We had Carolina's Mum and youngest sister over for Christmas and New Year. On Christmas Day we took them on our favourite Christchurch walk to work up an appetite for Christmas Lunch - over to Godley Head from Taylor's Mistake and back again.
Dec 25, 2010
Dec 21, 2010
Hut Spur to Bruce Stream
From the weekend of 27th November
Tramping the Bruce Stream saw a return to Arthurs Pass for us and the opportunity to traverse one of our favourite ridges, to Bealey Top Hut and further along Hut Spur.
The gentle track from the Bach’s at Bealey Spur has to be the best in The Park for getting somewhere with great views very easily. A small knoll at around the 1000m mark provides fantastic views across the Waimakariri Valleys as well as back across to the Minga and Bealey Valleys. We stopped for lunch here and watched the gathering clouds away to the East. Unusually for Arthur’s Pass, there was not a cloud in the sky to the west of The Divide.
The situation was further complicated as we climbed higher as it started to thunder. Shortly afterwards, the altimeter went crazy, the walking poles starting fizzing and my hair was standing on end. It was high time we got off of the ridge and we dropped in to the basins at the head of the Power Stream. The rain finally moved away and the weather improved dramatically as we sidled round to the saddle at the back of Blind Spur.
Beyond this we traversed past a delightful still iced up tarn above Junction Stream, before following a magical deer track / stream down a steep but practically bush free descent of Junction Spur. A quick scouting around for campsites saw us camped on a grassy terrace above the stream.
Tramping the Bruce Stream saw a return to Arthurs Pass for us and the opportunity to traverse one of our favourite ridges, to Bealey Top Hut and further along Hut Spur.
The gentle track from the Bach’s at Bealey Spur has to be the best in The Park for getting somewhere with great views very easily. A small knoll at around the 1000m mark provides fantastic views across the Waimakariri Valleys as well as back across to the Minga and Bealey Valleys. We stopped for lunch here and watched the gathering clouds away to the East. Unusually for Arthur’s Pass, there was not a cloud in the sky to the west of The Divide.
The situation was further complicated as we climbed higher as it started to thunder. Shortly afterwards, the altimeter went crazy, the walking poles starting fizzing and my hair was standing on end. It was high time we got off of the ridge and we dropped in to the basins at the head of the Power Stream. The rain finally moved away and the weather improved dramatically as we sidled round to the saddle at the back of Blind Spur.
Beyond this we traversed past a delightful still iced up tarn above Junction Stream, before following a magical deer track / stream down a steep but practically bush free descent of Junction Spur. A quick scouting around for campsites saw us camped on a grassy terrace above the stream.
Sunday was a blue sky day and we had great fun in the Bruce Stream. There were two gorges to negotiate, the upper being the most demanding which included a small waterfall to climb around in the bush. Finding a route back to the stream from here was a bit more difficult than we had imagined and we had to try several times before being able to descend back to the river bed.
Beyond here there is a long section of easy walking and at our lunch stop I took a good opportunity to swim in one of the many pools.
The second gorge started soon after the confluence of the Power Stream and this was also great fun with many river crossings and some scrambling around boulders. The route eventually finishes with a short gravel bash and pops out on the highway by the main river bridge only a stone’s throw from the start. A quick drink at the Bealey Hotel afterwards completed a great weekend.
The second gorge started soon after the confluence of the Power Stream and this was also great fun with many river crossings and some scrambling around boulders. The route eventually finishes with a short gravel bash and pops out on the highway by the main river bridge only a stone’s throw from the start. A quick drink at the Bealey Hotel afterwards completed a great weekend.
Dec 11, 2010
Pack Rafting the Nina
From Sunday 21st November.
We have invested in some new toys. We now have pack rafts which should allow us to cruise back down the rivers on trips and give us a bit more versatility as well.
After a quick test one Sunday afternoon in the Avon / Heathcote Estuary (bravely ignoring the signs giving dire warning of polluted water which have been in place ever since the earthquake) we were ready for something a bit bigger and headed up to the Nina Valley for our first trip.
A three hour walk along the true left of the Nina (which is incidentally a much more scenic route than the new and now eroded track on the otherside) we reached the old Nina Hut site and after a quick lunch break we launched at the confluence of the Nina and Duchess Stream. It took about 20 minutes to go from Tramping to Rafting including inflating the rafts.
We rafted for about an hour and a half in total, certainly quicker than walking and absolutely fantastic fun.
It was a very quick learning curve and this first rip taught us a lot. We probably need to get spray decks for the rafts, certainly need to get helmets (collisions with rocks seem sometimes unavoidable!) and at the very least the packs (rucksacks) need to be stored in a waterproof fashion and water quickly gets everywhere. Even on a warm day you get cold very quickly as you are getting splashed all the time and end of sitting in a puddle of cold water. Might take the waterproof gloves next time.
We have invested in some new toys. We now have pack rafts which should allow us to cruise back down the rivers on trips and give us a bit more versatility as well.
After a quick test one Sunday afternoon in the Avon / Heathcote Estuary (bravely ignoring the signs giving dire warning of polluted water which have been in place ever since the earthquake) we were ready for something a bit bigger and headed up to the Nina Valley for our first trip.
A three hour walk along the true left of the Nina (which is incidentally a much more scenic route than the new and now eroded track on the otherside) we reached the old Nina Hut site and after a quick lunch break we launched at the confluence of the Nina and Duchess Stream. It took about 20 minutes to go from Tramping to Rafting including inflating the rafts.
We rafted for about an hour and a half in total, certainly quicker than walking and absolutely fantastic fun.
It was a very quick learning curve and this first rip taught us a lot. We probably need to get spray decks for the rafts, certainly need to get helmets (collisions with rocks seem sometimes unavoidable!) and at the very least the packs (rucksacks) need to be stored in a waterproof fashion and water quickly gets everywhere. Even on a warm day you get cold very quickly as you are getting splashed all the time and end of sitting in a puddle of cold water. Might take the waterproof gloves next time.
We beached just before the new Nina swing bridge, having had a good trip. A few minutes of steady walking saw the warmth return to our bones as well and we headed out back on the Nina Track.
Dec 8, 2010
Woolshed Hill and Casey Binser
From the weekend of 16th November. (Canterbury 'Show Week')
Not withstanding the bad weather forecast for the Saturday, and the mass of cloud we had seen to the West, the next day turned out to be fine. We crossed Casey Saddle, - well known territory for us now and had a first lunch at the Surprise Stream, before descending through the beech Forest to Casey Hut for lunch.
We made camp on terraces just above Pete Stream which saved us from a mass of sand flies and camping next to an area with 4WD access.
By the Sunday the weather had thought about changing, but couldn’t decide. We cruised the route back from here: A long gentle climb to Binser Saddle at just over 1000m, then a quick descent to the Mount White Road and a small section of valley walking back to the car. There isn’t much to see on the section of track from Binser Saddle out to the road, in fact it’s main plus point is that it is an all weather route straightforward route which can used to get to and from better things.
Show Weekend saw us heading up to Arthur’s Pass for a three day trip from the Hawdon Shelter. We headed up Woolshed Hill before descending to the Casey Valley and completing the classic Casey Binser Tramp, a reasonable distance that allowed us to stretch our legs.
We had originally considered traversing the Savannah Range to the East Hawdon, but the strong gusty wind blowing straight at us down the Hawdon Valley made us reconsider. Looking across towards The Divide, the Tarn Col was completely closed in and probably very wet.
From Point 1445 we descended a spur to the Casey Valley and the Andrew’s Stream. The spur is open in the top and bottom sections, but the middle part is suffering from vigorous regrowth and was very spindly.
We camped near the bottom of the spur at the first flats after the Casey Saddle track rejoins the stream. We’d passed this campsite a few times, one of several good spots that abound at both ends of Hallelujah Flat. As a result of the extended Bush Bash, it was already late by the time we pitched the tent, so not much time for lazing around, but we meet a hunter heading back down valley who had similar experience with the bush understorey on the climb up to Pt 1478.
We camped near the bottom of the spur at the first flats after the Casey Saddle track rejoins the stream. We’d passed this campsite a few times, one of several good spots that abound at both ends of Hallelujah Flat. As a result of the extended Bush Bash, it was already late by the time we pitched the tent, so not much time for lazing around, but we meet a hunter heading back down valley who had similar experience with the bush understorey on the climb up to Pt 1478.
Not withstanding the bad weather forecast for the Saturday, and the mass of cloud we had seen to the West, the next day turned out to be fine. We crossed Casey Saddle, - well known territory for us now and had a first lunch at the Surprise Stream, before descending through the beech Forest to Casey Hut for lunch.
We hadn’t walked the track out along the Poulter Valley before and were pleasantly surprised by it. The first section through the bush – with the giant Red Beech is the best. After that the track has a park like feel, before crossing in to Mt White Station, where the area feels more desolate and barren. This was surprisingly tiring, along a 4WD track in the late afternoon heat.
We made camp on terraces just above Pete Stream which saved us from a mass of sand flies and camping next to an area with 4WD access.
By the Sunday the weather had thought about changing, but couldn’t decide. We cruised the route back from here: A long gentle climb to Binser Saddle at just over 1000m, then a quick descent to the Mount White Road and a small section of valley walking back to the car. There isn’t much to see on the section of track from Binser Saddle out to the road, in fact it’s main plus point is that it is an all weather route straightforward route which can used to get to and from better things.
Nov 7, 2010
Cedar Flats and Adventure Biv
For our Labour Weekend trip we had originally planned to traverse the Toaroha Range, but poor visibility and terrible snow conditions put pay to that. However we still had a great time at Cedar Flats and the side trip to Adventure Biv.
From the Toaroha Road end the walk in to Cedar Flat Huts took around four hours at a relaxed pace. The track is in good condition, well maintained throughout and of an easy standard. At one point there are spectacular views down to the Toaroha Canyon, but must of the time you are walking through West Coast Bush. There was one section along the river gravels which may be impassable after really heavy rain. In fact the biggest problem we had on the walk in was leaving the car in a field full of cows. The farmer was planning on moving stock that weekend and had them all in the field that doubles as a car park. We reached the hut at 3:00pm, there were already a few other parties there, taking advantage of the good weather on The Coast.
Looking up to the Toaroha Range, there still seemed to be a lot of snow about, especially on the west face of Mt Reeves, but our planned route looked pretty feasible, if fairly steep. After a quick break we headed off to Adventure Biv. As we wanted to see the hot pools we headed along the true right of the river, the track was fine to the pools themselves, but we then had an awkward moment climbing a slip the other side of Wren Creek that involved carrying packs. (The main track on the true left of the river avoids this issue)
The Adventure Ridge track had been recently cut, branching off of the main valley track just beyond a spectacular swing bridged gorge. It took an hour and a half of continuous steady and sometimes steep climbing, all on tree roots to reach the biv itself, hidden at the start of the tussock.
The biv itself is on the smallish side and given the great weather we camped on a tussock flat just outside of it. It is however, clean, dry and in good condition and would provide great shelter if needed. The view from the biv is fantastic, with great views across to the (still snow covered) tops of the Diedrich’s Range and behind the biv up to Mount Reeve’s and the Toaroha Range.
The next morning, the weather didn’t look so bad at first. One of those mornings where the cloud is very thin and it looks as if it will be burnt off by the sun. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Shortly after starting our ascent towards Mount Reeve’s the weather closed in completely and we were soon walking in 50m visibility with heavy drizzle. Heading up beyond the scrub zone, we encountered loose slabby snow poorly attached to the tussock beneath. Going on in these conditions was out of the question.
We turned back and descended to Cedar Flats. It rained most of the day and everybody apart from one couple had already left. We spent a lazy afternoon at the hut and took advantage of the recently dugout hot pool in the evening.
The walk out the next day was in continuous heavy drizzle and correspondingly it was completed somewhat quicker than the trip in. It briefly stopped raining in Hokitika, but the sun only really came out once we got to the other side of Arthurs Pass.
From the Toaroha Road end the walk in to Cedar Flat Huts took around four hours at a relaxed pace. The track is in good condition, well maintained throughout and of an easy standard. At one point there are spectacular views down to the Toaroha Canyon, but must of the time you are walking through West Coast Bush. There was one section along the river gravels which may be impassable after really heavy rain. In fact the biggest problem we had on the walk in was leaving the car in a field full of cows. The farmer was planning on moving stock that weekend and had them all in the field that doubles as a car park. We reached the hut at 3:00pm, there were already a few other parties there, taking advantage of the good weather on The Coast.
Looking up to the Toaroha Range, there still seemed to be a lot of snow about, especially on the west face of Mt Reeves, but our planned route looked pretty feasible, if fairly steep. After a quick break we headed off to Adventure Biv. As we wanted to see the hot pools we headed along the true right of the river, the track was fine to the pools themselves, but we then had an awkward moment climbing a slip the other side of Wren Creek that involved carrying packs. (The main track on the true left of the river avoids this issue)
The Adventure Ridge track had been recently cut, branching off of the main valley track just beyond a spectacular swing bridged gorge. It took an hour and a half of continuous steady and sometimes steep climbing, all on tree roots to reach the biv itself, hidden at the start of the tussock.
The biv itself is on the smallish side and given the great weather we camped on a tussock flat just outside of it. It is however, clean, dry and in good condition and would provide great shelter if needed. The view from the biv is fantastic, with great views across to the (still snow covered) tops of the Diedrich’s Range and behind the biv up to Mount Reeve’s and the Toaroha Range.
The next morning, the weather didn’t look so bad at first. One of those mornings where the cloud is very thin and it looks as if it will be burnt off by the sun. Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Shortly after starting our ascent towards Mount Reeve’s the weather closed in completely and we were soon walking in 50m visibility with heavy drizzle. Heading up beyond the scrub zone, we encountered loose slabby snow poorly attached to the tussock beneath. Going on in these conditions was out of the question.
We turned back and descended to Cedar Flats. It rained most of the day and everybody apart from one couple had already left. We spent a lazy afternoon at the hut and took advantage of the recently dugout hot pool in the evening.
The walk out the next day was in continuous heavy drizzle and correspondingly it was completed somewhat quicker than the trip in. It briefly stopped raining in Hokitika, but the sun only really came out once we got to the other side of Arthurs Pass.
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