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Meetings and Trips 

Meeting 28th April

Slides of the Club trip to Nelson Lakes over the May holidays. Collect your copy of the first newsletter. Last day for entries in t-shirt competition (to be judged next week). Help fold the newsletters.

Weekend 1st-2nd May

Waimak Col Keen-medium

This classic alpine crossing takes you into the heart of Arthur’s Pass National Park. Impressive scenery will greet you. While long days and difficult route finding will challenge your skills. Ice axe and crampons may be required.

Technical Skills

Ý Route finding (medium).

Ý River-crossing (medium)

Ý Ice axe & crampons

Ý Steep terrain

Ý Boulder-bashing

Time

Ý Approximately 8-10hrs a day.

Altitude gain

Ý Approx 1200m

Approximation from Guide

Otehake Hotpools Medium

River crossing skills essential. One of the classic trips in Arthur’s Pass. Visit the scenic Lake Kaurapataka surrounded by lush native bush. Before heading into the Otehake to camp next to the hot pools. Sooth your muscles in their warm waters and let your cares drift away.

Technical

Ý River-crossings (medium-hard depending on level of the rivers)

Ý Route-finding (easy-medium)

Time

Ý Approximately 6hrs a day.

Altitude gain

Ý Not much at all, it’s fairly flat.

Mt Peel (Daytrip) medium-easy

A great little day-walk up to this scenic peak in South Canterbury. Great views of the plains and the Rangatata area.

Time: 4-6 hours

Altitude Gain: About 800m

Meeting 5th May

Hopefully a talk and slide show by John Henry on the Visitor Asset Management Programme. John is a partner in the firm of Montgomery Watson, and is an avid tramper and photographer. Also voting on the design for Club t-shirt for 1999.

Weekend 8th-9th May

The Inaugural CUTC Mystery Bus Tour

The CUTC social team brings you the inaugural CUTC mystery bus trip. Lots of revelry, debauchery, pub stops & a little bit of tramping thrown in on the side. Leaves Saturday afternoon/evening.

Cass-Lagoon Medium

A Canterbury classic. Varied terrain and spectacular views make this a really worth while tramp. It’s nearly even worth doing for the Hamilton "Hilton" hut itself, which has best site of any hut in Canterbury. No need to carry tents as you can sleep on the huge veranda if the hut is full.

Technical

Ý River-crossings (easy)

Ý Route-finding (easy)

Ý Solid distance each day

Time: 6-7.5 hours a day.

Altitude gain: 500-700m

Mt Bealey (daytrip) -Medium

Climb one of the peaks in the Arthur’s Pass village area for some spectacular views of surrounding peaks; including the mighty Mt Rolleston. Then descend via the best scree run in the park and out through rough creek.

Technical

Ý Rocky ground

Ý Scree running

Ý Boulder hopping

Ý Bush-bashing (short & easy)

Altitude gain: 1100m

Time: 5-7 hours

Rock climbing Day

Contact Rene Borsboom on 35151

Meeting 12th May

Geoff & Darren give a talk and slide show on tramping in the Victoria Range.

Weekend 15th-16th May; Victoria Range

Lake Stream Cruisy-hard

Some beautiful valley walking takes you out to a nice lake by the hut. You can continue up over the pass to get to the spectacular alpine tarn that some of us swam in last year. Awesome scenery. "One of my top ten trips in Canterbury" –Daz.

Technical:

Ý River-crossings (easy)

Ý Route-finding. (easy)

Time: 4-5 hours in. 3hrs out.

Altitude gain: Approx 500m

Kirwan’s Hut Medium-easy

Located at the bush line, Kirwans Hut gives amazing views of the surrounding mountains. There’s also an abandoned mine to explore. Who knows, you might find enough to pay off your student loan.

Time: 5-6hrs

Altitude gain: Uphill on day 1

Approximation from Guide

Mt Haast- (day/night trip) Medium

This is the prominent peak viewed when driving down the Lewis Pass highway towards Springs Junction. It’s a steep but straightforward climb and you can descend via a untracked spur above Rahu Saddle.

Technical:

Ý Route-finding (easy-medium)

Time: 5-6hrs

Altitude: 1000m

Approximation from guide

Mt Herbert-Port Hills cruisy-medium

Climb the highest hill on Banks Peninsula. Spectacular views of the plains and Banks Peninsula. You can even see Mt Cook on a clear day!

Technical:

Ý None bar dodging sheep shit!

Altitude gain: 920m

Time: 5-6hrs

Leadership/Group Management Course (Sunday)

This is a one-day course that the Club is running for current and prospective leaders. The leadership day is focused on building group management, risk assessment and leadership skills. The morning will be a theory and discussion session. This will be followed in the afternoon by trying to put the principles into practice on the rope course at South Brighton. A BBQ lunch will be provided. For more information contact Rene Borsboom. Ph 3515158

Meeting 19th May

Popular last year so once again the CUTC is planning to go tunnelling at Godley Head. Bring a torch, warm clothing and $2 for the car driver. Lots of cars needed. Meet in UCR first for trips organisation.

Casey-Binser Medium

A popular tramp that crosses easy passes. Walk through Hallelujah Flat. Up the side of surprise stream. Across rabbit flat and out to the road.

Technical: None bar that it’s a reasonably long way round.

Altitude gain: Not more than 500m.

Time: 7-8 hrs a day.

Castle Hill Peak-The Gap (daytrip)

Medium-hard

Located in the Torlesse range, Castle Hill Peak gives stunning views of the Alps and plains. From there the trip continues along to The Gap. A big Tooth shaped hole in the ridge. Rumour has it that someone has flown a two-seater plane through it.

Technical:

Ý Scree

Ý Possibly some rock scrambling

Altitude gain: 1000m

Time: 7-8hrs.

Mt Thomas (daytrip) Cruisy-hard

Climb one of the foothills, and admire the commanding views of the Canterbury plains.

Time: 6hrs

Approximation from Guide

First Aid Course

Will run over two Sundays. This is the first. Attendance at both is necessary to complete the course. Heavily subsidised by the Club. For more information ring:

Rene Borsboom 351 5158

Meeting 26th May

Have a go at the CUTC Low Ropes Course.

Weekend 29th-30th May

Cameron Hut Medium

More often visited by climbers than trampers, Cameron Hut lies directly beneath the peaks of the Arrowsmith Range. It’s a spectacular spot with glaciers and some of the highest peaks outside of Mt Cook National Park.

Time: 5-6hrs a day

Approximation from Guide

Mt Isobel (daytrip) Easy-hard

One and a half-hours drive from Christchurch is Hamner Springs, above it is the wee mountain of Isobel. Climb to the top or maybe just to the Dog Stream waterfall; take in the views of Clarence Valley before returning for a hot soak in the pools.

Time: 4-6hrs

Mt Oakden (daytrip) Medium-hard

For the keen folks amongst us. Climb this peak above Lake Coleridge as the mountains start to put on their winter coats.

Technical:

Ý Scrambling

Ý No track

Ý Scree run

Ý Route-finding (easy)

Ý Steep climb

Time: 6-8hrs

Altitude Gain: Plenty! Over 1000m.

Approximation from Guide

First Aid Course

Sunday. The second day of this two-day course.

Meeting 2nd June

A surprise event. Further details nearer the time.

Edwards-Hawden Loop

Medium-Hard (cos it will be cold!)

A magnificent walk if the weather is good. Look out for some of native NZ Blue duck as I have seen them just along from Edwards hut. The group can chose between a high alpine crossing or a medium one, as there are many options to get into the Hawden valley. You can even go over the unmarked pass, however it takes a lot longer, trust me!

Technical:

Ý Route finding

Ý Scrub bash

Ý River-crossings (medium)

Ý The cold!

Time: 4-5hrs/8hrs/3hrs

Mt Oxford Medium-easy

This is one of Canterbury’s most popular day-walks. Great views of the plains and lush lowland forest make this a great day out. You can also visit the Ryde Falls

Time: 6hrs

Altitude: 800m

Meeting 9th June

Details yet to be finalised, but something fun no doubt. More details nearer the time.

Weekend 12th-13th June

Day night weekend-Lewis Pass

The Lewis Pass region is great for winter trips; the big wide open tops giving superb opportunities for straightforward travel in the snow. These trips will be ‘night and day’ trips, giving the opportunity of a longer day in the hills. Plus you can have a soak in the hotpools at Maruia or Sylvia Flats.

Mt Travers Medium

A peak just to the east of the main divide, this trip gives awesome views of the Spencer Range and maybe will make some of you itching to get your crampons into Gloriana and Faerie Queen.

Time: 7hrs

Altitude gain: 1000m

Approximation from Guide

Lewis Pass Tops Cruisy-hard

Climb (it’s an easy climb, don’t panic!) to the bushline above Lewis Pass, admire the view, have a play in the snow and go for a swim in the tarns (if you’re completely loopy!). The good thing about this trip is that you’ll get longer in the hot pools than the medium group.

Time: An hour to bushline, then as long as you want.

Altitude gain: 300-400m

Lake Man Bivouac (two days)

This trip is one with semi easy valley travel, and a climb to an alpine lake, although there is some matagouri to dodge, and you have to cross the Boyle river at the beginning of the trip.

Technical:

Ý Tops travel

Ý Camping in the snow

Ý Route-finding (easy-medium)

Ý River-crossing

Time: 6-7 hrs

Altitude gain: Approx 1000m

(Medium/Medium-Hard)

A steep climb gets you out of the bush in very little time. Great views await the keen punters at the top. Lets hope its better than in the first term when the view was little more than each other. On this occasion there maybe more snow so pack your winter woollies.

Technical:

Ý Scrambling

Ý Snow

Ý Ridge travel

Altitude gain: 1000m+

Time: 5-7 hrs.

Meeting 16th June

CUTC Annual Cake Competition. Every entrant gets a free bar of chocolate, with the overall winner getting a t-shirt. Free glass of wine or juice to wash it all down.

The Three Passes Hard-medium

This four day alpine trek follows the footsteps of Maori and early European explorers and goldminers across the main divide to the West Coast. Go from wide open braided river valleys across high mountain passes to the lush rainforest of the West Coast. See stunningly beautiful Lake Browning and experience some remote wilderness tramping.

More details at the time

Young-Wilkin Medium-Hard

This is a classic tramp near Makarora taking in some of Mt Aspiring National Parks best scenery.

More details at the time

St James Cruisy-hard

It takes four or five days, passes through some really spectacular alpine scenery and can be walked as a cruisy/medium trip or a medium/keen trip if you decide to climb Gloriana as a side trip.

Wilberforce-Moa Saddle

Medium-hard

A 3-4 day adventure just south of Christchurch. It involves some boulder hoping, crossing large rivers (a chance to test those river crossing skills on a NZ river), route finding through matagouri. It takes you up over a saddle and a return to the cars. This trips has some good campsites and is situated beneath some wonderful ranges.

More details at the time.

Glen Borrel (Trips Officer)

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