TRIP 2696 AND 2697 KAHURANGI NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH ISLAND 2-10TH MARCH 2017

THE PLAN

Trips 2696 and 2697 are scheduled so that they can be combined into a 10 day, 9 nights trip. Food for the Matiri tops trip can be carried into Lake Matiri Hut and left there to be picked up for the last 5 nights of the second trip. So those on the combined trip will depart Nelson Thurs 2nd March, returning to Nelson Sat 11th March.  Leader - Alan Grant

Trip 2696 One Thousand Acre Plateau, 2-6 March 2017

In the southern part of Kahurangi National Park in the north west of the South Island there  is a unique geographical area. The Thousand Acre Plateau and nearby Hundred Acres Plateau are rolling tussock landscapes set on limestone. They sit at about 1100m on top of a circle of cliffs above the 350m level of the Matiri valley below. Those who have been there say they are spectacular

This trip will depart Nelson in a shuttle on a Thursday 2nd  March morning, traveling to Murchison then up to the track start near Lake Matiri. The first afternoon will be a short 3 hour walk into the Lake Matiri Hut. The next day we’ll tramp up onto the 1000 acre Plateau, past Poor Pete’s Hut and onto Larikins Hut. We’ll spend the next two nights there, and Saturday will be spent exploring the 100 Acre plateau and climbing the nearby Needles 1438m and Haystack 1526m.  Sunday we’ll walk back out to Lake Matiri Hut and on Monday 6th out to the road end, to be there by early afternoon to catch our shuttle back to Murchison and Nelson

There are huts planned for the 4 nights, but they only sleep 4-8 so some of us will need to carry tents. Maximum numbers are 12, so get in early

Trip 2697 Lake Matiri to Mt Patriarch via Matiri tops, 5-11 March 2017

This trip follows on from the Thousand Acre Plateau trip for those interested or can be taken seperately.  It is in the southern part of the Kahurangi NP and heads north from Lake Matiri, on and off track, beside rivers and then over the open tops of the Matiri Range, to join the Wangapeka east-west track at Wangapeka saddle. We will then climb over the open tops of Mounts Luna 1630m and Patriarch 1701m to exit, after 6 nights, west of Tapawera.

This trip will depart Nelson in a shuttle on a Sunday 5th March morning, traveling to Murchison then up to the track start near Lake Matiri. The first afternoon will be a short 3 hour walk into the Lake Matiri Hut. The next morning we’ll be joined by any returning from the Thousand Acre trip and head north along the Matiri River to McConchies Hut. Next day we’ll walk on to Hurricane Hut and the following day up on to the Matiri Ridge and have a long day (10-11 hours) getting to Stone Hut on the Wangapeka Track.

The next day will be a walk from Stone Hut over Mount Luna 1630m to Kiwi Saddle Hut and the following day we’ll go over or past Mt Patriarch 1701m to John Reid Hut. The last day Saturday 11th we’ll walk 3 hours down Chummies Track to the Wangapeka road to pick up our shuttle, which will take us out to Tapawera for an icecream and then onto Nelson for a celebratory dinner before all returning home.

This planning is all weather dependent and the actual trip will be flexible, with an option to camp on the Matiri tops by the tarn, and/or if needed, to use the low level exit tracks to go around rather than over Mts Luna and Patriarch.

There are huts planned for most of the nights, but we should carry tents. Maximum number is 10.

TRIP REPORT

Thursday 2nd March (Alan)

By car and bus nine of us left Nelson and rendezvoused at the Red Barn café just north of Murchison. After a last coffee and our first sandflies, we drove to the trackend. An early lunch, photos, weigh in of packs and we were away by 1pm.  After a pleasant walk over 4WD tracks, along a river and up beech clad slopes we got to Lake Matiri Hut mid afternoon. Most headed to the lake for a surprisingly warm swim, then it was seven tents up around the Hut, and a pleasant first evening talking to another couple staying over and several others passing through.

Friday 3rd March (Paul)

We left Lake Matiri Hut at 8:30am and quickly began the 800m climb from Lake Matiri to the 1,000 Acre Plateau.  The climb was a bit of a grind, but the outlook over Lake Matiri and the tops were a welcome sight, as was leaving behind the sandflies as we gained more height.  Just before lunch we cleared the bush edge and the 1,000 Acre Plateau emerged.  A gentle rolling tussock top as far as the eye could see.  An amazing sight amongst all the surrounding peaks. 

A gentle walk and we found ourselves at Poor Pete's Hut for lunch.  A cute two bunker, with a clear light conservatory and heaps of camping options.  After lunch the gentle tour of 1,000 Acre Plateau continued up to Larrikin Creek Hut.  A four bunker on the edge of the bush.  With two of the bunks already taken, out came the tents amongst the beech.  Dinner underneath tomorrows targets, the Needle, the Haystack and the 100 Acre Plateau.

			Michele Cunningham and John Davies

Saturday 4th March (Alan)

After raining all night it was great to wake to blue sky and big views. After an earlyish start and a trudge up two ridges nine of us were soon sitting on a saddle under the Needle looking across 100 Acre Plateau towards Mt Misery 1,383m, and then down escarpments towards the vast 1,000 Acre Plateau. It looked good enough to graze stock on, which someone probably had once. The views were even better on the top of the Needle 1,438m which was easier to climb than it’s steep southern face suggested. Photos of the intrepid trampers were taken with backgrounds of blue sky and endless bush clad mountain ranges.

The group then split three ways with three heading across to Mt Misery, and Warren deciding to explore the nearby tarns and around the escarpments looking for caving holes. The other five of us headed along the ridge line from The Needle up to point 1,411m and then onto the first peak of Haystack at 1,520m. The ridgeline scrambling was a times precarious with limited footholds and big drop-offs either side, but with care and guidance we all made it up. Lunch was taken on the peak were a fresh breeze kept us in shelter. Then it was back down, easier than expected now that we knew where to go, and we took a steep sidle through tussock down to the flats. After returning to the hut most headed to secluded parts of the nearby steam for a bath and drying on the warm rocks, a great way to finish a stimulating day.

Alan Grant, John McArthur, Robert de Jong on Needle		Haystack

 Sunday 5th March (Alan)

This was the day that the group headed in two separate directions. Four took a leisurely day to walk down to Poor Pete’s hut where they stayed the night, and then walked down more and out past Lake Matiri hut heading for home on Monday and to work on Tuesday. The rest walked straight down to the Lake hut this day, where they were joined by Stephen, collected our food drops, had another swim and then headed up the track towards Hurricane Hut, 12 hours away. We planned to get an hour or two under our belt to reduce the next day, or to give us options.

We got about an hour along the track and were diverted around a massive tree fall from a recent storm. Shortly after that we stopped and camped for the night. Sites were limited so we parked up in the middle of the track, as you do, on a smoothish floor of beech. As we had tea, we listened to the weather forecast on the mountain radio, trying to plan the next few days around the rain that was due.

Monday 6th March (Stephen)

An early start saw the intrepid crew following the true right of the Matiri arriving at McConchies Hut by late morning. Not too much windfall across a pleasant beech ramble, with a few steep ups and downs as the valley narrowed. Taking advice from the hut book we continued on and diverted onto the river bed at each opportunity, avoiding more challenging undulations. The more particular of us were deviating the furthest in their quest for dry boots. More boulder scrambling and tree gymnastics got us around most of the bluffs, until we returned to the side stream branching into a valley and up on to the ridge.

Downwards took us into a red tussock flat - potential for camping had we not been running ahead of the rain. A late afternoon of swampy flats led us back to the Matiri river and past Lake Jeanette with its drowned tree arrangement - a result of the 1929 Murchison quake. At hour 9 (or 10) our first glimpse of the 4 bed Hurricane Hut appeared. Our hope that this would be unoccupied dashed as a wisp of smoke emerged from the chimney.  We crossed our final boggy swamp, traversed the moderate but gentle river and walked up the path to Hurricane Hut, knowing that a very long day might still result in a night in the forecast rain.

The sole occupant was surprised at our late 7pm arrival - but soon included in our plans to  squeeze all of us into the hut. He'd come across the tops from Wangapeka, in reverse of our planned route for Wednesday. We settled in, placing 2 mattresses together on the floor for 3 of to sleep on. Midnight outings were achieved by gymnastic capability, only topped by the following night's, which resulted in a couple of useful kicks delivered in each direction.

Tuesday 7th March

The weather was true to forecast and it rained most of the day, so Tuesday was spent relaxing, as you can with six of us in a small four bunk hut, recovering from our 11 hours tramping on Monday and preparing for another 11-12 hours expected on Wednesday

Wednesday 8th March (Warren)

In another life I once looked from the summit of Mt Owen towards the north-west.  A serpentine ridge had unravelled across the landscape towards the 1000 Acre Plateau further south.

Today I was living the dream in reverse as we struck out from Hurricane Hut (800m) straight up through the Dracophylum for 1.5 hours.  I asked Alan if he had a defibrillator in his kit in case my ticker gave up!  We emerged into the rising sun near point 1442m and what a stunning days travel lay ahead as the ridgeline twitched and rolled away from us.  360 degree mountain-top views, blue skies, no cloud and no wind … magic! 

The day evolved into a series of easy ups and downs as we passed the big tarn and in mid-afternoon approached the formidable razor-back over Nugget Knob (1502m).  The track notes words of caution concerning a spot to hold one’s breath and tread carefully turned out to be ‘easy peasy’ and we descended thru the bushline to join the Wangapeka Track. 

Water was short along the way and we soon pulled in to Stone hut for a quick swim before four travellers from Christchurch 40+ TC arrived from Karamea to debate bunk allocation and whether men pee’d in buckets at night !  We all slept well that night.

Down Nugget Knob on knife edge

On tops, Mt Nugget ahead

Thursday 9th March (John D)

We had all found our feet well and truly by now! We woke in Stone hut with a plan to let the four trampers from the Over Forty Club get up first and get away to road end. Our plan for the day was to head to the Luna tops and then along the ridge to Kiwi Saddle Hut for the night. We had had great views of this country from the opposite tops above the Wangapeka River on our previous day, so now it was time to get up close.

We left Stone Hut at 650m, crossed the Wangapeka River and followed  the Mt Luna Route crisscrossing Stone Creek to saddle at 1,430m for lunch. After that break we headed up Mt Luna at 1,630m, then backtracked and climbed over second peak at 1,578m. Great views were had looking down on Luna Lake at 1,250m while following the ridge to Kiwi Saddle Hut at 1,030m. A day of great clear views in all directions

Kiwi Saddle Hut was a lovely 6 bunk hut,. By arriving mid afternoon, and with the sun shining we were able to dry out damp tents from a few days ago. Then the bad news. Our 7.30pm mountain forecast confirms rain coming next day, and we are heading for two river crossings to get out in two days. Change plans- skip Mt Patriarch and head out day earlier via Kiwi Track- good group decision making

Photo - on top of Mt Luna, 1600m with Mt Patriarch in rear. Stephen Prendergast, Alan Grant, Paul Quinn, John McArthur, John Davies

 Friday 10th March (John McA)

The die was cast, the decision made, the last thing we wanted was to be caught on the wrong side of a ford with the tantalizing thoughts of; hot shower, pie, steak, beer on the other side of a swollen river. So on Friday morning we packed up at a leisurely 8.00 am, said goodbye to the Weka that had so rudely awakened us at 6am banging on the water tank, and hit the Kiwi Track heading down to the Wangapeka, and out to Tapawera.

The Kiwi track down from Kiwi Saddle Hut was a delight! A well benched track with a very comfortable gradient alongside the Kiwi Stream was an easy pleasure. South Island Robins entertained us when we stopped for drinks or a bite. We came across a wonderful garden of bright red berries, as if someone had tossed a bucket of raspberries over the green mosses; Bush Lawyer (see photo), unfortunately not yet ripe. We crossed the two bridges and entered a somewhat different situation

The Wangapeka track deteriorated as we proceeded down the river, with Blackberry masses beside the track and major pig routing severely damaging the track. We reached the Siberia campsite and walked on to the DOC centre where we made contact with the Settle Motor camp in Tapawera. They dispatched a shuttle and ‘hey presto’ we were back in civilization for a much needed shower, fruit, beer and finally dinner at the local tavern. Wow, what a lively place Tapawera is on a Friday night! While some watched the Chiefs v Hurricanes, others made contact with the locals. I’m going to leave it at that – no one will believe you guys!

Participants: 1,000 Acre - Michele Cunningham,  Peter Phipps, Ray Hoare, and Robert De Jong. Matiri Tops – Stephen Prendergast, and both trips - John Davies, Warren Blundell, Paul Quinn, John McArthur, and Alan Grant (leader)

Photo credits to Alan Grant and John McArthur