Heaphy Huts Day

Duangdao, Tariga, and I camping at Kohaihai over the christ space myth period of 24th to 29th to get away from the insanity of the religious zealots and the mass marketing of the buy buy buy people.

26/12/2011
A day walk and back to Heaphy Huts from Kohaihai beach. To me this is the best bit of the Heaphy track. This section of the track should not be walked fast, its a chunk of NZ that needs at least a full day of time as there are many places to stop and relax. Places to swim and just look at the place.

Trip Times
1101 Left Kohaihai.
1130 Scotts Beach sign.
1152 Swanburn Bridge
1201 Koura Bridge.
1224 Twin Beach.
1225 Katipo Shelter.
1243 20 Minute Beach.
1304 Wekakaura.
1316 Heaphy Beach.
1332 Sign with :Hut 1km"
1342 Heaphy Hut.
1410 Left Heaphy Hut.
2 hours 42 minutes for 16 - 18km.

Map of Trip Area

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Lees Creek

A wander with Anthony into Lees Creek off the Wairau Hanmer Springs Hydro road. Neither of us had ever been here. Going in the middle of the week we assumed we would not see any other persons.

24/11/2011 Thursday
Due to the locked gate on the public road we changed to bicycles, mine being a girls low seat purple model.

The road to Lees creek is a gradual uphill with one or two down hills. I wished I had adjusted the bike seat as it was way to low and I felt my knees where getting up around my ears.

We crossed the swing bridge and both of us where surprised at the mass and rate of the water flowing down the Wairau. Looking up the Wairau from the swing bridge.

Looking down the Wairau from the swing bridge. The following is the swing bridge across Lee Creek. The water level was up with all the snow melt.

A view of the mountains as we head to Lees Creek hut.

 At Lees Creek hut.

25/11/2011 Friday
Even though today is the go home day we decided to head up the North branch of Lees Creek for an explore. There is a great trail all the way up on the true right, fresh deer prints.

Great fungi specimen on the way out. Is this a Morel or a false Morel or something else? More research needed.

Trip Times

Thursday 24/11/2011
1114 Left the car parked on the on the South side of Six Mile Creek. Biked South to Lees Creek and headed off
1146 Ronans Well
1153 Lees Creek track
1526 Lees Creek Hut
Friday 25/11/2011
1307 Left Lees Creek hutheading for the Wairau
1516 Lees Creek swing bridge
1541 Lees Creek car park
1611 Six Mile Creek

Map of the Trip

Ohau River

A solo trip which concludes with the death of a car. Really ment to do much more but having left the car with smoke pouring out from the bonnet I did not have the right mind set to just go for it.

Friday 18/11/2011
Left the Crosslands and drove off to Poads Road. While sitting in the car in the dark getting my pack packed I could smell this acrid burning smell that got stronger so got out and realised it was pouring out from under the bonnet. Came from the area of alternator or generator or whatever sort of ator it was. Oh well packed up and headed off across the paddock intending to get to North Ohau hut as others where already at South Ohau and i was going to arrive very early morning, probably 0300 hours.

Got into the river and walked up around a few bends not really going for it begining to feel tired; so when a nice sandy beach came into view I decided to bivvy out. Got all comfortable and noticed I could not see stars any more. Dozed off and got woken by rain. Was not really coming down so went back to sleep, with a small whisky to help.

Saturday 19/11/2011
A nice day with sunshine and no wind, had breakfast while still in my bivvy bag and somehow made a decision to just go back to the car and see if I could get it sorted in Otaki.

Laid the damp things out and they where dry in no time so headed off out.

No trip times

No map

No car... sold it later in the day for scrap; got $150.00.

Anderson Memorial

Tararua tramp with Carl and much enjoyment, same as usual.

Friday 11/11/2011
This was a nice head off early trip,  I escaped from the office at 1202 or was it 1204? Anyways i bolted and got Carl and we got on the motor way and zoomed off to Otaki where we groceried and visited my Dad and finally headed off to Otaki Forks. Parked up and had a conversation with a man (old) from Canada and it was strange. And I realised I had forgotten my camera. What a stupid thing I had done, I love to take my camera for a walk. So sad. All photos by Carl Hickton. Field hut is such a nice old place.

Field Hut

We got walking and we got views of the ranges as we headed for Kime Hut.

We got to Kime Hut and we fed ourselves and had a couple of beers before sleeping a sleep of cold.

beer stack

What a barn of a hut, not in a good barn way more in a extinguished mall of a barn way.

Saturday 12/11/2011
Woke in the barn that is not a great barn and headed off in the clag to Maungahuka for lunch.

DOC ware

There is a bit of up and down before Maungahuka, wire rope, a ladder, and some chains but its still just a walk in the park.

Mangahuka Hut

After lunch there was some up and down and a bit of rain and we hit Aopakarangi before we realised so we dropped packs and went down to the hut to check it out.

Old sign

It was much the same as last time i was here. Nice and tucked in the trees.

Aokaparangi Hut

Off again and after more clag and some small rain we eventually got to Anderson Memorial Hut. Nice place.

Anderson Memorial Hut

Fire going food eaten and then a beer and whisky. The whisky being Caol Ila Distillery cask strength. An amazing whisky at 61.3% with a big oily taste of Islay. And some fine humor with a advertisment in the FMC and another publication...

Sunday 13/11/2011
Woke early, ignored the alarm and got out of bed eventually. Headed off to Junction Knob and then downhill to YTYY hut, a typical claggy day and a three hour journey. Saw a goat out grazing as we crossed the swing bridge, named him Leo.

Then off out to Otaki Forks and back to Wellington.

Trip Times



Map

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..and reality was not supplied by god.

Dorset Ridge Hut

Way cool a trip with a fellow walker, Carl, who can. We set off with a single aim of getting to Dorset ridge hut and having a beer or two and some whisky and then getting back in a weekend. And we did.

The whisky for Dorset Ridge Hut is a whisky that needs to be taken for a walk in the hills to be enjoyed. At home in the city it was too sweet and heavy with sherry. At Dorset this whisky became awesome Bunnahabhain 'Signatory' 2001 58.1%


Friday 28/10/2011
Left much later than the planned lunchtime, it was more like sometime after 4.00pm. Eventually we where at the Holdsworth car park and we headed off to Jumbo hut. The millipedes where out in force, from Aitwhakatu to Jumbo; you could see them almost every step of the way. Perfect conditions for them, damp and a bit claggy.

And there was a snail out, photoed by Carl.

We got there before midnight and as there where others already there in their sleeping bags we sat on the verandah and looked at the distant city lights whilst drinking our beer and whisky.

Saturday 29/10/2011
It was a nine hour day from Jumbo Hut to Dorset Ridge hut with interesting travel over the Broken Axe Pinnacles and the ridge we went down to get into Dorset Creek. We tried to go a way that would not be common, even so we found some tape markers in the forest on the ridge we went down. We still had a great time bush bashing and climbing thru tree fall and sliding down steep near bluff sections.
The route we did on Saturday from Jumbo Hut to Dorset Ridge Hut:

Its all a normal well traveled wander to the broken axe's, usually some good views today just clag and shapes.

The clag cleared a bit as we got to the north side of the Kings, just when we started down the ridge to Dorset creek.

The wander thru the bush before the creek was very easy going except for the last few hundred meters. Good slip sliding bush bashing but made easy with the fine weather. The creek is a steep rocky slippery place, not deep and this weekend was easy to travel. Our last trip here was with deep cold swift water from snow melt.

The "track not maintained" up to Dorset was overgrown still easy to follow as it is marked with an assortment of tags and it is mostly on the top of a narrow ridge.

Eventually the hut comes into view, it is a good exercise ridge, gives a good pump out.

Once we where at the hut we got together firewood, made very difficult due to the axe being broken, finally got enough chunks to warm us and dry our gear out. As we had the hut to ourselves we turned it into a comfortable lounge room.

Sunday 30/10/2011
The going home day and we set an alarm for 7:00 am because we decided on a long walk out. So we got out of bed at 10:30, because sleeping was good. Had a bit of a tidy up, and found a perfect axe in the hut. Had coffee and food and finally headed away after 12:pm. What's with the Tui can built into the long drop?

As we headed away got a view of the hut with the Broken Axe Pinnacles in the background.

Took our time and had lots of stops for views as we left Dorset Ridge Hut and wandered up onto the Dorest Ridge and then up Girdlestone. Carl heading up the Pinnacles onto Girdlestone.

Looking into South Mitre Stream.

View looking North to Girdlestone from near the top of South King.

View of the Broken Axe Pinnacles as we head down toward Baldy on our way back to the car.

From here it was approx 3 hours out to the car. We had no rain while we walked and the wind hardly ruffled us. Another great wander in the Tararuas.


Travel Times
28/10/2011
2011 Left Holdsworth car park.
2151 Aitiwhakatu hut.
2158 Left Aitiwhakatu hut.
2334 Jumbo Hut

29/10/2011
1000 Left Jumbo Hut.
1022 Holdsworth turnoff.
1128 McGregor Biv turnoff.
1326 South King
1426 Mid King Biv sign.
1533 Taking ridge North of North King down to Dorset Creek.
1705 In the creek of Dorset.
1851 At Dorset Ridge Hut.

30/10/2011
1222 Left Dorset Ridge Hut
1300 At Dorset Ridge Hut sign.
1408 On the main range.
1429 Girdlestone.
1645 Mid King Biv sign.
1709 South King.
1813 Bush entry off Baldy, stopped for a meal.
1838 Off again.
1916 Saddle.
1926 OVer the swing bridge.
2005 Aitiwhakatu hut.
2134 At Holdsworth Road end.


Map of the Walk
For this area we walked; maps NZTop50 BN33, BN34, BP33, and BP34 are needed.

High Ridge

Last month I wandered along High Ridge but headed off the wrong side of the ridge and never completed the entire "Track not Maintained"; back for a second go with Carl. We headed off on Saturday afternoon to Holdsworth Road end and then up the hill to Powell Hut for the Saturday night. Sunday up to the top and then along High Ridge to Totara Flats hut and then back out to Holdsworth Road end.

Saturday 15/10/2011
We left Wellington Saturday afternoon and drove to Holdsworth car park, stopping in Carterton for a plate of food. Headed off from the car park to Powell Hut some time after five pm. In the open spots before Rocky Lookout had good views of both Powell and Jumbo huts. Could even see Mitre in the distance.

Stopped at Rocky Lookout to yak on the phone and have a general look at things. Ring thing in the rock.

Got to the hut and a group of people where having a birthday party there. Nice and warm. Relaxed and while having a beer snow flakes began to fall.

Sunday 16/10/2011
When we got out of bed we noticed that there was a light snowfall outside. Not too chilly. The snow was more noticeable at the High Ridge sign.

We dropped off our packs here and carried on up to the top of Holdsworth. The cloud clearing as we neared the top.

Carl on the top by the Holdsworth trig.

Headed back down to the High Ridge turnoff and then off. Good view looking back along High Ridge to Holdsworth.

The following is the view SW along High Ridge.

At Flaxy Knob, sign and cairns, this time was different to my last trip; we kept on the western side wherever there was tree fall. As last time I gave up and headed into Red Rock creek.

It was a good walk down to Totara Flats hut as the track is well used and easily followed. We stopped at the hut for a meal. Nobody there, big empty hut. Carl in good humor at the Totara Flats turnoff.

Looking towards the Kings from Rocky Lookout.

Not too far to the car and a drive home,

Trip Times
15/10/2011
1722 Left Holdsworth car park.
1803 Rocky Lookout for hone photo etc.
1822 Left Rocky Lookout
1843 Totara Flats turnoff
1859 Mountain House turnoff
1958 Powell Hut


16/10/2011
0942 Left Powell Huy
0954 Dropped off packs at High Ridge turnoff.
1024 Holdsworth trig.
1056 Heading off along High Ridge.
1312 Flaxy Knob and sign to Totara Flats.
1445 Cairn on the track
1447 At the swing bridge.
1451 At Totara Flats hut.
1558 Left Totara Flats hut.
1754 Totara Flats turnoff.
1857 Holdsworth car park.


Map of Walk

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