Oct 29 2008

Leith Saddle, Waitati Valley Road, Sawmill Track, Swampy Ridge, Burns Track

Published by under Trampers

Location: 25 km.
Click Swampy ridge track for background information.

 

29/10/2008 Trampers. Leith Saddle, Waitati Valley Road, Sawmill Track, Swampy Ridge, Burns Track. Leaders: Ria L, George
Sign

Burns Track Entrance. George, Ria, Sabina, Emma

 

The were only occasional signs on the Old Waitati Road of the new pipe line put in to supply Mount Grand water to Waitati, Warrington &c. We had parked the cars by the bridge just down from Leith Saddle and the 7 of us walked on down the road the considerable distance to reach Sawmill Road on our left. We made a rather belated morning tea the large open shed full of derelict bits of furniture on the margin between the cleared farm land and the bush at the foot of the track.

Climbing a bit we crossed Ferguson Creek and continue on up to reach clearer ground. Markers took us on straight ahead before striking left past a large broadleaf to reach a fence at the beginning of dense manuka. There was an initial windfall to push around before the track cleared for us and took us on up again to the next clear ground. After crossing this a little to the right, it was into flax country and then tussock that eventually veered to the left and scraped us through a small patch of heavy gorse to finally discharge us onto the open Swampy Ridge track. Its boggy patches were boggier than usual, due, we thought to last weekend’s snowfall on the area.

Emma

Emma, Sabina near Burns Track sign.

Doug

Doug, Hazel, near Burns Track sign.

Eventually we reached the access track that leads around to to the Burns-Rustler intersection where we stopped for lunch. We chose the Burns Track as last week’s trampers had descended by the Rustlers, and on the way greeted some Green Hut Track Group members who were snipping the never-ending flax encroachments from the track. Through the bush lower down the drying mud had escaped the boggy-making effects of the snow we had experienced earlier. Then it was along the other pipe-line that supplies water to Sullivan’s Dam from the catchment area we had just traversed and out to the cars again. A very satisfying day. – Ian

28/4/2004 Leaders: Lex, Ian,Glenys

Stream

Ferguson Creek Crossing. Bill, Pat, Bob, Hazel, Peter, Bob, Wendy

Glenice

Glenice approaching Swampy Summit

Bruce

Bruce approaching Swampy Summit

14/10/1992 Leaders: Ria L, Catherine, Eleanor B, Ted

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