Mt Riley and Sunday - Richmond Range

After a four day trip into the Richmond Ranges with a bit of a plan change I've still got a bit of holiday left and decide to start at the north end of the range and see how far south I can work in a few days.

The Richmond Range starts - or peters out in the eastern most part of the park.  Mt Riley is the first (last) named point with a marked track.  I know there are road closures which effect the road end but I can cope with a bit of road walking.

What:     Tramp
Where:    Richmond Range - Mt Riley
When:     15 September 2022
Who:       Solo

Briggs Road, off Onamalutu Road is taped off by the marked ford just past the intersection - the road is closed due to damage after the recent storms.  Col drops me off at 11.20 and I start the long road walk.

I cut up through pines to skip a loop in the road and emerge just short of the first bit of damage.  It's going to take a bit of fixing but isn't too bad.

Less than a K later the stream has wiped the road out.

The forestry road meanders up then down around the hill side.  There are slips and jumbles of pine across the road in a number of places.  

 

The road runs further than my map shows and it takes about an hour to get to the parking area.  The track narrows and after 6 minutes I reach the junction - Right to Riley, Left to Sunday.  

I head left - the track is rougher now and follows a wee stream before crossing (last chance for a drink) and climbing steeply.  It takes about an hour to climb 500m to reach the ridge.  After that, more climbing. 

An hour 35 from the carpark a flat and open wee stretch has a rain barrel.  The top is open - the water looks clear but you would have to assume that goats and deer are drinking out of it.  If that bothers you.  It's on the flat bit around 820m.

The upper slopes are a bit loose but it's pretty good travel all the way up.  There's the odd view spot although I've run into cloud by the time I reach the ridge.  Around 3pm I climb onto a rocky knob - this must be Mt Sunday.  It's cool and the clag is blowing in from the North West.  Rather than stop for another layer I zip up and keep moving.   This is when I realise that there are a series of wee rocky knobs along the ridge - none of which are Mt Sunday.  

The clag is making the rock a bit slippery and there's a few wee scrambles but it's not a difficult route.   

I'm keeping an eye on my left for indications of the route along the range towards Fosters clearing and the range south of here.  I don't see anything obvious and keep pottering along.

Are we there yet?

The track finally reaches a larger open area then drops around a knob and starts sidling downwards.  Shortly after I reach the wee clearing with Mt Sunday Biv.  3.40pm - 4 hours from the car and three hours up the hill. 

I drop the pack, grab some warm gear and head along the ridge to visit Mt Riley.  The track drops, pops over a wee rise, climbs again through mossy forest then into open country.  Ahead in the clag masts emerge from the clag - a bit under 40 minutes from the Biv.  The wind is getting up so I shelter in the lee of the shed and see if I can get a signal.  No view of course - just wind, clag and low scrub and tussock.  

The phone lights up as soon as it gains a signal.  "Call as soon as you get this message."  I have an inkling what it might be about and the bad news is soon confirmed - a death in the whanau, months earlier than expected.  It's getting cold so I can't talk long but set up arrangements for an early exit from the hills.

It's a bit of a thoughtful return along the ridge to the Biv.

The Biv is basic but it has what is needed - a water barrel, mattresses and a loo outside.  It also has headspace - unlike some other two person bivs.  A candle warms the light if not the space and I get dinner underway.   I've organised a pick-up for 10am at the road block and do the sums - I'd better get up earlyish. 

In the early morning there is a bit of dawn colour above the lights of a town visible through the small window.  It might be a better day than yesterday.

A bit over an hour later it's light; I'm fed, packed, and the view has disappeared.

I head off at 6.50 into clag but not too cold.  Again I keep an eye out for possible turn offs to Fosters but despite moments of clarity, once again the clag is obscuring views of the ridge. 

I think I spot the right knob for Fosters - under 20 minutes from the biv and a bit of a foot trail leading away.

Turn off to Fosters?

After a slow start along the ridge I keep things ticking over on the way down, about 40 minutes from the hut to where the track drops off the ridge, a bit over half an hour further to the rain barrel, and 2 hour 5 after leaving the biv I'm at the car park.  

In theory it should just be an hour trudge out along the road - except I suddenly come to a wide area and the road does a switch back and suddenly appears very untraveled.  I've managed to follow a side road up the hill without noticing.  Rather than backtrack I bash down into a creek and through pretty rough slash and mud to get to the road 100m below.  Back on track I concentrate a bit more and make no more dumb turns.  Just after 10 I find Col waiting by the road closure and that's that.  About 3 hour 15 from the hut.