Black Hill Hut-Salmon Creek - 26-28th December 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No.36

Black Hill Hut-Salmon Creek - 26-28th December 2003

A solo tramp I did with the original intention of  spending two nights at Black Hill Hut and spending the middle day heading along the tops to Chest peak and back.

  Left View hill on a warm and windy Boxing day and marched up to Black Hill Hut in 5.5 hours. Set up in the hut and was joined by another party of 4 about an hour later, including one 13 year old lad who didn't shut up the whole time they were there, for both nights. headed up onto Black Hill to enjoy the views and watch the sunset, wind was quite strong.

  A very windy night was had in the hut and it was still blowing strong in the morning, which prompted the decision to abandon any ideas of travelling along those exposed ridges in that wind and instead to drop down into Salmon Creek as Frank and Honora had recently re cut the track down. Dropped down to the Salmon Creek Biv in 1.5 hours and discovered the original hut book from 1984 had mention of Alan J, who had helped move it there at the time. I know Alan through his brother. From the Biv I travelled up stream, bolder hopping up a lovely creek with some nice pools and was sheltered nicely from the strong winds. I traveled up to where the old upper biv use to be, DOC having removed it a couple of years earlier, and tried to find the old track back up onto the ridge. I didn't find the track but the bush bash was fairly easy and one through that the route was easy to follow, I don't recall any poles along the ridge as marked on the map. The wind along the ridge heading back to Black Hill was rather strong and not that pleasant and had to be careful not to get blown over. Got back to the hut around 5:30pm and had to endure another night of endless chatter from the young bloke. Another very windy night was spent thinking the hut was going to blow off the hill.

 Got away about 9:30am the next day for the walk back to View Hill, which I managed in 4 hours.

Unfortunatly I can't find any photos from this trip.

Mt Somers - 20th December 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 35

 Mt Somers - 20th December 2003

My first time up Mt Somers, on this popular local trip, with My friend Ulrich. We left the Sharplin Falls car park around 9:30am and headed up the usual way onto Staverly Hill via Hookys Knob. A moderately easy climb, we achieved the summit in just under three hours and enjoyed the views before it clouded in and got a bit colder.

We decided to try a loop trip and dropped off the Eastern side of the mountain, negotiating our way down through the rocky bluffs and connecting with the track about 1KM West of Pinnicles hut. Headed back out to the car park with a short detour to Sharplin Falls. Walked about 14KM in 7.5 hours and climbed about 1200M.

Following the poled route to the summit

This looks more spectacular than it actually was.

On the tops

looking down on the Planes.

Checking out the tops.

Some interesting Rocks.

Uncle Roddus on the top.

idiots in the mountains Part 3.

The big country out the back.

Near Staverly Hill.

On the Track from Pinnacles Hut

Sharplin Falls

Another picture out of sequence.

Broken River Hut - 13/14 December 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No.34

 Broken River Hut - 13/14 December 2003

This was a sort of impromptu trip with the Christchurch Tramping Club, as the original destination wasn't feasible due to weather conditions, but this little trip has stuck in my memory as a delightful weekend not just for the tramping but for the company I enjoyed. Frank and Honora were leading this trip and I had convinced My friend Bryce to come along as he had recently moved down from the North Island, Kerry I had tramped with on several occasions and Laure was the only member of this party I didn't know.

  We stayed at the Club Hut in Arthurs Pass on Friday night with the intention of going to Phiffer Biv on Saturday. Unfortunately, the forecast was for heavy rain about the divide with strong Nor west winds, a common scenario in this area. On Saturday Morning the picture wasn't too inviting and after a pow-wow, at Franks suggestion, we headed back East and up Cragiburn Road to Avoca to go to Broken River hut.

  This involved heading from the old Avoca hut along the old tramway to the old boiler, then a scramble down the old cable way to the river where we wombled pleasantly up stream, stopping for a quick swim in a nice pool, before heading to the Hut. We got to the hut by 3PM where we set up camp and then proceeded to relax in the lovely warm conditions and also relaxed in the river to cool down.

  The hut its self wasn't much to write home about and from memory was a bit dingy and with only four bunks, Bryce and myself slept in our tent. A very pleasant evening was enjoyed just hanging out and chatting.

  On Sunday it was back out down stream, but the expected winds had picked up and we got a bit blasted with grit and water before we reached the old Station woolsheds and house, near the Railway viaduct. Had lunch here and explored the old buildings before crossing the river and using the 4 wheel drive track to take us back to the cars. Arriving about 2PM. A pretty easy weekend but as I said, very enjoyable.

The old Avoca hut

Cragiburn Road

A breather in the heat just before Honora stripped naked and dived into the pool beside us, just so she wouldn't feel too self conscious(as if she would) Uncle Roddus followed suit soon after.

Relaxin' buy the hut.

The old boiler.

Avalanche Peak - 6-7th December 2003

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No 33

Avalanche Peak - 6-7th December 2003

A Classic Arthurs Pass trip, this was run by the Christchurch Tramping Club on which 11 of us spent Friday night at the Club hut before a late start on Saturday, waiting for the weather to clear. Left the hut late morning and started heading up Scotts track about 11am, catching up with some others of our group who left earlier. Had lunch before continuing on to Avalanche Peak, followed by a Kea. The day had cleared beautifully by the time we got to the summit, where we enjoyed the views, although it wasn't that warm up there, so our stay was short. Headed off along the ridge towards Mt Rolleston until we found the drop off point down to the Crow river from which we plunged down about 700M of  god awful scree leading us into the Crow river, then its just a short womble down stream to the new Crow hut.

Sunday was another fine day and we left the hut about 9am for a pleasant walk down the Crow valley before the last womble down the Waimak river to Klondyke Corner, in about 4 hours. Great trip and relatively easy.

View of Otira Highway from Scotts track

Getting up into the rocky stuff.

Our friendly Kea

Two Kea eyeing up Uncle Roddus's pack

On Avalanche Peak

About to head off to find the way down to the Crow Hut.

A rather had scree.

But I was last on and nearly first off.

View up th e Crow river to Mt Rolleston

Relaxin' at Crow Hut.

Another shot looking up steam of the Crow river.

A lovely day.