around home, bikes, family, NZ

OCRT – Oturehua, Omakau return with Dad

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Now that Dad has an e-bike, there’s even more reason to get out riding some cycle trails. During his last visit, the section of the Otago Central Rail Trail through the Poolburn Gorge (with its two tunnels and viaduct) was the one Dad wanted to do. Happily there was another big frost, clear skies and no wind for the ride to Omakau for a pie.

Leaving Oturehua, looking back to Hawkdun Range.

Thankfully the trail remained frozen and solid longer than the cross roads. Old Man Range in distance.

Bumping over the Poolburn Viaduct.

Out of the second Poolburn tunnel – the curved one that you almost need a light for.

Over the Manuherikia Valley to the St Bathans and Hawkdun Ranges.

Dunstan Range, Dunstan Peak and St Bathans Range.

Crossing the Manuherikia, more of the Dunstan Range.

Trail thawing and getting slower, close to lunch.

Returning, strangely enough – more of the same mountains.

Ida Range back into view.

Fun little half-day trip with Dad, crisp though!

family, friends, hiking, NZ

Woolshed Creek Hut overnighter

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A short overnight hike up in Canterbury for the twenty-something-st Birthday Trip for Adele and Theresa. Nice little stroll in and out (only twelve kilometres total) with decent winter weather, nineteen of us all up and a barely credible amount of curry hauled in.

Looking south once out of the short bush ascent.

With some of the party not starting as early as the families and others, we had plenty of time to stop for a long lunch in the sun. The return trip would have us up there, and coming down that face on the right.

The two youngest of the six children were determined to reach the hut first, so that kept them motivated!

Looking up the West Stour to the Arrowsmith Range.

More of the return trip – up from the left across to the Bus Stop and exit stage-right.

More time to stop and admire the views west.

North to the Winterslow Range.

Wasn’t long before we were looking down to Woolshed Creek and its hut.

After snacks in the last of the sun, we had to cross the valley to maximise this, some of us popped to the Emerald Pool (or some such name).

It’s emeraldish.

Plenty of ice around.

Certainly enough to throw onto the opposite bank.

After the early feast and much chat into the night, it was a warm night in a full hut. Well, not quite full as more people moved outside to sleep on the balcony throughout the night. I slept well and it was another leisurely start to the walking as we returned by the higher route.

First, trip trapping over Woolshed Creek.

Out of the bush again and looking southwest.

Snaking our way up, hut down yonder.

At the so-called Bus Stop, our lunch spot found just beyond.

That just left us to cross a boggy section, on new boardwalks, and then turn and head down the South Face – steep enough to make our legs aware.

A fun little overnighter with a good, large group. Lucked out with the weather too.

around home, bikes, friends, MTB, NZ

Mt Alexander

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Casting around for ideas of interesting new places to bike over an early-winter long weekend, conversation reminded me of a long-neglected offer from friends to access their farm. Permission sought and granted, we studied the map with only a vague idea of the farm boundaries as to where we might go the following day.

Reporting Sunday morning, there were a few options for routes to and from Mt Alexander. We were surprised to hear tales of German farmstay tour groups thirty years ago doing similar rides, bikes have developed a little since then. We settled on a route up the ridge from Nobbler Stream, past a comms tower to the summit, down to and from Danseys Pass. Mid-morning by the time we set off, it was a cracking day and bits had even began to thaw.

Hooge and Orlaith setting off besides Nobbler Stream, Mt Nobbler ahead.

Finding the correct place to cross the stream, things kicked up pretty quickly to climb eight hundred metres in seven kilometres. Mostly still shaded, the ground was at least solid so that made things less mucky. I’d chosen the heavy, more-fun bike so with that, lack of fitness and some steep pitches there was a fair bit of walking on my part – possibly half.

But that hardly mattered, being somewhere new and different perspectives on familiar landmarks was engaging – keeping moving helped fight the chill too.

The Rock and Pillar Range looking quite small and flat from across the Maniototo.

Nobbler again, from the northwest.

Past the turn-off to the comms tower, the track switched to the sunny side of the ridge – and got steeper.

At another intersection, we cut east – the track visible more directly going to Kye Burn. Mt Kyeburn on left, St Marys Range in background.

Past Tania to Naseby Forest, Ida Range on right. Good fun trying to spy various mountains on the horizon.

Bit of snow remaining on the top of the Rock and Pillars.

Fairly typical surface; higher up it got a bit muddy as things thawed, thankfully not too sticky. Ida Range and Mt Kyeburn.

Around 1300 m, we got into the ups and downs of ridge riding. Fun descents (pleased to have big tyres, suspension and a dropper) and pushes up the other side.

Thanks Orlaith for the photo.

Too busy looking at the route up Mt Nobbler, I blew right past the place to stop and walk up to the named summit. But never mind, there was another equally high point to pause and eat my sandwich at.

Waiting for the descent.

Not a bad spot for lunch, another of Orlaith’s pics.

Yup, definite track going up Nobbler.

As always, looking at other possible routes. Down Maerewhenua Spur looks like fun! Pacific on the horizon, what a day.

Big, open, forgiving descents began in small doses – yay for having hauled that bike up.

A few patches of snow in the shade, the last of the ridge riding – we began the descent just before that tower, diving off to the left.

Much fun dropping to the road over a couple of kilometres, rough enough to be exciting, not so rough to slow things down.

Not a view of Danseys Pass I’m used to.

Closing the thirty kilometre loop on gravel road would have been a much quicker affair, but for the excellent pub halfway down. A great half-day outing making the most of a short, spectacular winter day. Scheming for longer trips over longer days well advanced.

hiking, NZ

Mt Brown Hut and summit

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A little West Coast weather keeping my enthusiasm for outdoor activities to short walks, short rides and some gardening for four days, a break in the conditions coincided nicely with my desire for a longer hike in the area. Well aware of the Coast’s reputation for gnarly, steep tracks I was offered three choices – I forget why we settled on Mt Brown Hut, perhaps because it offered the chance of a loop. A bit of a drive, particularly scenic around the back of Lake Kaniere, and we were at the trailhead – a couple of vehicles of the van-tourist variety reminding Katie that this hut has become far more popular with its Insta-fame.

Heading up there somewhere; I know now the hut is on the ridge on the right, the summit the left.

Beginning mildly, straight into the bush, we were soon climbing in earnest. Hudson (a young German Shorthaired Pointer) covering twice, if not thrice, the distance we were as he repeatedly zoomed off smelling all the smells. Progressively steeper, it never got quite as steep as I thought it would – although there were plenty of times where hands were required, both for my balance and propulsion but also occasionally for Hudson to get up the steepest sections. I was convinced this steepness was going to be very tough on the legs descending.

Amongst the effort, plenty of changing bush to admire as altitude quickly increased. Dense enough, there were seldom any glimpses of a view beyond the trees. Gaining the ridge, the sub-alpine gave us some views and plenty of mud.

Browning Range to the south.

Lake Kaniere to the northwest.

Opening up now, damp underfoot, clouds starting to blow through. Summit is centre of the three peaks on right side.

I’d slowed the normal quick ascent markedly, but it was still only a hundred minutes to the hut. Pleasingly for the ease of quick sums, we’d climbed about a thousand metres in five kilometres – so an average gradient of twenty percent, it was a fair climb. Time for lunch in front of the hut and trying to glimpses different aspects as the cloud continued to build but kept moving.

Yip, it’s a picturesque hut and setting.

A peek, and indeed peak, of the Southern Alps to the southwest.

Completing the loop, dropping steeply to the Styx River and then walking along flats didn’t appeal as much as carrying onto Mt Brown summit for a look-see (I assume it’s named so, with the hut and all – strangely it’s not identified on the topo map).

Not a marked track, it was easy enough to navigate along the ridge as it dropped off steeper on each side.

Spot the hut, certainly can’t see Lake Kaniere any longer. Also spot me, lagging behind.

This isn’t so good for the summit views.

Thankfully things cleared a bit as we reached the top, enough anyway to look up the Styx valley.

Someone stayed still long enough for a photo!

The descent wasn’t nearly as horrible on my legs, or as steep, as I feared – it did take just as long as the climb however. As things flattened out over the last few hundred metres, descending muscles definitely making themselves known!

About the biggest look at the lake from the bush that I got.

A great little foray into the West Coast hills – hopefully not too slow for the Katie and Hudson, and thanks for the couple of photos that are obviously not mine.

Biking to go places, going places to bike.