St Arnaud Range Traverse

March 7th - 13th 2013

Ending the week on a Wednesday afternoon is always a good feeling, but this time was even better as Owen and I were headed to the airport, destined for Nelson and then onto St Arnaud for four days tramping in Nelson Lakes National Park with Dad and Jo.

Starting our tramp straight from the motel car park was a novelty and a welcome change – no stiff legs from an early morning drive! With four days of fine weather ahead of us the plan was to traverse the St Arnaud range as far as we liked before dropping into the Travers River in time to make our 3pm water taxi on Sunday.

After leaving the motel at 8.30am we were soon making our way up the St Arnaud track to bushline. The weather wasn’t looking as good as what the forecast promised – low thick cloud surrounded us, but we remained positive that it would break up soon. An initial gradual climb led to where we turned off from the loop track and continued along a steep zigzag track to bushline. We were lucky enough to spot some Kaka along the way making a real fuss as we walked past. Much to our delight, the climb seemed to pass in no time and within 2 hours from the start we broke out above bushline.

Scroggin stop at bushline

Ahuriri to Hunter via Little Canyon Creek

December 26th - 31st 2012

After a wonderful family Christmas at Guide Hill Station near Lake Pukaki, filled with delicious food and lots of relaxing in the sun, it was time to get our bodies moving again! Owen dropped Dad, Jo, Mackenzie and I off at the Ahuriri Road end before he continued onto Lake Hawea to meet up with his family.

Ready to get started at Ahuriri roadend

Our plan was to spend a couple days exploring the Ahuriri Valley before heading over into the Hunter Valley to meet Owen again. We set off at 1.20pm and were treated with spectacular mistletoe right along the bush edge as we made our way up the valley. 

Lockett Range to Cobb Valley

April 8th - 10th 2012

Thanks to a cousins 21st over Easter weekend Dad, Alice and I were lucky enough to fit in a three day tramp in Kahurangi National Park. Absolutely stunning, summer like weather led to our departure on Sunday leaving us very excited about the pending adventure. We set off late morning after bidding Mackenzie farewell for her trip to Australia and were up in the Cobb valley by 1pm. A very gentle 4WD track led us to Sylvester Hut in an easy 1.5hours. Along the way we were a little put off after trampers coming in the other direction who told us they had counted 27 other trampers heading into the area that day! Luckily for us the last people we saw were at Iron Lake and following that no one was seen until the final car park. Following on from Sylvester Hut we made our way around to Lake Sylvester and up to Iron Lake, aiming to camp the night at Lake Lillie.

Walking up from Sylvester Lake

Red Hills traverse

December 2010

Dad, Alice and I decided to take the longer way to Nelson and traverse the Red Hills range and across Ben Nevis to the Wairoa Valley. After a morning drive from Christchurch Jo dropped us off on SH 63, just by where the Rainbow Road joins. A gentle 4WD drive track led us up to Red Hills Hut in an easy 2 hours. The landscape was amazing as it turned from typical beech forest to a scrubby red rock landscape. We had a pleasant night at the hut with beautiful views up Maitland Creek and the company of a lone Weka.

The view out from Red Hills Hut

Cass to Jollie circuit

December 2010

To celebrate my graduation from university and before heading off on my next adventure to Auckland, Dad and I took the chance to head into the hills behind Glenmore station, Lake Tekapo.  The trip started at Waterfall Hut in the Cass Valley (as far as we could drive with the current river levels) in stunning calm and dry weather conditions. A short 1.5 hour wander following vehicle tracks led us to Tin Hut Stream where the real adventure began.

Approaching Tin Hut Stream in the Cass Valley

Cass Saddle - Lagoon Saddle

November 2010

For the first time ever we embarked out on a full family adventure (with a few additional members too!). After a quick car shuffle between the start and ending points David, Jo, Alice, Mackenzie, Owen, Ellen and I set off up the Cass Valley in Arthur’s Pass. Our intended route was the Cass Saddle – Hamilton Hut – Lagoon Saddle circuit.

We were initially surrounded by flowering broom as we followed the Cass riverbed upstream.

Following the Cass River bed

Mt Oates

February 8th 2008

Headed up creek opposite Mingha Biv – very steep climb out of stream at waterfall, then bash up scrubby ridge to alpine grassland. Sidled north to basins under main ridge then around under rocky ridge across screes and up gut and rock to south shoulder. Traversed the high ridge across rotten rock to the high peak (2054m) – spectacular drops on both sides along ridge. Spent some time soaking up sun and views on top, before dropping down to the col between high and low peaks – difficult move into col then easy scramble up to low peak (2041m). Quick drop down to a welcome swim at Lake Mavis and on down to Goat Pass and back to Mingha Biv. Perfect day and wonderful views in all directions. A wonderful climb with Hannah.


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