking out Hope Arm hut, we set off at 9.20 am directly behind the hut, following the Snow White Clearing Track which climbs steadily through a ‘goblin forest’, before dropping steeply to Garnock Burn. In the bush, just before Garnock Burn, we were entertained by a sole kea sitting on the log preening himself, showing off his wing feathers.
We arrived at Pt1017 about 2.30 pm, tired from hauling ourselves up the ridge and surrounded by thick mist, so decided to camp close to the nearest stream. We found a perfect sandy flat campsite, just where the stream springs from the mountain below Pt 1017.
Next morning, still shrouded in mist, we packed up and set off at 7.30 am towards the summit and within 5 minutes we emerged from the mist into bright sunshine. As we quickly climbed, following footprints up the sandy slope, we had clear views over a vast sea of fog covering Lake Manapouri of Mt Tutuko, the Murchison and Kepler Mountains.
As we climbed the main rocky North Ridge of Titiroa, we were fascinated by the amazing shaped quartz-rich granite tors, weathered by wind, frost, and rain. We climbed our way around them, marvelling at the tiny mountain gentians, edelweiss and hebes growing in the sand, and reached the summit at 11.15 am.
From the summit of Mt Titiroa (1715m), we continued along the ridge southwards, scrambling around the steeper sections on the lower eastern side, with fine views across to the Hunter mountains. At Pt1581 we dropped down towards the North Borland Valley, following a broad ridge to a group of tarns near the bushline. It is just like running down a vast sandhill and progress was quick until we reached the bushline at 2.45pm. There is no obvious track through the dense bush, and although two bits of coloured tape marked a route on the true right of the creek draining the tarns, we think it would be better to follow a spur on the true left.
After pushing our way through the bush, we finally arrived at the North Borland hut and set up camp, at about 4pm. Next morning we followed a well-marked track that leads through beautiful beech forest, passed under the massive rock biv at 10.30, and lunched by the swing bridge that spans the South Borland branch. 5 hours after leaving the hut, we reached Borland Lodge, and Julian ferried everyone back to Manapouri and Te Anau in the waiting car. Thanks to Robbie, Julian, Lynette, Lorenna, and Colin for an epic trip. Jenny Kitchin.
‘Love Our Huts’ Campaign December 5-7th 2024
With a fine weather window on Thursday 5th, 3 of us left Oamaru at 1pm. The road to Monument hut has been undercut by the river in places and with other wash outs driving was slow. We finally parked 2 km away from Monument hut. This meant a late start at 5pm, but with 5 hours of light left on a clear evening we hoped to reach Elcho before dark.
However, with the Hopkins River running high and swift, we needed to take all the high-water tracks through the bush. Making slow progress, by 10pm we faced an impenetrable wall of tree fall and dense undergrowth of beech saplings. With no sign of orange markers and no way through in the dark, we decided it best to sleep out in the bush under the stars. The beech leaves made a soft and spongy bed, so we pulled on hats and jackets and snuggled into sleeping bags. At first light we pushed, climbed and bashed our way through the bush before heading on to Elcho hut for breakfast.
Elcho hut is well maintained by NZ Alpine Club, but it was still satisfying to scrub benches and clean windows of sandflies (using the blue bucket that Karyl carried in), sweep under bunks, and weed around the hut. It is a unique hut with a great sense of history and retains a traditional feel.
Meanwhile, Mark and Nicky were following us up the valley on Friday, with Mark driving all the way to Monument hut in his Toyota Hilux. After walking part way up to Elcho and back, they settled into Monument Hut for the night, then next day cleared the track, stacked dry firewood, and polished up the hut.
Early Saturday the three of us at Elcho, being advised by a friendly hunter that it would be safe to take the lower river route now, set off back down the valley. Passing beech forest ablaze with flowering mistletoe is a highlight in December, and we marvelled at the abundance of crimson flowers billowing above us.
The Huxley River was still running high, so after checking for possible crossings, we opted on the side of caution and detoured into the bush to cross the swing bridge. As we headed briskly to Monument Hut over the river flats, Mark suddenly appeared to announce that hot sausages were sizzling in the pan for us at the hut. And, even more welcome, a ride back to Colin’s car was waiting for us!
We can report that Monument and Elcho huts are looking clean, tidy and well loved. Our hunter friend also reported that Cullers hut has been painted and is in good condition. Thanks to a great team of Colin, Karyl, Mark and Nicky for joining in and supporting ‘Love our Huts.’
Jenny Kitchin