Mt Owen - 21-23rd October 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 62

Mt Owen - 21-23rd October 2006

This was my first attempt to get onto Mt Owen in the Kahurangi national park. It was a three day trip with the CTC with our intention to head in from the Southern end via Bulmer Creek on day one, camp at Bulma Lake, up onto the tops and across and down to Branch Creek hut and then out down the Fife River back to the cars on day three.

We left town on Friday night and stayed the night at Murchison before heading in early on Saturday morning. The weather forecast was for light rain all weekend, so our prospects were grim to say the least. Leaving the car about 9:20am on a grey and cool morning, four trampers headed off along a well used and formed track following the Owen river upstream until we reached the bottom of sunrise ridge. From there we cross the Owen and head up the true right of Bulmer Creek, again following a good track. Two hours in from the car the rain set in, a light but soaking drizzle. We stopped for lunch at the head of Bulmer Creek before climbing up through the bluffs and having to use a rope ladder(Now Removed) at one point to get us up onto the top of Bulmer creek. from here it was about another hour to Bulmer lake, where we set up camp. 

Sunday brought no respite to the conditions and so all originals plans were scrapped and we went for a wander partially onto the  Castle Basin area of Mt Owen, with out being to see the summit with the cloud sitting on the tops and wandering around most of the time in light snow. An early retreat back to our sodden camp and dinner and early night hiding in our tents from the rain.

Monday again showed no improvements and visibility being pretty low, we gave up trying to find the Sunrise Ridge track and just headed back out the same way we came in, albeit with much higher waterways to cross.

Donning Precipitation protection equipment as the rain arrives

The Bluffs above Bulmer Creek

Bulmer Creek

Second lunch amongst the Bluffs.

Setting up camp.

Bulma lake.

About to head onto the lower reaches of Mt Owen

Lunch as the snow starts.

Not the most pleasant tramping conditions.

The rope ladder.

Now what.

In Bulmer Creek, Saturday.

Bulmer Creek on Monday, at the base of the Bluffs.

The rivers were a bit higher on the way back.

The rivers were a bit lower on the way in.

And there was a bit of nice scenery.

Henry Saddle/Anne hut/Foley Creek October 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary:Tramp No 61

Henry Saddle/Anne hut/Foley Creek October 2006

This little adventure was undertaken by four keen CTC members who left the car at the Lewis Pass end of the St James walkway at around 10:30am on a cool and slightly overcast spring day. After following the beautiful St James walkway to the first swing bridge, we drop down into the river bed and follow it up stream to the Henry Saddle, a fairly common route. Over the saddle into the Henry River, things got a bit more difficult but once into the river its self we just bolder hopped our way down stream. Uncle Roddus got quite a bit ahead of the rest of the party and when the river started to gorge out he went up into the bush on the true left and then waited a bit for the others to catch up. After a while with no sign of them, he continued down onto the flats below and again waited a short while, expecting them to catch up very soon. Then the rain came and so after putting on his precipitation protection equipment, he decided they must have passed him on the other side of the river earlier on and surely won't be too far ahead of him and he will see them out on the open flats soon. Trudging along the open river flats in the pouring rain with no sign of the others ahead of him, he was starting to wonder what went wrong, but decided to get to Anne hut and see from there. After a good hour of slogging it through the rain, Anne Hut showed its self and the rain eased just as He run into his party coming the other way from the hut looking for him.

Sunday is dryer but still cool and overcast as we head off along the St James for an easy walk up to Anne Saddle. After dropping off the Saddle we find Boucher Stream and head up to the saddle before dropping into Foleys creek for the bolder hop back to the highway. Some difficult terrain in the creeks but overall a moderately easy trip.

Just dropped off the St James.

Heading up to Henry saddle

Anne hut

The St James on Sunday

Heading up Boucher Stream.

On The Saddle between Boucher and Foley Creeks

I think this is in Foley's Creek.

Near Henry saddle on Saturday.