Kay Creek

From the upper Caples Valley, Kay Creek runs NNW up into the Humboldt Mountains. The creek itself is mostly bouldery, with a couple of shingle flats. It is a beautiful stream, full of charm, and there are delightful views up and down the valley. 

After cutting the corner from the Fraser Creek turnoff the route heads up the true right of the valley. The first 100m of altitude is gained quickly but thereafter the ascent is gradual. The track itself is well marked but hasn't been cleared for a while so there is a bit of windfall and debris to contend with. After crossing the initial shoulder from the Caples the track stays pretty close to Kay Creek for the rest of the way. Part way along the main clearing a large, active slip comes down to the creek and the path becomes indistinct. In low flows it is possible to skirt around the slip at water's edge. Cairns and track markers show the way up the rest of the clearing, and there are numerous little streams to be forded on the shingle flats. As Death Valley nears the track heads uphill on the true left of Kay Creek - a sure sign the hut is not far away. With the hut in sight there is one final crossing of Kay Creek to be done. The ford is in a steep and bouldery spot which could be dicey if the stream is up*.

Kay Creek Hut is an old, dirt-floored four bunk hut. It was given a spruce up in 2016 by the Otago University P.E. department and now looks quite cosy. Judging by the hut book it is seldom visited (except by the uni groups), with most parties either hunting or heading over into Scott Creek and the Routeburn Road (or reverse).

It took me 2:40 hours to cover the 6km from Upper Caples Hut with a light day pack and no breaks. I thoroughly enjoyed the rough state of the track - it was nice to have a sense of wilderness after the wide easy path along the Caples. Kay Creek would have to be my favourite excursion of the summer so far!

* According to a note in the hut book, if water levels are high it is safer to cross Death Valley stream by the hut, instead of Kay Creek, and continue down the true right until the track is picked up. 

Earnslaw Burn

Earnslaw Burn is a wee valley draining the southern aspect of Mt Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi (2,830m). The start of the track is a little hard to find as there are no signs and it is marked incorrectly on old maps. Turn down Lovers Leap Rd (off the road to Paradise), and when the road does a sharp right turn look across the paddocks to the left and you will see an orange triangle. The track sidles up the valley through beech forest for four hours, staying roughly 100m above the stream. It is not particularly interesting, with only one or two views and no glimpses of the river until nearly at the bushline. The rewards come once you emerge into the delightful alpine basin with a babbling stream, lovely flats and waterfalls pouring over majestic flats. There is a rock bivvy, complete with wooden sleeping platform, on the true right of the stream at the bushline and another about 500m further upstream under cliffs on the true left. As you wander up the valley the vista only gets more spectacular as the Earnslaw Glacier comes into view. There are plenty of excellent camping spots and boulders which would give some shelter. I bivvied under a rock near the head of the valley at the base of Lennox Pass. It would have to be one of the most majestic I have ever slept!

I returned back the way I came, but a good alternative is to head up onto the tops from the first stream below the bushline and follow the ridge to Lovers Leap and down to the car park.

NZAC Girls Trip

The Auckland Section of the New Zealand Alpine Club organised a girls only trip to Mt Ruapehu, and last weekend found 10 ladies ensconced at the NZAC Ruapehu Hut at Delta Corner near Knoll Ridge Café. The objective was to walk up to the top of Pyramid (2,645m), one of Ruapehu's 12 peaks, but mainly to simply enjoy being on the mountain.

Three of us took the Friday off work to travel down and so managed to catch the last chair lift up the ski field - the others didn't arrive until about 2am! The afternoon was ridiculously warm with blue skies and a touch of lightly falling snow. Having skipped the walk up to the hut, I made myself useful and got some exercise digging out the fire exit.

Saturday morning was clear but a little breezy so I got up at 6am to watch the sunrise. The sky was clear all the way out to Mt Taranaki in the west, and the rosy light gradually crept over its slopes as it emerged from the shadow of Ruapehu. The late arrivals didn't emerge from bed until a while later, so it was just after 8am when we began wandering upwards. We opted to go up the gut and through the notch onto the Summit Plateau, where we were sheltered from the worst of the wind. There was blue sky all the way until we reached the southern corner of the plateau where we paused to regroup before heading over to Pyramid. I could see the peak with cloud billowing in front, but by the time everyone had caught up we were encased in cloud with almost zero visibility. Occasional clearances allowed us to find our way over to the north ridge of Pyramid, which we followed to the top. Despite being directly above the crater lake we didn't see it at all! It was cool and breezy on top so we only stayed long enough to take a few summit shots before retreating to a sheltered spot for lunch. Then it was simply a matter of retracing our foot prints back to Whakapapa. Some of us had hoped to traverse the ridge along to Te Heuheu, but decided it wasn't worth it in the wind and limited visibility. As we went through the notch and headed down toward the ski field we dropped below the cloud and once again had a view. Back at the hut in time for afternoon tea after a leisurely 6 hour stroll.

I poked my head out of the door at first light on Sunday to be greeted by a wet shroud of white and a blustery breeze. Oh well, back to bed. It wasn't worth trying to climb anywhere in the rain and wind so we simply packed up and walked down to the cars.

Mt Arthur Mission

A quick, spur of the moment dash up Mt Arthur (1,795m) with a friend and friends of friends.

Driving across the Moutere Valley we could see the peak of Mt Arthur bathed in sunshine above a layer of cloud. This cloud promised to lift, and as we swiftly marched up the track from Flora car park we had sunny spells and glimpses of the surrounding country. Unfortunately the cloud only lifted to about 1,700m and the summit remained swathed in cloud.

There was a bit more snow than we were expecting which made it fun. The only really sketchy bit was traversing above a gully just after the Winter Peak turn off - the run out was awful! A couple of our party were in running shoes and I was the only one with an ice axe. We made it safely across but then met a couple descending who told us that the last little bit was trickier. Only two of us pushed the last 5 minutes to the summit as the others decided that they had come high enough without proper gear. A quick retreat off the mountain in thickening cloud saw us back at the car with plenty of daylight to spare.

A marvellous little adventure!

Familiar view on the summit!

18km, 5:20 hours return to Flora car park. (2:50 hours to summit)

Solo to Starveall

It was 0°C when I set off mid-morning from the Aniseed Valley car park in the Richmond Ranges. Pretty cold for the first couple of kilometres along Hacket Creek! (Later I heard this section referred to as "Polar Mile"). I was wearing shorts and my quads were soon red and numb. It took 1 1/2 hours to reach Hacket Hut, which was serenely situated in a sunny clearing. After a quick break it was 30 minutes and 8 river crossings up Hacket Creek, all of which I managed to tiptoe across with dry feet, before beginning the relentless 900m climb. My pack felt pretty heavy! I chugged up the hill steadily; there was no rush and I had the world to myself.

I popped out at Starveall Hut after 4:40 hours and 1,140m of ascent. A hunter (Phil) and his dog (Molly) were already in residence but there was plenty of space to spare in the cosy 6 bunk hut. The tap had broken off the water tank so I had to climb up on top and scoop water out with a billy into a 20L container. Nearby Pt 1258 provided a spectacular vantage point with panoramic views of Mt Rintoul, Abel Tasman and the Arthur Range. There was not a breath of wind so I spent well over an hour soaking up the serenity. Returning to the hut for a hot soup, I was soon back out to watch the brilliant orange sun slowly sink behind the silhouetted shoulder of Mt Arthur. The evening was spent sitting in front of the fire spinning yarns. Phil regaled me with hunting stories and tales of his time trekking in Nepal.

Sunset behind Mt Arthur

Watched the sunrise then headed over Mt Starveall (1,511m) to Slaty Hut. There was a bit of powdery snow around on the tops which was good fun. There was no time pressure as I had all day to fill in so I took my time and had plenty of stops. Two hours through to Slaty Hut, and then I carried on along the track and popped up to Slaty Peak (1,544m). I lingered here in the sunshine for a while before deciding that it was time to get a move on as cloud was spilling over Starveall. Instead of backtracking I continued north then east along the ridge to pick up the track where it entered the bush. The temperature dropped a bit once I entered the cloud, but there was no wind so it was actually quite pleasant. Picking my way down rocks coming off Mt Starveall my foot slipped and I took a small chunk of skin off my hand - nothing a plaster couldn't fix. It was still early in the afternoon when I arrived back at Starveall Hut so I spent a while mucking around gathering firewood etc. There was a pile of logs where a tree had been cleared down the bank so I lugged those up to the wood shed. Cloud came in even thicker at 3:30pm with light showers and a few pellets of hail; the temperature plummeted to 4°C. I was alone for the night, basking in the warmth of the fire.

Slaty Peak

Woke up refreshed after a good long sleep. Packed up efficiently and lugged more firewood to the woodshed before setting off down the hill. The hut was in cloud but I soon dropped down below. I moved steadily, only stopping for photography. For over a kilometre a friendly fantail kept me company, darting around my legs and often approaching within a few inches. He left me at the second to last river crossing. It took 2 hours to reach Hacket Creek and then another half hour through to Hacket Hut. Once again I managed to tiptoe my way across all 8 stream crossings with dry feet. All that remained was a pleasant stroll out to the car park.

Starveall Hutt

Map


I couldn't trace the origin of the name Starveall in the region, but it seems to be a common English farm name implying poor land which is certainly apt.

Winter Solstice

What do you do when winter solstice falls in the middle of the week?
Why, you go camping of course!

With tarps pitched by 9pm we spent the rest of the warm night in our sheltered possie relaxing on the carpet of soft rimu leaves, four alcohol stoves providing a pleasant bonfire ambience. Dan even furnished fruit cake and custard to celebrate mid-winter!

The rain set in at 2am and immediately I could think of half a dozen better configurations for my fly. Not that I got wet exactly, just a bit of misty spray when gusts of wind came. Up at 5:45am to quickly decamp and head in to the city in time for work.

Tramp, Tramp, Tramp!

As I amble through the bush
Tramping cheerfully along,
Listening to the bellbird's melody.
My heart it sings within,
This is where I do belong:
Among the birds and mountains, wild and free.

Tramp, tramp, tramp! The joys of marching
Over mountains, o'er hills,
And beneath the starry sky 
We shall pitch our tents again,
With knowledge that there's more to cover still.

We are following the route,
Picking carefully our way,
Swirling clouds and drifting rain obscure the view.
Undeterred we carry on,
This is summer after all;
Bad weather in New Zealand's nothing new.

 

I lie in my tent worn out,
Muscles weary, yet content;
The journey has been long and hard today.
But despite the challenges
And the arduous ascent
I've relished every footstep 'long the way.

The aroma of wet earth
And the sunshine on my face,
Lungful after lungful of fresh air;
With nature all around
I am in my happy place.
There's nowhere that I'd rather be than here!

To the tune of 'Jesus loves the little children'
Listen to the tune here

Mt Pirongia

Mt Pirongia, southwest of Hamilton, is the Waikato's highest point at 959m. Perched just below the summit is the relatively new 20 bunk Pahautea Hut alongside the old 6 bunk hut and there are several tracks up the mountain, all of which are rugged and muddy, making for a good adventure. I had previously been up four times to stay at Pahautea Hut but every time had been clagged in with no view, so when a couple of friends asked me to take them on a tramping trip I was eager to tackle Pirongia again. This would have to be one of my favourite weekend tramps close to Auckland.

There are two convenient loops up to the summit - we chose the longer and harder route from Limeworks Loop Road, up Tahuanui Track and down Bell Track. Many comments have been made throughout the years about the state Bell Track including statements such as "Short people may require a lifejacket" and "It may have been easier with snorkel and flippers"!

The first couple of kilometres is a gravel vehicle track alongside the Kaniwhaniwha Stream and was a nice gentle warm up. It took half an hour to reach the campsite, including a brief pause to find our first geocache of the weekend. Once onto the Tahuanui Track proper, the gentle but consistent climb began. The trail follows the almost straight ridge for several kilometres at a steady gradient before steepening up at the 700m mark. The track was pleasant going, although featureless, and I enjoyed being immersed in the bush. As altitude is gained the flora changes from tawa and podocarp canopy to stunted, twisted montane forest. The track also gets muddier the higher you get - which at first seems slightly paradoxical. However the mud should come as no surprise when you consider that the upper slopes of the mountain receive twice as much rainfall as the plains below. It is not until high up on the ridge that the first views are to be had; northwest to Mt Karioi and eastward over the Waikato. Reaching the boardwalk signals that the summit is nigh and the section from Tirohanga Track to the summit viewing platform is easy going. It was a bluebird day so the vista was grand - we could even see Mt Taranaki and Mt Ruapehu in the distance. I was glad to finally get a decent view on my fifth time up Pirongia!

Twenty minutes later we were peeling off muddy shoes and socks on the deck of Pahautea Hut, first to arrive for the day. After claiming some bunks we took a barefoot stroll along the 800m of boardwalk to Hihikiwi summit to find the geocache hidden there. The evening was whiled away relaxing on the deck, playing cards, reading, and solving crosswords with some of the other hut occupants. At sunset the horizon turned a brilliant orange, although the ridge blocked our view out to the west. We did go outside to look at the stars for a while, but although the sky was clear it was brightly illuminated by the almost full moon.

Pastel hues issued in the dawn, the air so still that cows could be heard mooing down on the farms below. With a long day ahead of us we made an early start and were soon packed up and heading off along Bell Track. The first 10 minutes is boardwalk, which then abruptly stopped and left us to the mercy of the mud as we picked our way carefully from root to root, balancing along logs and swinging around trees. The occasional exclamation punctuated our passage as one or other of us misjudged and planted a foot in the deep, sticky mud. 45 minutes of this saw us at the top of the Cone (953m) where Lydia retrieved another geocache from the scrub. A steep scramble down ensued, with no reprieve from the mud. Where the ridge flattens out around the 600m contour there was a change from mud to bog. Whereas so far there had been plenty of roots and trees to give a solid footstep, now it was just knee deep ooze. At first we all tried inching along the vegetation at the sides, but after one foot slipped in I yielded and just waded through (at least where it didn't look too deep). It was actually quite fun wallowing along!

And that wasn't the deepest...

Central Clearing Campsite provided a nice dry lunch spot (and another geocache) and we had a quick poke around to find the water source for future reference. Not far past, in a smaller clearing, there was an abundance of blackberry bushes so we stopped to forage for late-season berries. From here it was another couple of relatively mud-free kilometres along the plateau before dropping down to Blue Bill Stream. Dropping packs we took the 10 minute detour out to the tallest recorded native tree in New Zealand, which is a 66.5 metre tall Kahikatea. For some reason I had mis-remembered the next two kilometres along the stream as being good track and easy going so it took longer than I expected to reach the Kaniwhaniwha caves. These are the only two known limestone caves on Mt Pirongia, the main one being 20m long and just wide enough to walk through. We quickly scrambled through before trundling on. By now our legs were weary and the gravel plod back to the car, although easy, was hard on the feet.

Team Statistics:
3 young ladies
30 kilometres walked (approx.)
12:45 hours of walking
1 blister
7 geocaches found
1 block of chocolate consumed
3 crosswords (almost) completed
1 goat seen

Click here for map

Timber Trail

Escaping Auckland after work on Friday night we crammed 3 bikes into the back of Brendan's van and headed south to Pureora Forest. Arriving at Ngaherenga Campsite around 10:30pm in light drizzle we pitched our tents alongside Christian & Bryon. A relaxed start in the morning with plenty of fiddling around with bikes and bags. All five of us were new to bikepacking so our stowing arrangements were relatively untested.


Brendan, Me, Bryon & Dan (photo by Christian)

Heading off into the ancient podocarp forest at 10am we relished the first couple of kilometres of flowing dirt single track through magnificent trees. After crossing through a logged area it was time to tackle the long, gradual climb up to Mt Pureora. There was nothing particularly steep (only dropped into my granny gear once) and it was all nicely rideable. After passing the highest point on the Timber Trail we made a detour on foot up the tramping track to the top of Mt Pureora (1,165m).

Back on the bikes it was a nice long downhill through the forest to the first of several impressive purpose-built suspension bridges, where we stopped for lunch. Bryon suffers from vertigo so he crossed very tentatively without looking down. Another bridge soon followed, and then it was onto old forestry roads with a few dips in and out of gullies. Dan got a flat tyre which was a good excuse for a rest. The last section through to Piropiro Flats campsite crisscrossed gravel roads and was pretty fast. We had all thoroughly enjoyed the ride and couldn't wipe the grins off our faces. It had taken us 6 hours to cover the 41km at a laid back pace, including an hour detour to the summit of Pureora. Dan & Brendan experimented with pitching their tarps using bikes for support while the other three of us used tents. Light drizzle rolled in not long after we were set up, so Brendan's tarp became kitchen and living quarters for the evening.

 

I was a bit saddle sore in the morning for the first few minutes of riding (and after any stops) but soon loosened up. It was easy going to the bridge over the Maramataha Stream, which at 141m is the longest on the Timber Trail. This led to an unexpectedly long grunt up to the start of the old logging tramway and I realised just how un bike-fit I am! After that the gradient was pretty easy as the trail follows the tramway almost all the way down to Ongarue. By this stage I realised that my front brake had completely given out - diagnosis was leaked hydraulic fluid, probably due to disuse - which meant that I was careful not to pick up much speed on the descents as I knew I had limited braking capacity. At times this was frustrating as the track was great for blasting down. There were a few mud puddles which Brendan described as being like riding through PVA glue. After the first few I decided to walk these to avoid stalling mid-puddle. A small mishap when I lost one of the bolts attaching my carrier rack, but once I caught up with the guys Brendan came to the rescue with his bag of tricks. By this stage I was getting a bit tired as I hadn't had much in the way of a rest or food all morning so was glad for a break.

Sheltering briefly from the rain

The Ongarue Spiral is a marvellous bit of engineering where the tramline corkscrews underneath itself with a bridge and curving tunnel. A further couple of kilometres downhill brought us to the Mangakahu Stream - both Bryon and Dan copped wasp stings near the end. The final section of single track followed fence lines along the stream before abruptly spitting us out at the Bennett Road car park. The 43km had taken only 4 hours as it is mostly downhill. We were early for our shuttle pick up, but within a few minutes of texting Paul from Epic Cycle Adventures was there to meet us and drive us back to the cars at Pureora.

I found the difficulty level of the trail perfect for me - it was interesting without being too difficult to ride with a laden bike (despite not having ridden off road for several years). The only bits I had to walk were a few small but sticky mud puddles in the middle of day 2. There was a little bit of passing and re-passing a couple of other groups but the trail was by no means crowded.

It was a fantastic weekend away and definitely exceeded expectations!

Topo Map

 

Photos by Brendan, Dan & Christian

A Friday Haiku

Leave work Friday night;
Camp in the bush, talk with friends.
Rain on fly. Ah, bliss.

Inspired by Ricky Baker (Hunt for the Wilderpeople)

Going Solo in the Kaimanawas

Waitangi Weekend 2017

Day 1

Left Auckland at 5:30am for the 4 hour drive to Te Iringa campsite (Clements Mill Rd). Started walking at 9:35am. Easy going along Te Iringa Track, which is mostly a well-formed path. One view of Mt Ruapehu but otherwise just beech forest. 3:15 hours to Tikitiki Stream, where I had lunch. Another 45 minutes to the Kaipo swingbridge. Found a tranquil gravel bar beside the Kaipo River to have a rest for half an hour. Kept my eyes peeled for a swimming hole but found nothing suitable that I could get to easily. Pretty hot! Reached Oamaru Hut in 6:26hrs. There were 3 young mountainbikers there, and two guys out fishing. It was only 4pm so I decided to carry on up the Oamaru Valley. Very hot across the grassy flats. Head high grass and thistles in places. Just as well there was a worn path as the markers weren't visible from a distance. Stopped at a nice campsite 1 hour up valley beside the Ruatea Stream. Had a wash to cool off. Delicious dinner of muffins and scrambled eggs. Drank 2.25 litres of water over the 7.5 hours of walking. Didn't bother using a bivvy bag - simply put my sleeping bag and thermarest straight on the ground under young beech trees.

 

Campsite beside the Ruatea Stream

Day 2

Didn't get much sleep last night. Was disturbed just after midnight by a possum a metre away from me and eyeing up my pack. Chased it off three times before it finally moved on. After that I was on alert for further invasions. Warm night until 2am, when I finally put a hat on. Was using my puffer jacket as a pillow so didn't put that on even though I wasn't warm. Glad to see dawn breaking. Breakfast in bed at 6am, on the road at 7am. Waded the Ruatea Stream barefoot to keep my shoes dry. Lovely walking up the Oamaru Valley. There is another campsite 45 minutes up from Ruatea Stream. 2:15 hours to Boyd junction.



Spot the track

Long, steep 500m climb onto the ridge. 4 hours to pt1254 (first high point). Had lunch on pt1319. Very hot and no breeze so had frequent rests. 7 hours to Maungaorangi. Found geocache at the summit. Long way down the other side! Feeling tired & stumbling a bit so ate 1/2 and Em's Power bar which set me right. There was a lot of debris on the Maungaorangi track so route finding demanded concentration, constantly on the lookout for the next marker. Rationed 1.5L of water for the 7 hours along the ridge - ran out just as I reached the first side stream near the Cascade. The cool water was bliss! Found a spot in the Cascade to have a refreshing dip. Spooked a sika deer on the far bank.

Open tops over Maungaorangi

The track down valley to the Kaipo Saddle junction was difficult to follow due to treefall. Past the junction is an amazing smooth, sculpted gorge with a waterfall which sounded like a helicopter. Reached Cascade Hut in 10:20 hours. A father & son were cooking dinner on the porch, although they camped down on the river flats to hunt. Soup followed by couscous and salmon for tea. Hut to myself for the night, which is not what I expected on a long weekend. I was hoping for some pleasant company tonight but there are not as many people out as I expected. Oh well, I guess no company is better than bad company. Cascade hut is surrounded by bush and has no view. Can hear the stream but can't see it. Lots of native wasps and flying insects although not many sandflies. Hut is a bit dingy inside but at least it ought to be more comfortable than my thermarest last night.

Cascade Hut

 

Day 3

Slept the sleep of the weary! Woken at 10:30pm by a deer walking on the deck. Set off at 7:30am and immediately got wet feet crossing the Cascade Stream. Saw a blue duck at the confluence of the Cascade & Tauranga-Taupo River. Half an hour along the flats to the start of the climb. Thin mist was hugging the hills, keeping things nice and cool. Steady climb but nothing difficult. Glad to be tackling it in the cool of the morning. Lots of spiderwebs! Enjoyed being able to stride out along the relatively good track over into the Hinemaiaia. The track along the stream had a surprising amount of uphill considering it heads downstream. A few very steep climbs in and out of gullies. Reached the end of Clements Mill Rd in 4 hours. 5 minutes break before heading off down the road. Walking the gravel road through the forest actually wasn't too unpleasant as most of the time there was shade and a little breeze. Hard on the feet though. After 1:45 hrs, and an estimated halfway along the 12km stretch, I had just decided to find a spot to rest when a ute came around the corner. Hitched a lift the remainder of the way back to my car with a friendly hunter from Auckland. Very pleased to skip the last 6km of road which was sunnier and hillier.

Morning mist

If I had to sum up the route in one word it would be 'non-descript'. Sure, the river valleys have lovely spots, but the track is mostly through beech forest and there are not many particular points of interest en-route. Maungaorangi is the only place where you get a decent view (and that was so hot that I didn't tarry). Maybe I didn't enjoy it as much because I was on my own. This trip was an experiment to see how I find solo tramping. I really enjoyed the freedom to start and stop at will, look at things, rest, and swim without consulting or inconveniencing anyone. On the other hand, with no one to share things with it all seems a bit pointless. No discussions, no one to encourage or to give encouragement.

Enjoying the Oamaru

 

Birds seen: whiteheads, tomtits, robins, riflemen, kereru, kaka, whio, grey warblers, fantails blackbirds.

Not huge numbers of birds and there was no dawn chorus. Notable by their absence were tui and bellbirds.

Click here for map

Kahurangi

Hunkering down in a hollow out of the howling wind, the hustle and bustle of Auckland which we had escaped a mere 6 hours ago was a distant memory.

A short flight from Auckland, a van ride, and an hour and a half of walking brought us to Mt Arthur Hut, perched high up in the mountains northwest of Nelson. After quickly settling in to the eight bunk hut, a couple of us headed up the mountain. Gale force wind and low cloud put paid to the idea, and after battling to stay on my feet for forty-five minutes we dived into the shelter of an old sinkhole before turning tail and retreating to the hut.

With a norovirus outbreak in nearby Nelson Lakes, and unconfirmed reports of people becoming ill in Kahurangi, I was rather uneasy about staying in Mt Arthur Hut. Reports from passing trampers of a sick boy at Salisbury Lodge, our next destination, did nothing to quell my nervousness. All benches got wiped down, water boiled, and hands thoroughly washed many times. Thankfully our group emerged unscathed.

The wind did not abate overnight, and with the cloud base lowering further our original plan to cross over Gordons Pyramid to Salisbury Lodge was abandoned in favour of the low route via Flora Stream and Balloon Creek. On the bright side, this gave the opportunity to investigate the four rock shelters en route. These would make wonderful overnight destinations in their own right, particularly the Upper and Lower Gridiron shelters.

Ray Salisbury, a descendent of the original Salisburys on the Tableland, had given us directions to find a few little-known points of interest on the Tableland. First up was Pillar Cave, half an hour across country from Salisbury Lodge. This cave boasts a magnificent wedding cake formation where stalactites and stalagmites have merged to form a great pillar. Names scrawled on the pillar date back to 1887. A few hundred metres further on is Richards Cave, where a level stream bed enters the hill. The cave is high enough to walk for quite a way in along the stream before eventually narrowing to a crawl space.

Five go Spelunking (apologies to Enid Blyton)

Rain drumming on the roof in the morning was a signal to snuggle deeper into my cozy sleeping bag. The weather gradually cleared and we departed for Balloon Hut. Most of this section is open tussock over the Tableland so there was little shelter from the wind & cloud. From Bishop's Cave at the head of Cundy Creek we attempted to find the grave of one of the old diggers, but couldn't remember the instructions so quickly abandoned the idea. All was not lost as I did manage to locate a geocache near the cave entrance. There are many fascinating tomos around this area and you could easily spend a long time exploring (and just as easily get disorientated).

An hour's lunch break at Balloon Hut was needed to fortify ourselves with hot drinks before braving the weather across the Peel Range. As we climbed higher the wind increased dramatically until a couple of people were struggling to stay on their feet. I relished the invigorating conditions! Turning the corner and descending to Lake Peel in the lee of the ridge provided a welcome respite from the gale. On a sunny day Lake Peel would be an inviting spot for a swim, but none of us felt the slightest inclination today. A steady climb brought us up to the ridge where we got our first misty view of the Cobb Reservoir. From here it is a long way descent to Myttons Hut and then another 1.5km to Trilobite Hut at the end of the Cobb Road. It was strange to be in civilisation again only halfway through our trip. We managed to score beds but there were a few people who resorted to sleeping in cars or tents. I drew the short straw and got a bunk with no mattress; even with two inflatable mats the wooden slats were still uncomfortable.

Cobb Valley

After a bad night's sleep, we were eager to leave Trilobite Hut behind and make our way up the Cobb Valley. Strolling through the beech forest and river meadows was very pleasant as the sun was shining for the first time this week. It is neat to see that the historic Chaffey Hut and Tent Camp have been restored to their former glory. These rustic shelters have a lot of character and would be quaint lodging for a night. I made do with a half hour snooze at the Tent Camp while waiting for the stragglers to catch up. Lying back in the shade with a pleasant breeze and the gentle gurgling of the Cobb River only a few metres away was very soothing. Half an hour brought us to Cobb Hut, and in another 15 minutes our destination of Fenella Hut was reached. This hut has a reputation for being one of the best in the country, and it did not disappoint. Despite being over-full there was plenty of space and the gas burners made cooking a breeze.

First priority was a dash up to the tarn 400m away for a swim. Without exaggeration this is the most majestic place I have ever swum! Surrounded by mountains, with an infinity pool edge, the tarn was very refreshing and I stayed in for a good 10 minutes before sunbathing on the rocks. Upon returning to the hut an hour later Dad was gearing up to climb Xenicus Peak & Mt Gibbs. After wolfing down lunch and grabbing a few essentials it was back to the tarn and along the cairned route toward the mountains. Instead of following the recognised route around the north side of Xenicus to the saddle with Gibbs we scrambled directly up the western face of Xenicus. It was steep zigzagging up the rocky ribs but mostly fairly straight forward. The trickiest moves were actually descending off the back of Xenicus to the saddle. Well, they were tricky for short people. It was a stroll up and over Mt Gibbs before descending steeply down to Round Lake and then the track to Lake Cobb. Back at the hut we found that another group of 11 had arrived, so 3 people slept on the floor and about 7 people slept outside in tents or tarps. This group was from Operation Mobilisation and we enjoyed thier company for two nights.

Just after 5am I was awakened by a bright light shining in my eyes. Whoops, slept through my alarm! Turns out that earplugs are very good at blocking out noise. Four of us were heading along the Douglas Range to Lonely Lake for a day trip. At 11km and a track time of 6-8 hours each way, we wanted to ensure that we had plenty of daylight. In addition, the weather was forecast to close in that evening. The track starts off by immediately climbing 250m up to the ridge before sidling around the southwestern flank of Waingaro Peak. This side was sheltered from the wind, but once we popped up onto the main Douglas Range we felt its full force. The cairned route was mostly straight forward to follow even in the cloud, although there were a few places where it petered out and we had to scout around. At the bush line past pt1610 we met three people heading out from Lonely Lake who were surprised to see people so early in the day. Lonely Lake can bee seen from high up on the ridge over a kilometre away, the hut tucked out of sight, although it still takes a while to get to. The vista is majestic and the tumbling series of waterfalls flowing from the outlet is impressive.

After 4:15 hours we arrived at Lonely Lake Hut, resplendent in all its newly refurbished glory. There are 3 bunks plus a fold-down bunk above the door so would cosily sleep four, and you could squeeze a couple of people on the floor if necessary. There is also room for a couple of tents nearby. This is definitely a spot I would like to return and spend a night.

We ate a very early lunch and browsed the historical hut books for nearly an hour while watching the bad weather slowly rolling in. Just before we left a big billy goat trotted up from near the lake and stared at us nonchalantly. Reluctantly we started our retreat back to Fenella Hut, and by the time we were out of the bush near pt1610 the rain had set in. It only got heavier and visibility worsened. There is something invigorating about being out in bad weather. It makes you feel alive! At least we knew where the track went so didn't have to waste time scouting. Until now I had managed to keep my shoes dry - a new personal record of 4.5 days - but the water running down my legs into my gaiters soon put paid to that small comfort. Once back on the poled route at the saddle Dad and I hared off running down the hill to Fenella for a bit of a blast.

The rain really set in during the afternoon and didn't ease off until after lunch the following day. A rest day had been factored into our plans so this was a good place to use it. My second ever hut day. When the rain finally did ease a few of us strolled around the cairned track to Lake Cobb for some (very) fresh air. Helen and I even braved another dip in the tarn! Consensus was that it was definitely colder than two days prior. That night, our third at Fenella, we had the hut to ourselves as no one had come up the valley with the less than inviting weather.

Looking across to Xenicus, Fenella Hut is bottom left.

Fondly farewelling Fenella Hut it was time to tackle the Lockett Range. So far we had been staying on the beaten track, but now it was time for an adventure. A steep climb up Waingaro Peak track brought us once more to the saddle where this time we turned south and onto the Lockett Range. The first kilometre was through a delightful hanging valley on top of the ridge. It was windy and there were occasional showers coming in from the west. From pt1310 the going got rougher and the cairns got few and far between. Lots of ups and downs and a few scrambly bits soon got us to the sidle below the south side of pt1503. This traverse was easy enough, but looking back from the eastern end it looked rather steep and daunting! Here the real grunt began. Steep scree led up towards pt1672, and our party got split due to the wind making it impossible to communicate unless standing right beside each other. Three headed for the high point while four of us decided to sidle. After a while we saw the other 3 at the top and decided that we better regroup so headed straight up the rockslide. Helen and Millie were rather out of their comfort zones but stoically kept going. In hindsight it would have been a much better route to keep traversing around to the saddle with Mt Benson. There was no apparent easy route off pt1672: either an exposed rocky clamber down the ridge, or drop down a chute into the bowl north of Mt Benson and then around to Ruby Lake. The vote was for the latter as several people were not keen for more rock scrambling. Again in hindsight we should have kept to the ridge, shuttling packs and using a rope for confidence if necessary. One nerve-wracking hour later, after descending snowgrass then sidling back up to the saddle, we were back on the ridge only a couple of hundred metres away from where we started.

pt 1503 (right). The route sidles from the left hand notch

By this stage the sun had come out but the wind was still very strong. David's pack got blown off the ridge and he had to scramble a long way down to retrieve it. Originally we had thought of camping at Ruby Lake but we decided to push on to Diamond Lake to make the last day much shorter. Once back on the ridge it was relatively straight forward, but still with a few careful pitches. At one point I turned around to point out an easier route to Helen only to see her lose her footing and somersault twice down the mountainside. My heart leapt into my throat as I helplessly watched, visions of injuries and helicopter rescues racing through my mind. Amazingly Helen landed relatively unscathed, with only some big bumps and bruises to show for it. Not even any blood as she was layered up in all her storm gear. After a few minutes to calm rattled nerves we tentatively carried on. By this stage everyone was getting more than a little tired.

It was neat being able to look all the way up and down the Cobb Valley, with Chaffey and Trilobite huts visible far below. At the 1,400m saddle between Mt Benson and pt1631 we dropped straight down slowly through the lumpy tussock to pick up the bush edge which provided easy going down to the valley floor. Thankfully we stumbled upon an old campsite at the very bottom eastern corner of the bush which we claimed as home for the night. Two weka were already in residence, and although they were not in the least shy they weren't interested in our shiny paraphernalia which is usually very attractive to those weka who have become used to humans. Helen was in a bit of shock from her fall and retreated to her sleeping bag to rest and warm up. Over lots of hot drinks and a big dinner we gave thanks for a challenging but memorable day. Oddly enough this day proved to be the highlight of the trip for many.

I lay in my tent contentedly listening to the morning birdsong. Bliss. This is what I love about camping - the fresh air, the smell of the bush, the sound of the birds, and the feeling of freedom.

Diamond Lake was reached after an hour of strolling through the open tussock valley. A rough track leads along the southern shore to the end of the lake where there are many picturesque campsites. Yet another place to add to my list of spots to re-visit. From what we had read, we expected there to be a track from here up through the bush to Lake Lillie, and indeed there was a big cairn and a piece of permolat indicating where to turn off. Either the track no longer exists or else we lost it within 50m, as we ended up picking our own way up through the open beech forest. Once back in the open it was a short sidle around to Lake Lillie. We were glad we had not decided to camp here as there were no inviting tent sites and no shelter.

Diamond Lake

A discussion ensued as we tossed up where to go from here. One option was to ascend the ridge to Iron Hill and follow the ridge along to the Sylvester Lakes. The alternative was to traverse around to Iron Lake, reports indicating that there was an old Forest Service track near the bushline. The idea of climbing the ridge was vetoed as it involved going uphill. A cairned route was discernible leading east from Lake Lillie so we followed this until it got to the bushline. Here there were a couple of tiny cairns and a blue triangle leading into the bush directly down the spur but as this was not the direction we wanted to head and we didn't know where this track went, we elected to continue traversing at the same altitude. Progress was easy at first, with obvious deer trails to follow but the going soon got frustratingly slow with more rocks and obstacles to avoid. Ensuring that the whole group maintained contact meant travelling the at the pace of the slowest people. Balancing the abilities and needs of everyone was not easy. Today we also had the added time pressure of meeting our shuttle on time at the Cobb Dam.

Something out of place caught my attention: on old map dropped by previous wanderers. We were not the first to pass this way. Eventually bluffs in front of us forced us to drop steeply down to the stream, which for those with dodgy knees was no easy feat. From the stream it was just a bit more scrub-bashing and clambering up to the outlet of Iron Lake. For this last section I was double packing to help out a couple of those who were getting rather tired. A few minutes' respite at the lake and then we headed along the cairned route down to Lake Sylvester. All day Helen and I had been looking forward to a swim, so as soon as we found a suitable spot we launched into the water. It was rather chilly! The large lake was noticeably colder than the wee tarn at Fenella Hut. Still, it was very invigorating. Reluctantly we shouldered our packs for the final stretch to Sylvester Hut and down the old metal road to the Cobb Dam.