4. 17/7/2013. Trampers. Rollinsons Rd, Rollinsons Track, Swampy Ridge track along to Hightop, & return.
4 trampers set out from the locked gate On Rollinsons Rd. which was a little icy in places & there was still some snow showing in parts as well. We were all amazed at the amount of destruction that the snow had caused, with 15cm Manuka splintered like matchwood, & everything sort of flattened.
We had morning tea in the shelter by the picnic area, & then climbed up to the elbow, where we went straight ahead on Rollinsons Track, which was running with water in parts, & covered with snow in other areas.
After reaching the Swampy Ridge track we set off towards Hightop, but soon found our way impeded by fallen Manuka. We negotiated this for a kilometer or two before arriving at a very large & difficult blockage, so as it was almost mid-day, we decided to have lunch, & then return to the cars. – Ken.
3. 31/3/2010. Trampers. Rollinsons, Swampy Ridge, Hightop. Leaders: Ria, Ian
The tramp differed from intentions. For one thing, the leaders had done no recce due to a failure to find a date suitable to both. For another, it had been four years since we had last tackled the track, and memories were a little hazy. Going in from the elbow of Rollinson Road, we were first surprised to find the Rollinson Track sign missing, replaced by one announcing “Tarns”. We wondered at this, but were pleased to find the track fairly well marked by fluorescent pink tape.
Early part of Rollinson Track
These led us helpfully deeper into the swamp. The dry summer had left the track beautifully only damp where there would normally have been mud.
Deeper into the swamp.
Second surprise. The helpful pink tapes had led us down to Swampy Lagoon. Obviously the “tarns”, or one of them. Were there others?
Swampy Lagoon
Oh dear. Where to from here? With reflective hindsight, we should have resisted the seductive tapes way further back and sought out the true Rollinsons, once upon a time indicated with Les Murcott’s green markers, some still there in places but now very faded. We should have paid them more attention. But we had been suckered by the pink. So what to do? We knew we were well off the track, and that anyway, up at the top was Swampy Ridge track. So we set off up a vertically vertical ridge, pulling ourselves up with tufts of tussock and grass, to eventually gain the track, after much heaving and huffing.
Looking back down steep ridge we had just climbed
Later on, northwards to where the Ridge Track had considerably descended (!), we found the pole indicating where Rollinsons track DID emerge onto the ridge, by way of a MUCH easier climb.
“R” pole indicating Rollinsons track junction with Swampy Ridge.
Near the north end of Swampy Ridge Track,
North end of Swampy Ridge Track
we attempted a climb of Clump Peak on our right, as our way to Hightop on our left had appeared too scrubby.
Clump Peak viewed from the west
2. 5/10/1988. Swampy from Access Road gate. Average Climb. Great views around summit (bring binoculars. Return by Flagstaff weather permitting. Car shuttle if required. Leaders: Bob H, Ria L, Jean Y
But even here a thick belt of gorse blocked our way so we hunkered down for lunch interrupted by a VERY light shower which was magically terminated by dint of one or two of us donning parkas.
Back then, along Swampy Ridge and up to swampy summit topped by the Airways VHF receiver station. Descending the Rollinson accesss road to the elbow completed our extended circuit. Six of us had come out for the day. – Ian.
1. 5/10/1989. Swampy from Access/Rollinsons Road gate. Average climb. Great views around summit. Return by Flagstaff weather permitting. Car shuttle if required. Leaders: Bob, Ria, Mary.
9. 1/5/2013 Both. Steve Amies. Leaders: Ian and George.
This time we left from the schoolhouse, making it more of a road walk. We had morning tea on the lower Rollinson Rd and lunch in the track clearers’ picnic area, after inspecting the helicopter landing pad a little beyond.
As we returned down the road, we were surprised to see the helicopter, and shortly after the tank truck making their way towards where we had been. Apparently this was the day to carry out the weed spraying we had been notified about – and we were now making a timely exit. A tramp for 25 of us and of 10.5 km according to Peter’s pedometer and 25. – Ian.
8. 1/2/2012 Both. Steve Amies from Access Road. Leaders: Arthur and Barbara.
Sixteen of us left our cars at the locked gate on Rollinson access Rd and made our way up to the Track Clearers’ Picnic area. The leaders took us round many of the little nooks and crannies (they just seem to multiply of their own accord), stopping to inspect the labels fronting each bush planting. Of poignant note in front of one bush was a label printed with the name of Les Murcott, whose funeral a number of us had attended only a fortnight earlier.
We stopped off for our tea break.
Arthur led us down and across to Trig Q, and then on down Little Coal Creek until we got to the look-out. We careful negotiated some quite steep parts of the track and avoided any casualties. Then came the more arduous climb back up to the trig and across to the Steve Amies.
This latter track had a much more moderate decline (we stuck to only its upper reaches!), past another look-out, before making another turn around further down, to wander back up to the trig and on to the picnic area for lunch.
On the way across the wee saddle, we stopped to investigate the meaning of a sign indicating a sheltered area, whose side track opened out to a large open area in the bush, marked with a large white wooden equal-armed cross, laid flat on the grass. After some discussion, we decided the area was also to serve as a helicopter emergency landing spot. (There was even a ‘waiting room’ bench for passengers.)
Back up at the picnic area, our leaders discovered for us yet another alcove with ample tables and seats for a comfortable lunch.
A large ‘table’.A smaller one. (Admire Bruce’s head attire.)
Our leaders took us out to the road by a route different from the one we had entered by, and lo and behold, a salubrious shelter, doubtless erected by the track clearers for their comfort. Bravo.
Doug
Then we had only a stroll back down Rollinson Road to the cars. A leisurely 5.5 km walk, (as measured by two with their measuring devices.) Thank you, Barbara and Arthur for your careful leadership. – Ian.
7. 18/3/2009. Hikers. Steve Amies from Access Rd Hikers E+ Bev H, Joyce S
6. 25/7/2007. Hikers. Access Road, Steve Amies. Leaders: Bob H, Graham.
click to enlarge
Picnic Area nr Trig Q Fred, Marjorie, Joyce, Angela, Mollie, Wendy, Bev, Peter, Margaret, Elaine, Lesley
5. 19/5/2007 Trig Q from Silverstream via Steve Amies track. Steve Amies Track Circuit Leaders: Ria L, Hazel
4. 27/7/2005. Hikers. Steve Amies, Trig Q. Bob H, Les W, Mary M.
3. 2/2/2000. Trig Q from Silverstream via Steve Amies track. Steve Amies Track Circuit Leaders: Peter B, Lex
2. 23/10/1996. Trig Q. Average. Leaders: Margaret and Les, Doug J.
1. 7/6/1995Trig Q from Whare Flat School. Medium+. Shorter trip available. Leaders: Bob H, George, Jack R, Nancy
2-3/2/2013. Trip. Clifden Caves, Te Anau, Lake Henry, Kepler Rainbow Reach to Moturau. – Leader: Heb.
Heb pick us up at 7.30 on Saturday and drove us in the Mosgiel RSA Courtesy Van via a Cafe stop at Gore, Nightcaps, and Ohai to the stop pictured below for lunch.
Lunch at Clifden Swing Bridge (Ken pic and caption)
Then it was up to the Clifden Caves carpark and the start of the underground expedition.
Intrepid Cavers (Peter pic, Ken caption)
Click Clifden-Caves for DoC article. Its “Activity” section describes the actual experience.
Inside cave showing direction maker. (Ken pic and caption)
The silver markers kept us on the safe route. Yellow ones warned us of sidetracks to avoid. The route involved quite a bit of stepping over, crawling under and squeezing through.
And then we arrived at the large deep Moon Pool which could be navigated only by stepping around its left side on a narrow , sloping but nice and grippy, ledge. However immediately prior to beginning the ledge experience, Heb slipped into and jammed in a much smaller narrow pothole on the track just before it, (one he had never noticed before) and it took all Ken’s strength in one arm to hold onto him and enable him to eventually lever his wet self out. A sobering moment.
Only two then took to the ledge skirting the pool to its further side and on out, the way incorporating several very helpful longish up-and-down fixed ladders en route.
The impressive Ians
The other three more prudently (discretely? wisely?) turned back.
Back at the van, with Heb dried out and into a change of clothes, it was on to the Te Anau Sea Scouts Hall at Te Anau for the overnight stay.
Cup-o-tea in Te Anau scout hall (Ken pic and caption)
An evening stroll was a circumnavigation of lake Henry nearby.
Evening walk to Lake Henry (Ken pic and caption)
Later it was Petanque for some; later bed for all.
Next morning, after breakfast, we drove to and walked the Kepler from Rainbow Reach to Moturau Hut.
On the Kepler Track (Ken pic and caption)View from below Moturau Hut (Jill pic)Moss-lined part of track on return
We returned from Te Anau via Mossburn and Gore, arriving back at 6.00 p.m. Thanks to Heb from the other six of us for a well-organized weekend trip – Ian
Bullring, Spiers Rd, Skyline, Swampy, McQuilkans, Whare Flat Rd. We travelled 10km; Moving ave. 3.5km/hr; Moving time 2h 50m; Total ascent 491mtrs.
Only 4 trampers went on this walk, which was very uneventful, until we couldn’t find the Jim Freeman track going back up to Ben Rudds shelter. We must’ve walked past it but didn’t see it. After looking around a bit we set off back up the road to return to the cars, vowing to do a recce from the top, to find where the Jim Freeman track meets up with McQuilkans track. – Ken.
Resting at Forestry 100 years memorial. Ian, Leonie, Abe, Ria, Glenice, Angela
Ria and Hazel took 7 of us from the Bullring up over Flagstaff, on and down the Pineapple track, then crossing over to the top of Ross Creek where we rested on seating by the Memorial celebrating the Dunedin City Forests 2006 Centennial which had suffered recent vandal damage and returning back up the Davies track,
Emerging from bush on Davies Track. Abe, Glenice, Ria
over onto Firebreak track with the majority returning to their cars but Ria taking Abe and Ian down to Big(or Bivvy) Rock.
Big Rock. Ria Abe
Hazel brought along a friend, Angela, a former neighbour of Ian’s back in the 70s! A delightful surprise for the two of them. – Ian
1. 31/7/1991. Booth Road from Pineapple Track and Bivvy Rock. Average. Leaders: Betty, Judith and Hugh, Peggy M, Frances.
Big Rock (Chimney)
It is possible to visit this rock by using a roughly marked route which has been cut from the Fire Break Track. The is also a possible route slightly further to the west. This massive rock outcrop has been used over many years as a place to bivouac and for rock climbing. There are good views over the valley.
– From Club’s Friend of Ben Rudd’s Certification – 1999.
On Monday 29th Oct 2012 Dermot & Ken went exploring in the Silverpeaks. We parked at the first locked gate on Mountain Rd. & walked Nth. to where we had seen an old forestry road heading into the bush, on the west side of the road. We actually walked past it to start with, as you can see by the Google pic. After locating the correct track, we ventured off down it towards the Waikouaiti stream,
[or a branch of it.] Continue reading “An exploration day in Silver Peaks”
