Powder Ridge tramps

No. 20 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Powder Ridge – Long Ridge. J Roy. Year Round.”
No. 45 on old hardcopy list of 113 club tramps. “Chalkies Return Long Ridge D Jenkins Year Round”

Location: 7.5 km.

Click Silver Peaks Forest for background information on the nearby area.

DCC land.

Powder Ridge Maintained by Green Hut Track Group.

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13. 24/2/2021. Trampers. Powder Ridge. Leaders Jill Reid and Karen McGinnes.

10 trampers set out from Whare Flat to walk up and along Powder Ridge on a fabulous Dunedin  day. We enjoyed birdsong along the Silver Stream and made three creek crossings before  heading up the Powder Ridge track.

The track was in a great condition, and although very steep  in sections, steps cut into the hill make the climb less difficult.

The vegetation changed from  mostly Kanuka and ferns to more alpine plants, then tussock as we neared the 586 m high point.  

Unfortunately wilding Douglas fir trees are becoming established in the tussock. After lunch enjoying the expansive views we began our return trip. A knotted rope on the first  steep section aided us going down ( and up!) 

Neil and Carol had decided about two thirds of the way was enough for them today, and turned  back……sensibly leaving 3 branch arrows along the track to ensure us they were safe & well! 

With temperatures reaching into the high 20’s some of us were very happy to cool our feet on the  creek crossings on the return trip. 

A most enjoyable tramp of about 15 km. 

Jill & Karen

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12. 19/10/2016. Trampers. Powder Ridge. H. Leader: Arthur.

Eight Trampers made an early start from Mosgiel to conquer Powder Ridge.

The day began sunny and pleasant, but late showers were a possibility.

Parking at the Silverstream Pump-House, we had two river crossings to get onto the Powder Ridge Track. The water was deeper at the weir, giving some wet feet. Being well prepared, they changed into dry socks for the main tramp.

After crossing Powder Creek, we soon found the bottom of the Powder Ridge Track. It was 9.25 a.m. as we started uphill. About thirty minutes of stiff climbing got us up onto the ridge itself. The gradient eases off from here on.

Now seemed like a good time to stop for morning tea and a rest combined.

The track was in good order, for what it is, but that lower part is just about ready for some track clearing – quite a lot of fern fronds overhanging it.

This is a bush track which follows the top of the ridge, ascending mostly, but with the occasional level stretch, or even descending briefly. We kept going, …

… and were finally onto the tussock, and reached the top of the track at noon plus five. We were on top of hill 586 metres. (See the map on page 8.03 in Antony Hamel’s book.), and we could see in all directions: – Saddle Hill and Mosgiel, Maungatua, the Lammermoors away in the distance, Mt Allan, Mt John, Lamb Hill, Pulpit Rock (the pulpit stood out clearly). Round further, – was that Mopanui away over there? – Swampy, and Flagstaff closer by.

It was the best spot in the world to sit down in the tussock and have our lunch. The sun shone down brilliantly, and no wind to contend with.

While others rested and recuperated, …

… the leader did a short recce of the route down to the Long Ridge Track which was visible just below.

At 1.00 p.m. the return journey began, back the way we had gone up. After a while the clouds began to assemble above and later still a light wind appeared.

We kept moving, mostly going down now, but with a stop now and then …

… to rest and regroup. Care was taken going down the steep portion at the bottom, and all were safely back to the Powder Creek junction by 3.20 p.m. where we had a snack/refreshment stop.

No sunshine left now, and a distant peal of thunder had been heard, we headed for the cars. Crossing the Silverstream, wet feet were ignored. Five minutes away from the cars, there was a mighty clap of thunder very close indeed.

But we beat the rain! Very large rain drops began falling as we drove out of the car park. Two km down the road, the rain pelted down, but had stopped by the time we were back to Mosgiel.

Our day’s tramp had covered 14.45 km (thanks, Margreet); the altitude gain must have been close to 500 metres.

The leader would be the first to admit that it had been rather a tough day for him, after the recent battle with the dreaded lurge, and was very pleased to return to the cars. The rest were just as pleased too, and can be very proud of themselves in achieving the day’s objective.

The leader was very gratified to hear that the whole group had thought that it had been a very good tramp, and had been enjoyed too.

Thanks to all. – Arthur.

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11. 17/6/2015. Trampers. Powder Ridge.

Having changed the days tramp from what was advertised, 6 of us set out for Powder Ridge. Only 2 of the group had done this tramp before, so were looking forward to a good day.

The Silverstream was very low, so there was no problem with wet feet on the 3 creek crossings encountered on the way to the start of the Powder Ridge Track.
We had morning tea at the Powder Ridge track sign, & spent some time here discussing computers, & anti-virus programs. Then it was up the steep, & still slippery 20 min. section at the start of the track, before the gradient eases off, & the going gets a lot easier. A well earned rest was taken before we carried on along the ridge.
My objective for the day was to get to the point where Powder Ridge joins up with Long Ridge, but even although we kept walking till 12:45pm we didn’t actually make it that far before I decided to stop for lunch, & turn back, as I didn’t want to be getting out too late in the day. So, we lunched in a relatively dry spot, with a smattering of sunshine,

then packed up & headed back out again. Progress was much quicker going out, due to it being mostly downhill, but we had to be very careful on the steep parts, which were still very slippery, as one member found out, not once, but 3 times. Luckily no injuries were sustained, so we had a short break at the bottom for a drink, then made our way back to the creek crossings. It was here that one member just had to get some water in their boots, I suppose it was inevitable that it would happen. The rest of the way back to the cars was uneventful, & we arrived back at the carpark just as the last of the hikers was leaving.
From the attached GPS route, you can see how close we got to my objective, so maybe another 1/4 hr. would’ve been enough to get there. – Ken.

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10. 12/11/2014. Trampers. Powder Ridge.

Starting from the Pumphouse, we crossed the creek & made our way along to the broken weir to cross over to the Powder Ridge track. The first part of the track was quite muddy, but it got better as we gained altitude on this well maintained track.
We stopped occasionally to take in the views as we went up. On reaching the top we decided to have lunch there …

… as the views were very good.
The clouds were starting to gather as we left our lunch spot, & a light shower of hail came through shortly after. Another shower of rain hit us as we got down near the bottom, but the sun was shining again when we reached the car.
It is now possible to walk all the way up to Pulpit Rock via this route, & the top end of Long Ridge. – Ken

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9. 3/1/2012. Trampers. Powder Ridge from base, return.

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8. 15/10/2008 Trampers. Chalkies, Boulder Hill Track, Long Ridge, Powder Ridge triangle. Leaders: George, Ria

It was the longest tramp on the club’s programme. Six of us did the 7.5 hrs triangular circuit: one side being from the Chalkies to along the Boulder Hill track; the top side being Long Ridge; the third being down Powder Ridge.

First then, was to ford the Silverstream by the pump house and climb steeply up the left Chalkies track to reach the limestone ledge for morning tea a bit after ten.

Then just a little further up to the top and across to bypass the Powder Hill trig

and then down and across to locate the Boulder Hill track to take us along to Long Ridge. The wind-blown fallen pine branches which we had to negotiate were too numerous to count.

The long trek up Long Ridge was broken by a 12.30 p.m. stop for lunch a short way past the zigzag which we had passed on our left. Then it was on and up …

… along the (heavily overgrown fortunately with broom rather than gorse) track to finally reach the connection on the right with the top of Powder Ridge. The old fence-line route is overgrown but a marked route a little further up around a bend in Long Ridge led back to make for an easy climb to the fence at the top.

From there it was down the Powder Ridge,

fortunately well cleared but still taking 2 hours before turning right at the Powder Creek Track junction, crossing Powder Creek, then the old concrete weir across the Silverstream, and so on down across the swing bridge and the ford by the Pump House to reach the cars again. – Ian

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5. 23/1/2002. Leishman – Powder Hill – Long Ridge – Powder Ridge

4. 17/9/1997. Powder Ridge and return. Leaders: Joyce, Eleanor, Wendy.

3. 9/4/1997. Boulder Hill Return via Ridge return Hamiltons Farm. Leaders: Nelson and Dot, jack R.

2. 19/2/1997. Powder Ridge – Long Ridge – Chalkies Leaders: Jack R, Doug and Myrie.

1. 27/2/1991. Powder Ridge to Long Ridge and return.  A good bush tramp with a few steep parts. Harder. Leaders: George, Diana, Ray, Nel.