Skills Weekend 25/26 January

                            SKILLS WEEKEND – 25/26 JAN REPORT

14 members of the Tramping Club meet at the Trotter Gorge Scenic Reserve car park on a fine and warm Saturday morning. Some to learn new skills, some to brush up on some old skills and some to help out for the weekend. First up was the short walk up to the University of Otago hut which takes about 15 min and 6 creek crossings. After we got settled in at the hut it was into the morning programme. First up we went through packs to see how they were packed and what we had. We then took a look at different gear you can take, sleeping bags, clothes and sleeping mats. Then it was into looking at tents and bivy bags. After lunch our president gave us a run down on Club rules and hut etiquette with the suggestion that some noisy trampers should sleep in the wood shed. The rest of the afternoon was taken up with maps, river crossing and compass work which we all needed a brush up on, especially now that we all seem to be using G.P.S.. Phyllis showed us some simple food menus and what food you could take on a tramping trip. Then we all got our own cookers out and some interesting tea menus were made and eaten. After tea we went over trip planning and survival situations. After a full day of activities it was time to enjoy the evening and about 10pm everyone called it a day and soon all you could hear was the silence of the night with a few snorers. During the night I got attacked by some mozzies that left me and some others scratching for a few days. The next morning we were all set to go on our day hike by 8.30am. The day was cloudy but pleasant and this was the day we were going to put some of the thing we learned the day before into action. We split into two groups and headed off at different times. We headed up Trotters creek for about 3km all the time using our maps and compasses until we came to the farmers hunting hut, where our first lunch stop was taken. Then it was about a 1 hour climb to the top of trig L  401m. On top was when the weather changed and the wind turned around to the south and it got quite cool with a wee bit of rain. We then hiked along the top of the hills until we came to a farm yard and a second lunch was taken in a machinery shed out of the rain. It was then a short walk out on to Horse Range Road where it was a 3km walk down the road and back to the car park at Trotters Gorge. I think everybody got something out of the weekend and it was a very enjoyable weekend.

Thanks to these people for making this weekend a success Jo, Evelyn, Jane, Sam, John, Ross

, Robin, Liz and special thanks for helping run sessions Noel, Stewart, Bron, Maurice and Phyllis – Neville