Feb 17 2023
Racemans, North and Little Coal Creeks, Steve Amies
14. 15/02/2023. Trampers. Silverstream (Raceman’s – Little Coal Creek – Steve Amies- Raceman’s Loop). Grade 4. $5 Leader: Phil Keene
The residue of Cyclone Gabbie hovering off the coast and threatening some rain seemed to have an effect on today’s turnout – only one car, one car, headed for the hills, but it’s hard to hold back quality! So we were parked up at the Powder Ridge car-park and on the track by 9.20am and shambled off up the road and we crossed the surging Silverstream with trepidation a couple of times, before hitting our straps on Racemans.
The famous 5 minus 1 cross the surging Silverstream (photo & caption Phil)
Birdsong was prevalent, nearly drowning out the chat, with the whoosh of a pigeon or two over the stream. As on the day of the recce we were overtaken by a surging team of 5 collies out for their daily run with their Goddess mistress fast coming up behind.
Enjoying a cuppa on Racemans Track (photo & caption Pam)
We morning tea’d after 45 minutes, looking out through a clearing across the valley, why is it ‘the other side’ always seems so more interesting. 1.5 hours from the car-park we took a deep breath to prepare for the ascent up Little Coal Creek and off up up and up we went.
A steady climb up Little Coal Creek (photo & caption Pam)
It was nice to have some of natures hand holds as we pulled ourselves up, being dry, very dry underfoot, just like walking on powdered cement.The going was slow though, to such an extent that these modern devices that people wear were sending out warnings that they were not recording any movement! Are you alright?
That was a good joke Phil (photo & caption Pam)
After 50 minutes of huffing and puffing I’ll blow your house down, I swear I could have, we were at the junction of Little Coal and North Coal Creek tracks.
This way ladies (photo & caption Pam)
From here the climb was more steady, drifting into plateaus, before the next bit of up. Time was taken to enjoy the views out through the bush to Pulpit Rock and Raingauge Spur plus poke our noses out over the rock ledges.
Enjoying the views to Pulpit Rock and Raingauge Spur from Little Coal Creek (photo & caption Pam)
Towards Pulpit Rock (photo & caption Phil)
3 hours from the car park we stopped at the Steve Amies/ Little Coal Creek junction and decided to have lunch here, with both sun and shade to help dry out the perspiration. Bees were prevalent and seemed to take a liking to the creams on our skins, some coming back for more, but no harm was done.
Lunch at the junction (photo & caption Pam)
At 12.45pm we were up and off down what was a lovely Steve Amies track and the gradient was such that there was more time to take in the impressive Kanuka trees, some as big as the mature Pinus Radiata that have also made their home here. As to be expected, the track had to get steep again, and care was required as we ‘dropped’ back down onto Racemans, to be followed by a 40 minute stroll back to the car- park arriving back 5 hours and not a minute more from when we left.
the famous 5 minus 1 ‘dropping’ down to Racemans off Steve Amies Track (photo & caption Phil)
Altitude gained was 509m and a little over 11kms completed. Grade 4 seemed about right. Consensus was a great day out and just 10minutes from home.
Phil K
13. 18/11/2020. Trampers. Racemans, North and Little Coal Creeks, Steve Amies. Leaders: Ross and Wyn Davies. M.
18 trampers set out from the car park just off the Whare Flat Road, towards the pumphouse at 9.25am. It was a nice morning. We arrived at the Tunnels Track junction after half an hour; time for morning tea.
Photo and Caption Gordon – “Morning tea.”
Photo and Caption John – View from morning tea spot.”We made steady progress up the Racemans Track and reached the North Coal Creek junction and hour and a quarter later. After a brief pause for some energy food, we headed up the North Coal Creek Track. The track – such as it is – was in good condition. It is an unrelenting climb and we had a few stops to regroup on the way up.
Photo and Caption Gordon – “Climbing rock wall on North Coal creek track.”
We reached the junction with the Little Coal Creek Track after about an hour. We carried on up the Little Coal Creek Track for another 15 minutes to a lunch spot with a view to the north.
Photo and Caption Gordon – “Lunch.”
Photo and Caption John – “View over the cliff edge at lunch stop.”
We had a good panorama of Powder Ridge and Long Ridge, Mt Allan behind, Pulpit Rock and Green Hill in the centre of the Silver Peaks.
The weather started to look more threatening after lunch, as we continued up the Little Coal Creek Track for another 20 minutes to the junction with the Steve Amies Track.
Photo and Caption Gordon – “Happy campers at Steve Amies junction.”
By this stage there were a few showers; enough to make the track down the Steve Amies Track increasingly slippery. Everyone took the descent carefully and we made it safely without any proper falls. It took us about an hour and three quarters all the way down to Racemans Track, by which time the rain was getting more frequent.
Getting progressively wetter we retraced our steps along Racemans Track and back to the car park in about 40 minutes, arriving back at 3:50pm. Distance was variously measured at more than 15 kms, with an average of about 15.5 kms. It was a relatively longer day in terms of distance, time walking and ups and down, which everyone coped with OK. Some decided home was the best direction but 8 of us diverted to Blend Café for hot drinks and varying amounts of food.