#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!

#94 of 100 trips for 100 years - Hightop - Greengage - Raingauge - Swampy Ridge circuit 24 September 2023

 

Like so many other trips into the Silver Peaks, we started at Mountain Road with a 60m climb up to Green Ridge where we settled into a comfortable pace for the hour walk into Green Hut Site.  The track is a little muddy in places after all the recent rain but overall the condition has much improved from previous years.  Once at Green Hut Site we stopped for a morning tea break while the group of 5 watched Antony attach the plaque to one of the seats that had been erected at the site, ready for the centenary weekend in four weeks time.  

Once that task had been completed, we walked back along the track for about 5 minutes to the Greengage Track turn off which is a short but steep climb to point 588 where we stopped briefly to admire the views.  We had wonderful views in all directions with Pulpit Rock in the Silver Peaks dominating our view with other high points such as Saddle Hill Swampy Summit and Mt Watkin easily visible. We made the most of this, our last vantage point before dropping down the ridge to Silver Steam at the bottom. 

The next couple of hours saw us take our time dropping 400m steeply down Greengage ridge.  The track is easy to follow with recent maintenance, however the steepness of it meant that it became a game of moving from tree to tree and making sure of secure footing.  Even then, the slippery leaves underfoot meant that an unplanned sit down happened at least once for most members of the group during the descent.  The nearer the bottom, the steeper it became until we eventually reached a bluff with a rope dropping down to the stream at the bottom.  This tricky obstacle required some careful negotiation as the rope ended before reaching the bottom which meant a bit of a stretch/drop was required while dangling from the rope.  We were sadly mistaken if we thought our troubles were over because once at the bottom it was time for wet feet as the stream crossing reached just below the knees then it was a muddy scramble up the bank out of the stream.  There was no room to stop as we used the tree roots to pull ourselves up the next 200m near vertical to  the ridge.  It was quite tiring and we were glad when the ridge was gained and the gradient was not so steep.  We stopped at the first clearing for lunch which was the Greengage/Raingage junction where we enjoyed a chance to sit down and rest. 

From the track juction, we were onto a fairly easy track that wound it's way through the trees, climbing steadily as we continued towards Swampy Summit.  Once out of the trees, we were rewarded with fantastic views looking into the Silver Peaks and back over the area that we had just come through.  After about 45 minutes walking we reached the turn off that avoids the top of Swampy Summit and cuts around below the summit.  Now the fun really started as the track deteriorated into a muddy, boggy path which had been churned up by wild cattle.  While we did our best to avoid the worst of the mud, it was inevitable that we would all end up with mud half way up our legs at some stage. 

There seemed to be some sections of the track worse than others and we made good time on the drier parts and during these drier sections, we had time to look around at our surroundings.  We watched as the rain skirted around us but gave the Silver Peaks a drenching.  We were thankful to stay dry and keep our jackets in our bags while Pulpit Rock and other high points in the Silver Peaks were shrouded in rain.

As we continued on towards the track junction with Green Ridge the mud seemed to get deeper and more widespread until it got to the stage where it was impossible to avoid.  Memories of trip #18 along this section of track back in December came flooding back along with the sight of huge hoof prints from the wild cows that roam the area. Thankfully we didn't see any of the animals that made those large hoof prints but we did hear them. 

Just when we had almost given up hope of reaching dry ground again we turned the corner and the ground firmed underfoot.  The next couple of kilometres of walking was easy and we made good time around the base of Hightop to the Green Ridge junction where we barely paused for breath before starting the final 1km stretch of track back to the cars.  When we had walked along this section of track this morning, we had done our best to avoid the odd muddy patch but now we knew what real mud was so just walked through the mud. All up it was a really good day's walk of 15.3km over 7.5 hours which also included 1000m of ascent/descent

#69 of 100 trips for 100 years - Gold Miners Direct - Possum Hut - Green Hut Site - Green Ridge 9 July 2023 (by Jade Pettinger)

 

It’s not often it is wetter in town than in the Silver Peaks, but somehow that is what happened today! Despite the pouring rain, nine of us showed up at Woodhaugh, huddling under an umbrella in a futile attempt to stay dry. I’m sure each of us was contemplating our decisions at this point and wondering why we had traded in warm fires and cosy houses for a day out tramping. After a brief discussion it was decided that albeit the less than ideal conditions, we would attempt the original plan of Possum Hut, mostly because “that’s how we do it in the OTMC”.

We bundled ourselves into cars and hit the road north with the window wipers on full speed. So, you can imagine our surprise when we reached the top of the motorway and all of a sudden had no need for window wipers! While the weather wasn’t clear, there was no water coming out of the sky so we took that as a positive sign. The carpark on Mountain Road was shrouded in thick mist, the ground was wet but there was not even the slightest drizzle!

We set off down the Gold Miners Direct Track in good spirits, our jackets were only required to shield us from the dripping trees. The zig-zag track downhill to the South branch of the Waikouaiti River was in relatively good condition, with a few signs of the wild pigs that roam the area. The sodden ground was a bit slippery in places but these sections were easily navigated with the help of good tread, sturdy poles and well-placed trees. On tracks like this, it is always a good idea to have someone in front of you so you can watch where they step and if they slip you will know where not to put your feet.

Before we knew it, we were emerging from the dense bush to a small clearing at the bottom of the hill. With our raincoats still dry, we decided this was a good spot for a quick bite to eat. The mist made for quite an eerie atmosphere as it danced around the surrounding ridges, giving us glimpses at the towering hills above us.

From here, we took a left along an undulating path towards Possum Hut. We soon had our first major obstacle to negotiate - a tributary of the South Branch of the Waikouaiti River. This is usually a docile stream where you can jump across with dry feet, however after the recent heavy rain, was now a raging torrent that required consideration and caution to cross safely. One by one we carefully picked our way across, taking care to ensure we had solid footing with each step so as not to be swept away.

Having made it safely across, we turned our sights to Possum Hut, which for most of us, was our first time visiting this historical hut. About five or so minutes before the hut, we came across a plaque on the side of the track which was placed in 1952 by local farmers, Joe Clark and Phil Powell.

We didn’t have high expectations for Possum Hut, which was just as well as when we approached it soon became apparent just how derelict the hut has become. While no one knows exactly when the hut was built, it is believed to have been in the 1930’s with the possibility of gold in the nearby rivers causing excitement. However, this never eventuated too much and the hut soon fell into disrepair. Nowadays, the iron clad hut is covered in rust and slightly falling to one side. It is no longer watertight, and unless it was an emergency I doubt it would be anyone's first choice for overnight accommodation.

After exploring the historic hut, it was time to tackle the steep climb out of the valley. From here the track abruptly climbs straight up Possum Ridge to link back up with Green Ridge. It was a real slip and slide going up, most of us took a fall on at least one occasion as the ground just slipped away beneath our feet. Our hands were soon rubbed raw from grabbing onto tree branches and roots to help drag us up the slippery slope. Stopping for a breather was out of the question as we needed our momentum to keep us going forward, so we forced our burning legs to carry us upwards.

Thankfully the steep section was short and sweet and the track was soon levelling off, providing us with a much needed break to strip layers. The mist was thicker up on the tops, but we were still dry. After a gentle amble along the ridge, we soon joined up with the Green Ridge Track, where we made our way down to Green Hut Site for an early lunch.

We all enjoyed chatting and eating while making use of the newly installed seats, which the OTMC opened at King’s Birthday Weekend. We were soon on our way as we made our way down the very familiar track from Green Hut Site to Mountain Road as we have traveled along it many times during the 100 Trips.

written by Jade Pettinger

#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.