ScottC: October 2011

Oct 30, 2011

Hawdon Hut

A nice relaxing weekend tramp in to Hawdon Hut with Darrin and Gill, in sometimes grotty weather conditions. However a cosy hut and good company more than made up for it.

The lower section of the Hawdon Valley is pretty wide and there is a fair amount of gravel bashing involved. The Hawdon itself has to be forded at least three times on this route and although the fords are good, this could potentially be problematic.

From the Hawdon Shelter a short section of track heads through the bush before dropping down to the valley floor. The Sudden Valley Stream, a good trip in it's own right is soon passed. DOC trappers were working this section on quad bikes the weekend we were there.

Side Creek - Hawdon Valley.

Hawdon Valley above the East Hawdon confluence.

The bush by the East Hawdon Stream confluence provided a nice opportunity to have a sheltered break out of persistent light rain. Above the confluence the valley becomes much more confined and also much prettier. There are numerous opportunities for camping on the river flats or in the open beech forest. The site of the old hut, which burnt down in June 2005 is passed about 20 minutes before the new hut.

Bush track on the way to Hawdon Hut.

We arrived at the hut after about three hours. We were the first there, the somewhat so-so forecast maybe putting people off. We eventually ended up 10 people at the hut, a testament to it's popularity so early in the season.

The modern and comfortable Hawdon Hut.

Lazy afternoon at Hawdon Hut.

Over dinner Darrin and Gill told us the fantastic news that they had gotten engaged last weekend (whilst camping at Tarn Hut in the Puketeraki Range). They had brought drinks and deserts to celebrate with us, and so a lazy and comfortable afternoon and evening passed, well protected from the somewhat inclement conditions outside.

Celebrating Darrin and Gill's engagement.

The Rifleman - NZ's smallest bird outside of the hut.

Hawdon Hut - Sunday morning.

There was a brief talk about visiting the Walker Pass the next morning, - but it seemed like a lot of effort so we simply retraced our route out of the Hawdon Valley in much better weather conditions. An obligatory stop at the Sheffield Pie Shop completed an excellent weekend.

Just belowHawdon Hut on the trip out.

Hawdon Valley and Pt 1742.

Hawdon Valley track.

Gill and Darrin on one of the mandatory fords of the Hawdon.

Final stages of the track looking up valley.
Blackball Ridge is right of centre.

Oct 23, 2011

Mount Oxford and The Wharfedale Track

An overcast weekend saw me out at Mount Oxford. There had been so much recent rain that the ford to the View Hill car park was impassable for me, meaning I ended up starting from Cooper's Creek instead, the same starting point for my only other trip to Mt Oxford nearly three years ago.

There were a few cars at the start but the only other people I saw all day were a couple of hunters walking out, about 10 minutes after I started. After passing the Payton Lodge Scout Camp the track climbed steadily through bush and then cloud, before emerging out in the scrub zone. It was raining lightly here, but this cleared as I climbed higher. I caught a brief glimpse of distant snow covered peaks whilst I rested on the upper ridge, before the visibility closed in a bit again on the summit.

Just sneaking above the cloud on Mount Oxford.

Heading back into the cloud on the Mount Oxford summit ridge.

Dropping off the summit I picked up the Mt Oxford Route and made a swift descent to the Wharfedale Hut, just a stones throw away from the junction of the two tracks. This hut is in good condition and situated next to the river, on a raised grassy clearing.

The well situated Wharfedale Hut.

From here I followed the Wharfedale Track, which is also an MTB track up to Wharfedale Saddle at 750m, well past the track junction to Black Hill. Someone had obviously camped here before and I took advantage of the ready made campsite complete with seat. The sun came out for a while but then the mist rolled in and it rained lightly for most of the night.

Wharfedale Saddle campsite.

The cloud slowly cleared the next morning to leave a more or less blue sky day. I followed the Wharfedale Track nearly back to View Hill before taking the track to Ryde Falls. I was surprised to find a nice camping area, complete with toilet and fire pit at the base of the falls. The waterfall itself was in good flow on account of the recent rain.

Wharfdale Track, just down from the saddle.

Sunrise over Mount Oxford forest.

Mount Oxford Forest.

Final sections of the Wharfedale Track.

Ryde Falls in good flow.

From the waterfall the track picks up the Link Track which parallels the West Branch of Cooper's Creek. The heavy rain, coupled with some canopy damage has made a mess of this track and it is pretty muddy. From here another hour and a half or so saw me back at the car in much nicer conditions than I had set out in, passing a number of day trippers along the way.