Butchers Creek

Solo tramp to South Ohau hut for an explore of Butchers Creek.

Friday 21/09/2012
Typical late evening start from Poads Road and a wet walk in the dark up the river to South Ohau. Was a bit of a slow walk. Always enjoy getting there and cranking up a fire after the cold walk and sipping some whisky.

Saturday 22/09/2012
Butchers creek explore day. Always wanted to head up here and check out the tributaries that feed Butchers. Got to less than 100 meters from Dora Ridge track, just a bit of a bush bash to get there.
Butchers Creek 01
Butchers Creek 02
Butchers Creek 03
Butchers Creek 04
Butchers Creek 05
Butchers Creek 06
Butchers Creek 07
Butchers Creek 08
Butchers Creek 09
Butchers Creek 10
Sunday 23/09/2012
Out of bed when I woke and did a hut tidy and firewood collection exercise. Lunched in the sun and then left the hut heading out down the river.

Trip Times
22/09/2012
2048 Left Poads Road car park
2149 Into the Ohau
0044 South Ohau hut
24/09/2012
1305 Left South Ohau hut
1549 Out of the Ohau
1650 Poads Road car park
Map

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Te Matawai

Me off on a blast as the weather is looking good for the night life.

Friday 14/09/2012
Left from Poads Road before nine pm heading to South Ohau up the river. River too cold for me to travel and it was still up a wee bit. So back down the river and heading off up Gables to take the escape route down to South Ohau. Some millipede action on the track
Millipede
And as I climbed up saw many snails, counted more than twenty on the track.
Snail 1
Snail 2
Started out ok going down the escap route to South Ohau but got a bit lost in the mist and after not finding the bush entry retraced my steps and carried on along Gables heading for Te Matawai. A bit more of a longer walk than I planned. Arrived at Te Matawai at half past two Saturday morning.

Saturday 15/09/2012
Slept in a bit, almost lunch time when I got out of the sack. No so chilly and got some views of Dundas with a wee frosting.
Had lunch and headed off to South Oahu and hopefully out down the river. Stopped at South Ohau for a quick coffee.

Trip Times

Friday 14/09/2012
2042 Left Poads Road End
2357 South Ohau Escape Route
0052 Richards Knob
0200 Yeates track junction
0215 Otaki River track
0229 Te Matawai hut  
Saturday 15/09/2012
1311 Left Te Matawai
1339 Yeates track
1413 South Ohau hut
1455 Left South Ohau hut
1614 North South Ohau junction
1655 Out of river onto track 
1803 At Poads Road

North Ohau

Walking into North Ohau hut for Saturday night on my own to check out travel to Square Knob on Sunday, before I return.

Saturday 01/09/2012
Walked into North Ohau hut with nice weather and a average amount of water flow. Can see the hut roof about ten minutes from the hut.
Some nice cloud formations in the evening.
Sunday 02/09/2012
After lunch headed off up the river and then crossed where the pine trees are.
Walked up thru the pine trees to gain the ridge to Square Knob. Lots of goats here in the bush. Had a tangle with the scrub and last my glasses for a while. Did not get to Square Knob but its easy travel (as far as no track goes) once on the ridge. Back to the hut and packed up and headed out.

Trip Times
Saturday 01/09/2012
1338 Left Poads Road
1436 Into the South Ohau
1507 North and South Ohau junction
1609 Can see the roof of North Ohau hut
1617 North Ohau hut
Sunday 02/09/2012
1443 Left North Ohau to return to Poads road
1531 North and South Ohau junction
1605 Onto track
1703 At Poads Road.

Map