The Tramping Report

Lake Christabel

Chris Leaver invited Honora and me along on her Peninsula Tramping Club trip to Lake Christabel.

We headed off early Saturday morning to rendezvous with the other carload at Maruia Springs. From Lewis Pass the trees were heavily loaded with new snow and the Springs hotel was a classic winter scene.

Further down it was raining lightly rather than snowing. At the track start in Palmers Road a farm shed provided handy shelter for us to change into boots etc.

The rain stopped and we crossed the stile and headed off up the muddy track through silver beech forest.

The team of eight were all new to me except for Andy and Honora. The others were Chris, Heather, Keith, Heather and Lyn.

The track was easy enough to walk but it didn't seem to have had any serious maintenance work in a long time. The track benching needs work in a lot of places.

We wandered along at a fairly mellow pace with no sense of hurry. It made it easy to chat as we went and the time passed quickly until we reached the lake shore.

It was the perfect place to stop and I don't know how anyone going up the valley could resist it.

The lake was calm and there wasn't the slightest movement where its clear water touched the shingle beach. I guess its not always this way and it would be nice to think of there being a little shelter for lakeside lunch stops in time to come.

The track stays just above the lake all the way round as there are no continuous beaches to walk on. However we could see the lake through the trees almost the whole time.

Almost anywhere it's easy to walk down to the edge for photos or just enjoy the view.

And it's worth doing that.

As we got further round the lake we started playing the game of estimating the time to get to the head. And it was just a game. The day was drawing on but I don't think anyone was concerned about the time. And the track was actually better to walk on the further we went.

And it turned out that we arrived in the valley at the head of the lake just in time for the perfect view as cloud drifted away from the freshly snow covered mountains.

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The hut was only a short distance away and when it came into view smoke was drifting from the chimney.

If we're honest, smoke from a hut's chimney always brings mixed feelings. For myself, meeting new people who love wild places like I do adds to my pleasure on any trip. But eight of us were arriving at a ten bunk hut....

However there were only two people there so there wasn't any problem with us all fitting in.

I did feel a bit sorry for how our sudden invasion must have impacted on them.

They both worked for DoC. And that surprised me until I heard that, like me, they worked in an office. I know that working in an office makes me keener to get out in the hills whenever I can, so I guess it works for them too.

They'd come over the tops from Rough Creek, the way we were heading, so of course that was very useful to us. I was glad to be able to help them out too by giving them the keys to the Isuzu to get back to their car.

Meal time was a new experience for me. I hadn't been on a tramping trip before with a club where meals were organised by the trip leader. If the fine meal organised by Chris is anything to go by it has a lot to recommend it.

In the morning it was fine and cold. Chris had us up at 6.30 as we weren't sure how long it was going to take us to get over the range to the road.

The track climbed steadily right from the hut. With the snow covered ground the lack of benching and infrequent markers meant care was needed with route finding. The slow climb up the narrowing valley seemed to take a while. And the heavy snow cover made the bush quiet and gave a claustrophobic feel to it.

It was so good to break out above the bushline. The sense of openness and clarity was sublime.

The trail made by our hut companions stretched ahead. The snow was up to knee deep in places but we all took turns in front so it wasn't too tiring for anyone.

The poled route it followed didn't quite match the route marked on either version of the L31 topo we had. If travelling in bad visibility it would be good to know the general line of the poles across the tops beforehand.

We stopped for lunch right on the ridge top. It was the perfect place for it with still air and fine views all round.

After lunch Chris suggested going for a walk to high point 1482m for a view of the lake. Four of us were keen enough for the extra climb.

The views there were magnificent and well worth it even if a little murk threatened to gather while we were there.

It was good to stand on the high point and survey the whole course of our journey from distant Palmers Rd way off in the Upper Grey valley, past Christabel far below us and around into the little nameless valley we'd just ascended.

We turned and scampered back down to our packs and followed the others down into the basin at the head of Rough Creek.

The snow filled bowl was like a solar oven as clouds drifted apart and bright sunshine poured in.

Soon we were descending in cooler beech forest.

Rough Creek descends 600m in 3 km from the bushline to the road. The track is a pleasant walk and easy to follow though markers are occasionally sparse.

We spilled out onto the road to find the Isuzu already parked there waiting for us.

A short time later we were changed and enjoying hot drinks at the Springs hotel while Chris sorted out the final trip details.

Lake Man

This was Queens Birthday weekend and the CTC were going to Lake Man (Lake Sumner L32 453 511). The weather was looking a bit iffy most places. So at the last minute we decided we'd just tag along as independents on this trip.

We turned up at the CTC meeting place at the Carlton Service Station. My plan was to give someone the chance to travel a bit cheaper than at the club's steep travel rates. However Bernard wouldn't have me deciding who got that chance and promptly appointed someone to travel with me. So to avoid an embarrassing situation for my assigned passenger I left it at that. So much for tagging along as an independent.

We drove up the Lewis Pass highway and parked at the Windy Point shelter in the Hope valley.

The first part of the Hope valley is a fairly long walk in the bush. Eventually we were rewarded with a view from a high terrace edge. This was our lunch spot.

However the view from here isn't a particularly inspiring one as all there is to look at is the long burnt off hillsides of the Poplars station.

A short time further on we stopped again for a snack at the Hope Halfway Hut. This is an attractive spot. It's only marred by having no safe drinking water available. The stream and river nearby are frequently seen with cattle defecating in them.

Next stop was the Saint Jacobs Hut. There had earlier been talk about going on up to Top Hope Hut and a visit to the hot pools, but that talk faded here as it was close to dusk.

The fire was lit to warm the hut but everyone was in bed quite early.

In the morning there was a half-hearted frost around the hut. We walked up the river and crossed into Pussy Stream. People need to check their map if they come this way as the route isn't marked nor obvious.

We travelled up the Pussy and then a side creek to the junction with the spur leading toward Kedron saddle. The foot of the spur has been washed away by floods and the track now starts 50 m up the true left branch. Someone has placed one of DoC's large orange triangles marking the start of the track, but it's only visible when you're right on top of it.

We climbed back up into sunshine on the spur. Above the bushline the snow was up to knee deep. High on the spur we sidled, following a line of marker posts, to the saddle.

A perfect lunch spot was found next to a semi-frozen tarn. I know it was only semi frozen because three people tested it and found the ice wanting. Being the first I think I have an excuse, but I'm not sure of the other two who went in after...

We had warm sunshine and there was no wind though clouds were billowing from the west. I thought this looked like the beginning of a nor'wester.

There hadn't been any previous talk about what we were going to do on the tops or where we were to spend the night, so there was much discussion over lunch. Some people suggested sidling around steep slopes to go up to Lake Man or going down to set up camp by the biv and then walking up to the lake. However Simon suggested just going up the ridge right behind us to knob 1532m for a view of the lake. This was the plan that inspired action.

When we got to 1532 the lake was obscured by cloud, but after a patient wait of 15 minutes we got our view of the lake and it's surrounding snowy basin.

Mission accomplished we walked back down to the saddle. Bernard then decided we would continue down to the Doubtful River and travel up to the Doubtless Hut for the night. So down we went through the snow covered scub and into the bush.

We paused briefly to look at the Lake Man Biv. This is now looks a very sad place to me without it's fireplace. I passed through here in bad weather in 1993. It was a very cosy and warm refuge then.

By the time we got down to the Doubtful River it was just coming on dark. Plans were changed again to camp on the flats at the bush edge. After we started to unpack Bernard announced he'd decided we should camp 100 m up the Kedron Stream.

The flat Bernard had selected seemed fairly firm and stony. Honora found a spot just inside the bush nearby where the moss was soft and deep. We pitched our fly there.

After tea Emma was keen on a campfire to toast her marshmellows. There was no good site for a fire on the flat where we were camped so Honora and I got the team to give us a hand getting a fire going at the bush edge in the main valley. The fire was a success and all Emma's marshmellows got toasted.

By morning my mossy mattress had flattened a bit so it wasn't as comfortable as when I'd gone to bed. But I'm sure it was still softer than where the other tents were pitched.

The walk out down the Doubtful was easy on a good track. As we passed the Doubtful Hut it came on to snow for a bit as a front passed through. We finished the trip crossing the Boyle River to the road and walking to the Engineers Camp.

People on this one were: Joy Schroeder, Martin Brown, Bernard Parawa, Alan Ross, Janette Philp, Simon Garton, Emma Richardson, Honora & me.

Nina valley

This trip was on the Christchurch Tramping club programme. The club reputation had taken a knock on its trips to the Nina in recent years. So Craig Beere was quite brave to accept responsibility for leading this one.

However Honora decided to back him up by running some navigation coaching on the trip. At least that would ensure we wouldn't repeat the problems the earlier parties had just getting to the hut.

We headed away on Saturday morning. first stop was at Culverden for morning tea. That's not normal CTC practice but it's certainly Honora's and mine. Then it was on to the Deerstalkers hut, Palmer Lodge, at the Nina.

There were 11 cars parked there! Of course the worry was that this could mean there were 44 people already on their way up the valley. But then luckily a guy with a tri-pod wandered by. He told us all the cars bar one belonged to photography club people there on a day outing. Apparantly recent conditions had caused a proliferation of picturesque fungi.

It was certainly cool and humid, but we'd left the rain behind in Christchurch.

We wandered off at a fairly mellow pace. There was a stop at the first clearing for some compass triangulation practice. It seemed like everyone had something to contribute, and it was all very laid back and low key.

I have to admit I prefer big open valleys with all day views. But the Nina keeps you in the bush just long enough so you really want to stop and enjoy its pretty river scenes when you come to them.

After an hour and a half or so we came to the new footbridge.

Apparently on the last CTC trip up here the leaders just walked past the new bridge, and signs pointing to the new hut, without noticing them. No one in our group could figure out how that was possible. Maybe they were just engrossed in talk and not thinking...

After lunch we continued up the true right side of the valley. A sunbathed clearing was another place for studying the maps.

While stopped here John Henzell burst into the clearing behind us. What a welcome surprise. I've only been on the same trip with John once before, and he arrived unexpectedly then too. That was at Townsend hut four years ago and he turned up with six others that time.

Our trip continued. The new track to the new hut was fairly muddy in places. It's also fairly narrow and twists and turns tightly through the trees. It's a shame DoC doesn't seem to have the skill for track work that was developed in the old Forest Service days.

The new hut though is quite impressive. It's located on an open raised terrace, and is of the same pattern as the new huts in the Poulter, Crow, Taipo, etc - platform bunks sleeping 10, and plenty of floor space.

There were only two occupants, father and son, Murray and Brad Spiers.

It was quite a fun evening, with yarns and jokes to spare. Craig and Trevor were both contenders with the jokes, but Trevor was runaway winner with yarns from his younger days.

The hut was warm too. The firebox does a very good job warming the place. In fact, at bedtime it could have been a bit less warm. I don't think many got right into their sleeping bags. Lisa went out and slept on the verandah.

In the morning there was mention of some snoring, but nothing seems to have been thrown during the night so it can't have been too bad.

It was frosty outside. However Lisa said she was comfortable right through the night, and she wasn't visited by possums either.

John parted company with us and headed off over Devilskin Saddle to the Doubtful River. We crossed the river to look at the old Nina hut site. There was only a concrete pad and a small amount of debris left there.

I know some in the CTC have been demanding DoC put signs at the old hut site giving directions to the new one across the river. However the new hutbook shows large numbers of inexperienced people finding their way there without incident. It seems this might just be a CTC issue. And the evidence from those club trips suggests it's more a problem with the club 'establishment' than with the 'newbies'.

Anyway, enough said...

Off we went down valley, on the original track down the true left. A map in the hut had this section marked as "overgrown". But there was nothing wrong with it.

It was all pretty cruisy really, and we were out at the road before lunch.

We drove over to the Maruia Springs for our lunch stop. Most of the team were keen on a soak in the pools too. Gareth and I just chewed the fat in the cafe while they were out there.

Then, as if we hadn't had enough of the socialising, we all stopped at the Hurunui pub for tea on the way home. The roast dinner they dished up was really good value too.

So, end to a really pleasant weekend tramp. The new hut really makes the Nina an ideal place for an easy getaway with a few friends. And the team were: Craig Beere, Trevor & Colleen Scott, Gareth Gilbert, Lisa Gladding, John Henzell, Honora & Frank.