2024-06-26 < Weekly activities > 2024-07-10
Activity summary: Wednesday 2024 July 03 to Tuesday 2024 July 09
Kelson to Boulder Hill/Rangituhi - Colonial Knob/Hemi Matenga Ridge/Norbet Creek/Rata Ridge
Wednesday
Lunch - Members met at Trax Wellington Railway Station, 12 noon, Wed 3 July; organised by Carole Haigh. 6M
A most enjoyable catch up with old friends from the Club, and an opportunity to celebrate a birthday.
E Trip ‘Kelson to Boulder Hill’, led by Peter Nixon, Wed 3 July. 5M
Five geriatric members set off from the Kaitangata Cres Regional Park entrance in reasonable shelter to reach Boulder Hill summit about lunch time to find no shelter from the strong cold wind. We stopped only for a photo shoot before retreating to the ascent track to find a viable lunch spot in the scrub. Everybody pleased to finish, but also to have done it.
EM Trip ‘Rangituhi/Colonial Knob’, led by John Allard, Wed 3 July. 7M
This trip ended up as a possibly record short trip. In the face of worrying weather forecasts we had a two-hour walk effectively circumnavigating the Porirua landfill! We avoided the tops given the strong southerly and just went to the shoulder of Rangituhi via the Spicer Botanical Park and a short section of the Te Araroa Track. Not quite the route intended, but still enjoyed by those who chose to come.
M Trip ‘Hemi Matenga Ridge’ led by Marg Pearce, Wed 3 July. 15M
The scheduled trip to Pukeatua was postponed after very heavy rain in the Waikanae area raised concerns about a stream crossing. Instead (Plan C) 15 members substituted a tracked route on the Hemi Matenga ridge above Waikanae: 7.97 km, 772m elevation gain, 5 1/2 hours.
It was a freezing day but we were in the bush out of the wind and had some welcome sunshine for lunch. Grateful thanks to TTC member Bill Allcock for checking the Waikanae River on Tuesday and offering expert local advice on water levels.
(I cannot lie as Ann was on the trip!)
SF Trip ‘Norbert Creek Exploration’, led by Janette Roberts, Wed 3 July. 9M
Nine members enjoyed an invigorating scramble in steep, slippery country, generously laced with supplejack, to two named saddles you won’t find labelled on the map, in a circumnavigation of Norbert Creek. More than half had not visited Bill’s Saddle and the nearby Warren’s Saddle and all enjoyed the navigation challenges. The rain came at times, but we escaped the worst of the southerly. 6 ½ hours.
EM ‘Rata Ridge’, led by Muriel Christianson, Sun 7 July. 7M
This trip proceeded in lovely clear weather with no wind. Very early into the trip, one tramper pulled out to return to her car. Regular phone contact reassured us that she reached her car safely, following a brief stop to catch her breath. A catch up call following the trip determined that she had early become over heated with more clothes than necessary for the trip.
We made our way up the Lees Grove track up to Rata Ridge. Morning tea was at the junction with the Main Ridge track. Following exploration back towards the Puriri Track near to the Wainuiomata Road, we returned to the Main Ridge junction for lunch. Despite some slippery descents, there were no falls and we reached the well-formed Fern Gully track to return to Wainuiomata. An enjoyable track with great bush and some tantalising views.
Total 49 Members and nil NMs.