The Dome - 12th November 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No 63

The Dome - 12 November 2006

A small party of CTC trampers set off to scale Dome on a cool and windy Nor west day with ominous Nor west rain clouds shrouding Arthurs Pass but clear on Dome its self. Headed off from the rail bridge at 9:10am and bush bashed through fairly open forest up the north west ridge and onto the wind swept tops. Second lunch was had at point 1920 and due to time and the not too pleasant weather, it was decided to head back. We retraced out steps towards point 1759 and then dropped down a nice long scree into the Edwards River. Uncle Roddus was having a booming time bouncing down what was a pretty good scree, until he rolled his ankle and experienced some pain. After several minutes recovering, he gingerly set off again, getting faster as the pain lessened until it bloody well happened again. The rest of the trek out was taken somewhat gingerly and we made the cars about 6:30PM.

Unable to find any photos of this trip.

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.

Black Hill Hut - 23-24 September 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary:Tramp No 60

Black Hill Hut - 23-24 September 2006

Yet another trip into Black hill hut, this time another trip with the CTC. Left View hill about 10:30am on yet another Nor' West day and had a straight forward walk up to the hut. Yet another wild night was spent in this hut before heading out again on Sunday on a much calmer day but a lot wetter. No Photos from this trip.

Mount Somers - 17th September 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 59

Mt Somers 17th September 2006

This early spring trip with the CTC took a different approach to Mt Somers than I had done before. We left the carpark at about 10:30am and headed off along the nice track to Pinnacles hut on a fine day with light winds. We arrived at the hut around 12:45 and had a nice relaxed and extended lunch before heading off again up to the saddle. From there we left the track and clambered up through the rock up to the summit, arriving about 3:30pm. There was still plenty of winter snow on the tops and so we put on crampons for out travel across. Several of us practiced our cramponing in a very steep gut before regrouping with the rest of the party for the journey back to the cars via the southern route and Staverly hill. Arrived at the cars around 6:30pm.

Approaching Pinnacles Hut.

The rocky side of Mt Somers

Pinnacles Hut

Another shot of the rocky side of Mt Somers.

Heading across the tops.

A view from the summit.

East Hawdon - 11-12th March 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary:Tramp No 58

East Hawdon - 11-12th March 2006

The original plan for this CTC trip was to head up the Hawdon and East Hawdon and then over the saddle just East of point 1708, then drop down into the Casey Stream for a camp and then to head back out over Casey Saddle on Sunday.

 A party of five set off from Hawdon Shelter around 10:30am on a warm and fine morning with a light breeze.

Lunch was had about half way up the East Hawdon after one of our party turned back as his boots fell to pieces, he hitched back to the city. After cresting the saddle later in the day, we started to head down towards the Casey, following the stream down, but we encountered a waterfall with no obvious way round it. As it was getting quite late in the day by this time and one of our party wasn't coping too well with the difficulty of the trip(which may explain why it took us so long to get to where we were), the decision was made to camp, with difficulty, on the side of the hill, as things got considerably colder and a light rain started to fall.

 On Sunday, our leader decided that due to the condition of out struggling companion and the fact that we still hadn't found our way around the water fall, we would head back out the way we came in. We arrived at the cars about 5:00pm.

The three photos above also give me an indication as to why our travel was slower than I thought it should be for the distance travelled.

Further up the East Hawdon.

A great shot looking back towards the Hawdon river.

Nice shot of the tops.

Heading down towards the Casey, again the terrain explains our travel times.

The high camp, it was colder than it looked and also steeper than it appears. I remember almost sliding out of the tent when someone went out in the night.

This must be looking back up from the camp.

Bald Range - Rangi-Taipo - Kelly Tops 18th-19th February 2006

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No 57

Bald Range - Rangi-Taipo - Kelly Tops 18th-19th February 2006

So this was the original trip I did with the CTC along the Bald and Kelly Ranges back in 2006 and which I revisited again in 2011 for another epic adventure(see here) and also see Here for the actual CTC trip report.

The weather for this trip was near perfect as five trampers left the Kelly creek car park about 9:50am on Saturday morning. A nice steep climb up through Beech forest and then flax and low scrub before we hit the tussock and the Caroline Hut after about an hour and a half. The decision was made to take advantage of the fantastic day and do the Bald range first, taking another six hours to Rangi-Taipo where we enjoyed the fabulas views of the Taipo River valley and lake Brunner. Dropped down to the south looking for the start of the track down the Taipo, finally locating the cairn, before we slipped and slided out way down the upper part of the rack and then floundered down the lower and more overgrown section before finally arriving at The Old Dillons Hut, where we stayed the night. The next day involved the much easier travel of up onto the Kelly tops and back to the car via Caroline hut. Day took about 11hours and day 2 about 6.