Mingha - Deception - October 2007

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No 66

Mingha - Deception - October 2007

This was a club trip I did some time in October 2007, exact date unknown. This is a relatively easy classic Arthurs Pass overnight trip. We stayed at the club hut at Arthurs Pass on Friday night and had enough people to have two groups do the crossover to avoid the problems of transport at both ends. Unfortunately, out leader got sick over night, so he stayed at the Club hut while we went on ad did the trip. I was in the group that started up the Deception River at about 7:45am on a cool overcast morning. After crossing the swing bridge we proceeded on the long hike up the Deception until we lunched at the Upper Deception Hut after about 5 hours walking. We then completed the last stretch climbing up to the saddle to Goats Pass Hut, where we spent the night. The hut has no fire and I strongly remember having one of the coldest nights I can remember in there and it wasn't even frosty. One of the Women had a rough night as she must have got the same bug as the leader, but was well enough to walk out in the morning. With an easy day ahead, we didn't get away from the hut till about 9:30am on the Sunday. The walk down the Mingha River is particularly beautiful if somewhat short and we were at the vehicle by about 2:15PM.

Some random photos from this trip.

Otehake Hot Pools - 19-20th May 2007

Uncle Roddus Tramping Diary: Tramp No.65

Otehake Hot Pools - 19-20th May 2007

This was my first, and so far only trip, to the excellent Otehake hot pools. A CTC club trip, we left Aickens corner at about 11:00am on a warm Saturday for a moderatly easy walk into the pools, past the lovely Lake Kaurapataka, through some impressive beach forest and then over the flood route heading up the Otehake. Took us around five hours to get to the pools, which were in excellent condition, and set up camp in the awesome camping spot on the island in the middle of the river. The rest of the evening was spent soaking on the warm pools and eating cheesecake for dessert.

Sunday dawned overcast and wet and the rain came down heaver after breaking camp. A wet trip out and got back to the cars about 1:30pm.

Checking out the lake.

The lake.

Basking in the hot pool.

Uncle Roddus's new tent

Heading back out on Sunday.

Bolder hopping.

River Crossing.

Mons Sex Milla - 29th April 2007

Uncle Roddus Tramping diary:Tramp No 64

Mons Sex Milla - 29th April 2007

A regular trip on the Christchurch Tramping Club's calender, this particular time we had a party of about 10 or 12 trampers who set off from the St James Walkway car park about 10:30am on a clear and warm day.

After following the four wheel drive track some way, we then slogged our way up the hill to the tarn just below the summit where upon we rested and probably had lunch. We then continued on to the summit, arriving there upon around 3:00pm. Some of the keener members of the group wanted to carry on along the ridge to Garnet peak, whereas Uncle Roddus joined the soft group heading straight back down one of the ridges, due the the fact that he hadn't been out in several months. The soft group arrived back at the cars about 5:30pm and had to wait another 40 minutes for the other group.

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.