In the spirit of - better late than never ... This is a trip from a couple of years back - in the times before I got sucked into working in the great COVID machine. There are a few others on the drawing board from around that time that I haven't quite got around to tidying up - but precious few since.
Weekender to Lake Chalice
It's been altogether too long since I visited my sister and partner in Blenheim. I figure that while I'm there she would probably be quite pleased if I borrowed her car and left it at a remote road end for a couple of days.
With flights booked I look for a suitable three day trip in the Richmond Range, eventually settling on the area around Lake Chalice.
As the weekend approaches, the forecast deteriorates with gale and snow warnings across the country. I adjust the plan accordingly - the final iteration is to head from Lake Chalice to Old Man then west along the ridge to drop to Old Man Hut, follow the stream down to Mid Goulter Hut, cross the river to climb to Edelweiss then back up the river to Lake Chalice.
In the end I have to drop the Edelweiss leg due to river levels, so it ends up being a two day orange triangle trip.
What: On track tramp
Where: Lake Chalice - Richmond Forest Park
When: 26-27 September 2020
Who: Solo
The Lake Chalice road end is towards the end of North Bank road and most of the way up a mountain. However, I figure it is quite popular and there are no warnings about road conditions on the DOC website so it should be fine in the station wagon.
I get away early happily munching a cheese sandwich provided by my ever supportive sister.
The seal runs out shortly before the marked turn into Top Valley Road. There are lots of forestry roads hiving off in various directions but the route is well marked. It's a long winding way up through forestry on a pretty good surface with the only notable event being a weasel undulating across the road.
I stop as the road rounds the bend above Staircase Saddle - I had thought I might follow my nose up to the range via the saddle but decide against it. The weather is forecast to pack it in in the afternoon and although the shortcut looks good on the map, I don't want to risk losing time if it turns out to be not so straight forward.
Past the saddle, the landscape opens giving views down to Lake Chalice and across to the hills I'm planning to scramble around. There are scattered clouds but it isn't looking anywhere near as scary as promised.
There are three other cars in the park as I head off down the hill about 7.45. The sun is on the slopes opposite but it's cold in the shade on this side.
The track is wide and benched, passing through wilding pines before reaching more established beech forest. About 25 minutes later I pop out behind the Lake Chalice Hut in a grassy clearing.
The log indicates a chap left the hut this morning heading the same way as me - apparently in an hour's time(?!) so I assume he is not too far ahead. Three Americans passed through the day before heading down valley and otherwise the hut seems to get reasonably steady traffic.
I'm away again by 8.20. The signs reckon 7 hour to Old Man Hut but I'm hoping to trim a bit off that and see if I have time to get down valley to Mid Goulter Hut for the night.
 |
| Lake Chalice Hut |
There's a bare rocky margin around the lake suggesting that the level varies, there's no outlet so I assume the water seeps through an old landslide to enter the Goulter River.
The track crosses another shingle stream mouth and edges around into a third. A marker catches my eye on the opposite side and a makeshift sign - this must be where the track continues around the lake.
A short way up the dry stream bed I come to a good size wee creek that just disappears into the shingle - there's some DOC signs on the true left, and a little further up the trail crosses and starts climbing. It's about 15 minutes from the hut.
I plod on and up through rocky outcrops and the odd treefall. Scuff marks indicate the chap is not too far ahead. I eventually hear the click of his walking poles before seeing him. We chat briefly when I finally catch up. He's a local (Blenheim) and is heading to Old Man Hut.
A bit after 10 I arrive at the ridge. It's nice going with rocky outcrops and open spots which give good views to Patriach, up the range and to the plains around Blenheim, and across to Rintoul which is starting to gather a mantle of grey cloud.
Just before the ridge dives to the saddle, the track skirts below the top across frost shattered rocks which shift and clatter under foot like broken plates.
 |
| Ridge towards Rintoul |
 |
| Back towards Partiach |
The steep drop to the saddle is in forest. About 10.45 I reach a sign marking the track down to "The Forks" on Top Valley Stream - possibly a more convenient road end for accessing the range, depending on your trip plan (on a subsequent visit I found the track pretty run down). The weather is cooling rapidly and a few puffs of wind make their way through the canopy.
A little under half an hour later I've climbed out of the bush. Three goats eye me suspiciously and casually wander out of sight around the spur. Another 10 minutes and I'm on Old Man (11.25).
The views open further beneath an increasingly solid cloud ceiling. There's an interesting looking ridgeline running east towards Mt Richmond I have heard it is a bit tough going through tight vegetation but navigable - another day. You can also see where Te Araroa approaches via Ada Flat (for SOBOs) and I'll be following it briefly along the ridge. The odd patch of snow is all that remains from winter.
 |
| Towards Mt Richmond |
 |
| Towards Mt Starveall |
It is very clear that I have joined Te Araroa - there's a strong foot trail, a group of signs, orange triangle and a water barrel.
I potter along the ridge over a few outcrops and manage to get a text out. The beech up here is low and the few birds that are about are at eye level.
About 12.10 I reach the junction and drop for about 15 minutes to Old Man Hut. There's a bit of windfall on the track which levels off before popping out next to the hut on the edge of a large clearing.
It's a tidy wee number in good nick with five bunks. The log shows heavy Te Araroa use in the season and subsequently only locals - not surprising with COVID.
It's a peaceful spot for lunch with the last of the sun breaking through. I've shaved the desired two hours off the time on the sign so am relaxed about the prospect of getting to Mid Goulter Hut in daylight. Whether I beat the weather is another question but it is still holding off for now.
 |
| Old Man Hut |
The track is not strongly benched but is easy to follow. It crosses a sizeable side stream (about 1.20) Then sidles further down valley, eventually dropping to cross the main stream (2pm).
The stream is a good size with that beautiful aqua green visible in the deeper pools. I faff about eventually finding away to get across with dry feet. It could be interesting in high flow.
The track continues sidling on the true left. Nowhere near as painful as the Tararua sidles that I'm used to which consist of diving in and out of an interminable series of slimy gullies.
The track eventually drops to intersect the Goulter River (2.40) and cross the unnamed stream from below Lake Chalice. A bit of drift wood high up the banks suggests the river can get pretty big.
 |
| Stream from Lake Chalice |
I cross the stream in bare feet and a few minutes later join the track from Chalice. There's a few spots of rain as I head down valley on a good track.
About an hour later an old wooden sign at the bottom of the Mid Goulter Route heralds Mid Goulter Hut. The hut itself is past the sign in a clearing on the other side of a wide stream bed.
 |
| Mid Goulter Hut |
 |
| View from the hut |
At 4pm I've got plenty of time to collect firewood and settle in. The hut is a tidy 8 bunker and empty. With the forecast the way it is I'm not expecting anyone else although a lone bumble bee haunts the doorway all afternoon intent on getting inside.
The hut warms quickly and it's a comfortable night with bouts of solid rain but little wind.
In the morning there are patches of showers coming through and the clouds are barreling over the valley although its calm down here. I head across the large clearing to check out the river and quickly give away any intentions of crossing to climb Edelweiss - the river is bank to bank and although I reckon I could cross ok my plan to come down further up river where it is more gorgy and later in the day after more rain doesn't seem so sensible.
A bit reluctantly I head back up valley around 8am. The streams are all up but it's easy going and I'm back at the junction around 9am to head up to Lake Chalice.
 |
| Side stream between Mid Goulter and the track to Old Man |
The track remains good - mostly benched but with a bit of slippage and treefall. There are a few wee waterfalls on the side streams and the track occasionally drops to follow beside the large main stream. Patches of sun start to break through.
 |
| Side stream |
A bit after 10.30 the track reaches the intersection of three streams and starts climbing - looking at the map it looks like a massive slip blocked the valley forming a dam about 100m high. At the top it is flat and boggy - there's no outlet stream so I assume the lake water seeps through the dam into the valley below.
15 minutes from the bottom the track joins the track that circumnavigates the lake. Today Chalice is grey and dull and rain is threatening again.
The rain is just starting to lean in solidly when I get a whiff of wood smoke and round a corner to see Lake Chalice Hut. It's 1020 and two women from Nelson,, having biked up Mt Patriach, are holed up waiting to see what the weather is going to do - they've had showers and hail all morning. I stay and chat for a bit to see if the rain will blow through.
It's a bit of a trudge up the hill to the car park arriving around 12.20 - and that should pretty much be that for the weekend except that 10km down the road a tree has fallen blocking the way. I've got no saw and it's just a little too big to try dragging with someone else's car. Fortunately I get cell reception about 3km back up the road and am eventually talking to the right person at the local Council.
A bit over an hour later a truck pulls up on the other side of the tree and a chap jumps out with a chainsaw. He rips straight into it and a few minutes later we're chucking sections of trunk out of the way and the road is clear.
It's clearly been a bit of a wild weekend - he's been clearing roads around Havelock and has popped down to help me out. I see plenty more evidence of wind and flood damage as I head back along North Bank Road.
A bit sad not to have got up Edelweiss, but probably not a bad call in retrospect.
No comments :
Post a Comment