Interim Trip - Mount Aspiring National Park

Xmas Trip 2010
Monday 11 January 2010 to Friday 15 January 2010 (5 days)

Tramping in Mount Aspiring National Park, Christams 2010
Rees - Dart and Wilkin Young

Monday Rees - Dart: 11 - 15 January

We took track transport to the road-end at Muddy Creek and set off at 10.00am for Shelter Rock Hut on a rather overcast day. The river crossings were without problem but the flats were boggy and it was nice to get into the beech forest. Arriving at 4.00pm we all scored a bunk in the hut, which later filled up.

Tuesday

 At the start o fthe Dart Track Forecast was for clearing to fine so we made an early 7.15am start to beat the heat of the day going over the Rees Saddle. It was a steady climb except for a steep ascent for the last 100m to 1447m. By then it was fine and sunny and, on the saddle, some climbed to a nearby high point and were rewarded with amazing views of the Snowy River Valley towards Mt Tyndall and Shotover Saddle. The descent to Dart Hut along Snowy Creek was wonderful and a lunch stop high in the valley had amazing views of the Dart Valley and surrounding mountains. Arrived at Dart Hut at 1.30pm.

Wednesday

Taking day packs only, we headed for Cascade Saddle at 7.00am for a return trip. High cloud kept us cool and the mountains were a little hazy, but we had great views of the Dart Glacier and, up on the saddle, clear views to Mt Aspiring, the Matukituki Valley and all the mountains from Rob Roy to Aspiring. After descending to the river we walked the shingle banks and over a couple of moraines (some bright green and blue tarns in the moraines). Back at the hut at 4.00pm.

Thursday

It had rained overnight but the morning cleared and we set off at 8.00am for Daleys Flat Hut. A great day’s tramping through the beech forests, alongside the rushing Dart River and finally out onto the flats before the hut. Arriving at 3.00pm we found the hut full and four of us decided to camp. A lovely spot except for pesky sandflies!

Friday

 Dart Valley to Cascade Saddle (Photo: Graeme McGowan) Left the hut at 8.00am to be sure we reached Chinamans Bluff road-end in time for our track transport pick-up. An enjoyable day with plenty of time to enjoy the plentiful bird life on the river flats. A steep climb over Sandy Bluff with its sheer drops off the path and we were back on the flats in time to see the first tourist jet boats powering up the river. More bird life - saw yellowhead and native parrots. We passed impressive rock walls at Chinamans Bluff before arriving at the road-end at 1.45pm in good time to avoid the sandflies and jump on the track bus at 2.00pm.

We were: Bob & Pauline Lawes, Alison Jepson, Alex Sancho, Keith & Margaret Robbins (Hamilton Tramping Club), Sue Webb, Kath Gray, Mike & Heather Heilbron, Graeme McGowan (scribe).

Rest Day

After a rest day on the 16th to restock supplies and drop off Kath, Mike and Heather in Queenstown, we stayed overnight in Wanaka and headed for Makarora on Sunday morning.

Sunday Wilkin - Young: 17 - 23 January

Weather fine. Parked Big Blue at the Makaroroa ‘carpark’ and took the jet boat at 11.00am to Kerin Forks for lunch and then set off toward Top Forks, intending to camp somewhere up the valley. Enjoyable tramp through beech forest following the Wilkin upstream. Reached Jumboland after 3 hrs but decided to press on to find better camping, and an hour later found a great spot beside the Wilkin on the flats. As soon as the tents were up and we looked settled, in came the sandflies. They were fierce and drove us inside for an early night.

Monday

Leaving our ‘friends’ behind we set off on a day tramp before 8.00am, heading for Top Forks and then up to the lakes. Alex took her whole pack as grass pollen had brought on hay fever and she thought it best to stay at Top Forks Hut. Arrived at Top Forks Hut at 10.00am after taking the ‘high-river’ track over the hill and soon afterwards headed for Lakes Diana and Lucidus. It took an hour to reach Diana (a very small lake) and then another 20 minutes to Lucidus. Lucidus surrounds are very impressive with magnificent sheer walls of rock, waterfalls, and a massive moraine wall. We enjoyed a long lunch at the lake as time was against our going on to Lake Castalia. Left at 1.00pm and back to Top Forks at 2.30. Left Alex at the hut and decided to take the ‘river track’ back, to avoid the hill and for a little adventure. Apart from a bit of bush-crashing it proved fairly straightforward and we were happy not to have had to go over the hill. Back at camp at 5.00pm.

Tuesday

A beautiful fine sunny day and thousands of our ‘friends’ greeted us. At 8.40am Alex appeared out of the valley mists and soon after 9.00am we were on the trail. Passed Wonderland Valley and it looked amazing with snowy peaks surrounding the valley. I’ve put this in the ‘to do’ list when next in the area. We reached Kerin Forks Hut at 1.00pm with an interesting afternoon in store for us. Firstly, a harrier hawk flew toward the hut but was chased away by two New Zealand falcons. The dog fight was in full view of the hut. Having seen off the foe, a New Zealanf falcon later flew close to the hut with a mouse clearly visible in its talons. Then while I was doing a recce of the river (we were crossing the Wilkin the next day) another party asked if we had a mountain radio as they had an injured youth who needed to be evacuated. We set up the radio and had an immediate response from Canterbury Mountain Radio Service who quickly organised a jet boat. It justified lugging that 1.6 kg block around for two weeks !! We met a Swedish fisherman who had had a good day and landed four good-sized trout. Can you believe he released them all, when there was a hut full of hungry trampers ?!!

Wednesday

Forecast was for rain later in the day so we were on the track at 7.30am. Crossed the river from the true right at a wide section below the true left jet-boat landing. A relatively easy crossing but we were in the water for a while and it was freezing. However, we soon warmed up with a climb from 350m to 750m and over into the Siberia Valley. Misty rain turned to heavier showers and we pushed on to get to Siberia Hut for lunch. Keith, Jean and Mathinus caught us up at Siberia Hut.

Thursday

Day trip to Lake Crucible. The weather was overcast but cleared to a sunny day. Left at 9.00am and started the climb to the lake at 10.00am. Impressive waterfalls and a steep climb up well-placed tree-root steps. The stream from the lake was flowing fast and the crossing at the marked spot was dangerous. After a bit of searching up and down and some bush-bashing, Jean found a good safe spot and we crossed without problem.
 Descending from Gillespie Pass to Young Hut (Photo: Graeme McGowan) The climb from here was more gradual. Lake Crucible was half covered with ice and lots of icebergs floated in the remainder. An impressive lake and a great tramp. After lunch we returned to Siberia Hut and were back at 4.00pm. With a very crowded hut, Keith, Jean and Mathinus decided to go and camp at the Gillespie Pass track junction but the rest of us stuck to our bunks.

Friday

On a fine, cloudy day we left at 7.30am for Gillespie Pass. We picked up the campers at 8.15am and started the ascent through the beech forests and out into the tussock. Four keas on the track entertained us for a while. Alex spotted a rock wren, a rare New Zealand bird. On the pass there was reasonable visibility - we couldn’t see Mt Awful but had spectacular views into the valley on both sides. After a long steep descent from the pass, we reached the valley floor at 2.00pm and arrived at the Young Hut at 3.00pm. The hut was empty when we arrived but within an hour it was nearly full and soon after overflowing, with many sleeping on the decks and some camping.

Saturday

We left at 8.30am on a fine, clear and hot day, glad to be tramping in the beech forest along the southern branch of the Young. We joined the north branch at 11.00am, crossed the bridge and had lunch on boulders beside the Young. Through more beech and across grassy meadows, we reached the Makarora confluence at 2.30pm. Finding a good crossing upstream and in pairs with water mid-thigh high, we made a safe crossing. Then it was a 5 km road-bash to Makarora followed by the always-welcome hot showers, beer and dinner together.

A great two weeks with a great team.

We were: Bob & Pauline Lawes, Alison Jepson, Alex Sancho, Keith & Margaret Robbins, Graeme McGowan (scribe). Part trip: Keith Ayton, Jean Barton, Mathinus Joubert.