#103 of 100 trips - Silver Peaks 23 October 2023

 

The final trip dawned and with blue skies and close to 70 people gathered at the Mountain Road car park ready for a good day's walk in the Silver Peaks.  We had been up the track from the start of the car park on trip#1 of 100 trips as well as a number of other times over the past year but this time was different as the long line of people made it's way up the track.  For some people it had been many  years since they had been into the Silver Peaks and it was interesting to hear their stories while walking with them. 

Some people commented that they remembered the track into the Green Hut Site as being flat and were surprised by how much up and down there is along the ridge.  Over all the track climbs 140m from the car park at the road to the Green Hut Site and there are a couple of short steep sections that can slow people down, While the pace wasn't overly fast, it didn't matter as we were there to enjoy the company.  The track has held up well over the winter with any muddy parts having dried out making for pleasant walking.  We reached the Green Hut Site in a little over an hour and it was surprising how many people could fit into the grassed area of the site.  The seats were taken over while others sat on the grass to enjoy a morning tea break.  

After a reasonable rest, most of the group continued on to Pulpit Rock with some opting for the shorter climb to Green Hill.  It's another 220m climb to Pulpit Rock and starts with a short, sharp climb out of Green Hut Site then a nice sidle around to the ridge where the gradient steepens before reaching the summit of Pulpit Rock.  As the track is above the bush line the sidle is a good opportunity to see the route ahead with the groups of people spread out on the climb up and Pulpit Rock in the distance on the left.

The weather in the Silver Peaks was amazing, it was one of those magic blue sky days with not a breath of wind.  We couldn't have asked for a better day and everyone was enjoying themselves.  Especially so as we neared the top of Pulpit Rock and the views really started to open out around us.  The 360 degree views were outstanding with Mt Cargill, Mt Charles, Mt Watkin, Rock and Pillar Range, Maungatua standing out. 100 years ago there had been 60 people on that first OTMC trip to Pulpit Rock and today we had close to 70 people standing on Pulpit Rock.

We all found our own spot nestled amongst the tussock admiring the views in all directions as we ate lunch and continued reminiscing about past trips in the Silver Peaks and picking out some of the remembered landmarks.  The greatest achievement of the day went to Frank who at 86 was the oldest person of our group to reach Pulpit Rock and made even special because it had been more than 60 years since he had last stood on the top. 

As much as we would have liked to stay longer, the time came to head back down and it was with sadness that I left the top of Pulpit Rock.  It had been a fantastic year of tramping with the first trip of the #100 trips coming to Pulpit Rock and there had been many wonderful tramping trips over the past year.  Now it was at an end and there were just three of us that had been on the first trip and were also on this final trip . 

There is only so long that you can delay the inevitable and we reluctantly followed everyone else down the hill.  It made quite a sight to see such a large group in the Silver Peaks.  It had been a wonderful walk down memory lane for many and the warm weather had made it a perfect day.  The weekend had rekindled many friendships and was a reminder of  past good times shared.  

The group was well spread out so the walk out was a little faster than it had been coming in and we got to chat with different people.  I had been surprised all weekend at the number of people I had spoken to but there was always someone I had missed seeing during the previous events and the walk out was a good opportunity to catch up with some I hadn't spoken to already.  Getting into the car at the end was tinged with sadness that the whole Centenary was over but also relief that all the work over the past few years had come together nicely and everyone agreed that it had been a fabulous weekend!

#60 of 100 trips for 100 years - Green Hut Site - 90th Anniversary 3 June 2023

 

Today's trip to Green Hut Site in the Silver Peaks was a special one as on this day 90 years ago, 3 June 1933, the clubs first hut, just below Green Hill was opened.  Taking just three months to build the hut, it became the main base of club activity in the Silver Peaks until the late 1940's when Jubilee Hut was built and became more important to the club.  Sadly Green Hut was removed in 1988 due to vandalism and today there is just a small clearing amongst the bush to mark the site. 

Maybe it was the promise of cake or maybe it was because the winter sun was shining  - whatever the reason, 21 people gathered at 10 am for the one hour walk to celebrate Green Hut's 90th birthday.  A mixture of older club members who remembered the hut, members from the Green Hut track cutting group and newer club members with no knowledge of the hut gathered  for the 60m climb up the hill.  Usually this first climb is at a fast pace but today with some of the older club members present, the climb was at a leisurely pace which gave us time to chat to the people in front and behind as the track wound it's way through the manuka. 

After reaching the crest of the climb, the track sidles around on the contour line and we were able to stop and admire the expansive views of the Silver Peaks. Our destination was visible, just below the dip in the ridge line with Green Peak slightly in front of and to the left of the Pulpit Rock which is the dominating peak from this angle.  (Green Hut site is marked with a red X in the picture below)

The trees have grown a lot over the 35+ years that I have been coming to the Silver Peaks and even more so from 90 years ago when Green Hut was built.  90 years ago, bullocks were used to drag a wagon over the tussock tops to the ridge above Green Hut Site and then the hut building material was carried by hand down to the site.  Today the landscape is completely different and the trees would make that task impossible.

There has been a lot of work on the track in recent years with the surface being a lot drier and not so much mud as in previous years, in fact despite being early winter and having had a number of wet days recently, the track is in surprisingly good condition.  Because the track was in such good condition we were able to take our time and look around, being rewarded with glimpses between the trees of wonderful views looking towards Swampy Summit on our left and to the hills inland on our right. 

After an hour of walking, we arrived at Green Hut Site which was to be the place of our celebrations. The area today is hardly recognizable as the original site as the trees have grown, covering the hill behind where the hut was as well as growing on the actual hut site.  We were very heartened to see the two seats that were recently installed by the Green Hut Track Group were still in place and some of the group wasted no time in making use of them.   As was fitting for the occasion, a couple of speeches were made giving a brief outline of the hut and it's history along with the establishment of the Green Hut Track Group who maintain the tracks in the Silver Peaks. 

After the cake cutting ceremony it was time to find a place in the sun for lunch and a chat with those around you.  Some of the fitter, more enthusiastic of the group decided to head up Green Hill, arriving back in time to join the rest of the group on the walk back to the cars.  We retraced our steps, stopping often to admire the views and enjoy the sun.

During the walk, it was great to see the camaraderie of the OTMC with those fitter, walking alongside and encouraging the older club members, swapping stories of past trips in the Silver Peaks and memories of Green Hut.  All up a shorter day trip with only two hours of walking and a trip I was very pleased to have been apart of.

#58 of 100 trips for 100 years - Hermit's Cave (Silver Peaks) 21 May 2023

There have been a number of trips into the Silver Peaks during the #100 trips and we had been past the Hermit's Cave on trip #5 but today we were going to take a detour to visit one of the caves used by the hermit of the Silver Peaks in the late 1950's  While there have been around 20 trips to the Hermit's Cave since 1967, it is rarely visited these days so it was heartening to have 12 people arrive for the start of what was to be an adventure to a part of the Silver Peaks that only two or three people on the trip had been to before. 

The walk started as most trips to the Silver Peaks do, with a one hour walk into the Green Hut site. Despite the track being wet underfoot and quite sloppy with mud, we made good time to the hut site where we were pleased to see that there have been two recently installed seats.  Most of us took the opportunity to sit on these new seats and enjoy a snack before tackling the next uphill section. 

The track from the Green Hut site climbs up a number of extremely muddy steps through the last of the bush to the ridge where the views started to open up with Pulpit Rock ahead of us, Mosgiel and Saddle Hill to the left and Waitati and the coast line to the right. The climb towards Pulpit Rock is a steep 200m climb along an exposed ridge where the recent heavy rains had scoured out the track .  The pace up the hill was relentless and we regrouped at the base of Pulpit Rock giving us time to look around and admire the view.  From this great vantage point we were able to pick out places that we had recently been to during the #100 trips.

The next section of track is a sidle around the head of the Painted Forest to reach the turn off along Rocky Ridge.  The Painted Forest is another little visited part of the Silver Peaks and got its name because the green forest looked painted amongst the silvery/gold tussock of the Silver Peaks.  Today the tussock tops are being taken over by scrub and the painted forest doesn't look as out of place as it once did. 

The turn off to Rocky Ridge is not marked and is often overlooked, however  it is obvious for those who know what to look for.  While most people on on this trip had not been along Rocky Ridge, no one showed any hesitation to take the indistinct trail and we were soon swallowed by the head high scrub as we tried our best to stick to the obscure and unmaintained track.  In places the track can be difficult to follow but once your feet find the track, it's best to trust them and just keep going while pushing through the scrub.

It was along Rocky Ridge that we started to really feel the cold wind blowing over the exposed ridge.  One way to keep warm was to simply keep moving.  Once amongst the Cat's Teeth we were able to shelter behind the large rock tors while waiting to regroup.  On a fine day such as today, the views all along the ridge are spectacular and. it is easy to see where the name Rocky Ridge came from. In places we were able to look a head to the rocks that are home to the Hermits Cave - that is if you know where to look.

 

Before we knew it, we had reached the turn off to Hermits Cave and again, this was another of those indistinct routes that you would miss if you didn't know where it was.  What can only be loosely described as a vague route drops steeply off the side of the ridge and requires both hands to keep yourself upright as you slip and slide your way down through the vegetation.  The best form of attack was to keep the person in front of you within sight but this was difficult as at times small trees appeared to swallow the person and it was a matter of pushing through and keeping moving.

 

The small cave about 30m down from the ridge is often mistaken for Hermits Cave but those of us who have been there before know to continue steeply down the hill for around 120m  before sidling to the right under the rock bluffs and eventually (after most have given up hope) you will stumble across the entrance to Hermits Cave.The descent to Hermits Cave requires a sense of adventure and confidence in your navigation skills.

It is obvious that this is the real Hermits Cave because it is dry, very sheltered on all sides and has more 'home comforts' than any other cave in the immediate vicinity.  From my last visit here 4 years ago, the chimney is no longer standing but there are more  bottles and billies for water collection and there is the addition of an indoor plant.

Hermits Cave was a good place for lunch as it is sheltered and enough room inside and out for such the large group.  There was lots of discussion about what it would have been like living here for 3 years, including surviving 3 cold winters by yourself in this remote part of the Silver Peaks.  All too soon lunch was over and it was time to head back up the hill to the ridge.  What had seemed steep on the way down, was just as steep going up and required both hands to help pull yourself up the steepest parts.  After a lot of huffing and puffing, all 12 of us were happy to regain ridge.  The wind was still cold on the ridge and we didn't linger long before retracing our route as best we could along the indistinct track on Rocky Ridge.

After Rocky Ridge, reaching the main Silver Peaks track is like walking on a highway and while the track is still muddy in places and gouged out by recent rain, it is easy to follow and you have time to look around and appreciate your surroundings.  We made fast time down the main track to Green Hut Site where we took the opportunity to sit on the new seats and have an afternoon snack and while it was still cold, we were out of the wind. 

The final hour of walking is along Green Ridge from the hit site to Mountain Road and we have completed this part of the track a number of times over the #100 trips.  It has been interesting to see the changes of the track from a hard, dry surface in the summer to wet and muddy now. There has been some track maintenance with trees being cut back along the sides of the track and the colours of the manuka forest have changed with the different weather and progression of seasons. Over all it was an enjoyable day in the Silver Peaks where 18km and around 700m of ascent was covered in 7 hours. 

#47 of 100 trips for 100 years - Jubilee Hut 16 April 2023

 

Jubilee Hut was built in the Silver Peaks for the OTMC's 25th anniversary and was a popular destination for the club up until the 1990's when it's usage and popularity dropped as maintenance became issue. In 2007 the Department of Conservation (in consultation with the OTMC) built a new Jubilee Hut at the same time as it removed the old hut.  Thanks to it's proximity to Dunedin, Jubilee Hut has become a popular destination and is often full during the weekends.  It is fitting that one of the 100 trips is to visit Jubilee Hut and 15 people (including 3 from the North Otago Tramping & Mountaineering Club) made the 8 hour trip today.  

Despite a 60m height gain immediately after leaving the Mountain Road car park, a fast pace is often set by those in the front and today was no different.  It wasn't until the gradient leveled off on the route to Green Hut Site that we were able to catch our breath and begin chatting to those walking in front and behind.  This part of the track to Green Hut Site generally takes around an hour and with clear skies we had great views of Swampy Summit on our left and towards Waikouati on our right.  The views were a great distraction, as after a week of  constant rain the track had become muddy making it a completely different experience to other recent trips into the Silver Peaks ( trip #33 & trip #38)

We regrouped at Green Hut Site and enjoyed a snack break and a short history of the site before continuing on. Initially the track enters the bush for a short but muddy climb onto the ridge where the track sidles below Green Peak before beginning the 200m climb to Pulpit Rock.  The track up is steep and open so we kept a steady pace with the occasional stop to admire the view (and catch our breath).  Knowing we had a long way to go it was only a brief stop below Pulpit Rock before pushing on to the top of the Devils Staircase.  

Despite it's name the Devils Staircase does not have any stairs, it is, however, a very steep route that descends down a defined ridge to the valley 400m below.  With slippery shingle under foot, sheer drops on both sides and very little to hold onto, it is a descent not to be underestimated.  There is a lot more gorse on the staircase than when I had last been here making it more difficult with even less to hold onto.  Most of us opted for a slow and steady pace downhill, taking our time over the more exposed and tricky parts.

Once we had all safely reached the bottom, there was just enough time for a quick look around which was again, another surprise to me as the vegetation has really grown with only one or two campsites where there had been many.  The track from the bottom of the staircase wanders along beside the creek, crossing it four times before a trudge through a very sloppy muddy section.  Everyone emerged from the almost ankle-deep mud with mud halfway up our legs.  Jubilee Hut sits 100m above the stream on a sunny terrace and that final 100m climb feels a lot higher than 100m and we were all relieved when we finally reached our destination.

Sadly the pigs have been rooting around the hut, making the once flat terrace that the hut sits on with plenty of camping spots, into a ploughed paddock with humps and hollows everywhere.  After checking out the hut, we found a relatively flat area to sit for lunch in the sun with the infamous Devils Staircase and Rocky Ridge dominating the view.

There was no time to linger over lunch as we were very aware that we still had a long way to go and an ascent of the Devils Staircase so we packed up and headed back down to cross the creek and visit the site of the old Jubilee Hut.  There is nothing but the fireplace left of the old hut and while the new hut is in a much better position for sun and views, it was nice to reminisce on some of the fun times we'd had in the old hut. 

Retracing our steps back across the creek, through the mud and four river crossings gave us the chance to clean our legs so that we arrived at the base of the Devils Staircase looking a lot cleaner.  Most of us took the opportunity to refill our water bottles from the creek before the 400m climb up staircase.  The climb up is steep and exposed with the bottom third being the steepest section and the middle third only slightly less steep while the top third is considerably easier.  Either way, it took around 60-80 minutes for everyone to make it to the top of the Devils Staircase with a number of rest stops.  

Once at the top of the Devils Staircase, all the hard work has been done and all that remains is a walk along the the tops, past Pulpit Rock and down to Green Hut Site where we had a quick drink and lolly stop.  By now the legs were starting to feel a little tired but we still had an hour of walking along Green Ridge back to the cars.  The walk is reasonably flat but I always forget about the three small uphill sections which are always hard work at the end of the day. It was so nice to see the car 22km and 8 hours after leaving. 

#38 of 100 trips for 100 years - High Points of Silver Peaks 12 March 2023

 

On previous trips to the Silver Peaks we had completed three summits, then five summits and today was the ultimate seven summits.  It can’t have been a completely silly idea because 14 people agreed to join us on this challenge.  With clear skies we left the car park on Mountain Road and headed up towards our first summit of Hightop which at 531m was the lowest of our summits for the day.  From the turn off on Green Ridge the track to Hightop quickly runs out and becomes more of a bush/flax bash gaining 80m of height to the open golden tussock tops. This was our first real opportunity to look ahead to the other six summits and also to get the first team summit photo.

We had been on Hightop a couple of times recently for trips #18 and #26 but not from this direction and it would be fair to say that our climb up and then descent down Hightop back to Green Ridge did not take us on a route we had done previously and involved more bush bashing  as well as taking us through a lovely standing forest of manuka which we nicknamed the Goblin Forest.  Once back on Green Ridge with a few extra scratches, it was a reasonably fast walk to our next summit turn off and an easier climb to the 588m summit We felt like we were cheating a little as the Greengage Track took us right up to the summit, and while the Greengage Track is steep in places there are a few steps and handily placed trees to aid the climb up (and then back down).  For the effort of climbing our second summit we were rewarded with great views of yesterday’s trip #37 to Saddle Hill and Mosgiel.

Back down to Green Ridge and it was onto our next summit, Green Hill for lunch.  The 90m climb up to Green Hill is a little steep in places and takes us out of the bush so we had panoramic views in all directions but mostly we focussed our attention towards the interior of the Silver Peaks where the remaining four summits beaconed.  Lunch was enjoyed in the sun but not for long as we knew that we still had most of the climbing still to do.

On our descent of Green Hill we opted for a slight detour and instead of following the track back to Green Ridge we bush bashed our way down to join Green Ridge further along, missing a section of the track.  Having descended from Green Hill we were faced with 180m climb up to Pulpit Rock.  The track up is consistently steep and also out in the open making the climb hot work.  Most of us took the slow and steady approach to reach the top of Pulpit Rock and still have some energy left to tackle the remaining summits.  At Pulpit Rock we had wonderful 360degree views over the Taieri Plains and inland to the Rock and Pillars, out to Karitane on the coast and around to Mt Cargill and Mosgiel.  We were able to pick out the peaks of Mt Watkin, Mt Charles and of course Saddle Hill which are the other summits we had climbed over the past couple of weekends.

Down from Pulpit Rock and it was only a short walk to our next summit of 744m.  This was one of the shortest climbs today as it is only about 40m higher than the track but is a steep scramble through the scrub and tussock to the narrow top.  We were feeling pretty elated as this was our fifth summit with the remaining two being within grasp. 

We headed back down through the scrub to the track and a fast pace was set towards Silver Peak, our highest summit at 777m.  Again we were rewarded with awe-inspiring 360degree views and for some this was a good place for a second lunch which they hadn’t had time to eat earlier.  Standing on Silver Peak, we had uninterrupted views looking down Christmas Creek and inland to Strath Taieri. The legs were starting to feel a little tired but with only one summit to go there was only one way to go.  

Our seventh and final summit  which was the no named peak with a trig on it and is only 10m lower than Silver Peak but requires a descent from Silver Peak, then a climb up to the trig.  We reached the 767m summit by taking a little used trail off the main track that wound it’s way up through the tussock to the trig.  With a small detour to a little off the summit we were able to see down Cave Creek  to Jubilee Hut in the valley below.  There was lots of smiles as we posed for the final of our summit photos.  We were all buoyed by the knowledge  that we had achieved our goal of 7 summits in 1 day.

The return journey back to the cars was straightforward as we didn’t have to make any detours to summits and we followed Green Ridge down to the Green Hut Site where we had a brief rest and snack (or third lunch for some who hadn’t already eaten all their lunch).  The final hour was a brisk walk along Green Ridge and back to Mountain Road and the cars.  A tiring but enjoyable day that saw us walking nearly 17 km, and climbing 7 summits over nearly 7 hours.