Every now and again Janine forgets what it was like last time we went tramping and suggests a trip. This time we have Labour weekend and some loose plans to visit McGregor Biv, maybe the Shingle Slip Knob plane crash, and a few other possibilities in the area. She has the sense to suggest that I can bugger off and do crazy things if I want but she is intent on enjoying a birthday weekend in the hills.
What: Long weekend tramp
Where: Shingle Slip Knob area
When: 22-24 October 2022
Who: Janine
I swing past and pick her up and we're at a packed Holdsworth carpark on a clear and sunny morning ready to leave around half eight.
There's a lot of runners and walkers about and DOC has mounds of gravel to redo the tracks around Donnelly flats. East Holdsworth Track is closed at the bottom but otherwise nothing out of the ordinary for the amble up to Atiwhakatu. It takes a little under 2 hours - we're not in a hurry as we're planning to stay at Jumbo or MacGregor Biv.
The Atiwhakatu logbook shows no-one has recorded intentions to head towards MacGregor Biv - a chap arrives who is heading to Mid-King Biv but that's the closest so far.
Part way up to Jumbo we come across a party that is enthralled by a kaka - it's mate had just flown off but this one sticks around for a bit and exchanges squawks with one of the group. I hadn't heard that they had established in the ranges but have seen them in the past. It's a bit ironic that you see them in central Wellington, but they are a rarity and a treat to see out here.
As we set out, I had alerted Janine to listen out for shining cuckoo, but they have so far made a fool of me with their absence. I'm delighted though to hear one not too far off - we don't see it, but nothing says summer is coming quite so definitively.
Just before the bushline there is the tiniest pieces of snow behind a couple of trees - a reminder that although we're heading towards summer, cold weather is never far away.
Around 1:15pm we're at Jumbo which is well tied down now (it was closed sometime back for better wind protection). There are bags of wood outside that have been recently choppered in - it seems an awful lot of cost and carbon but I guess it means that people don't try to harvest from the local forest.
We arrive along side two largish parties - one is a family group (sounded European), and the other a group of retired army mates who are out for their annual bash in the bush. They're good fun giving each other a hard time and delighted to discover that one of their number comes from the same part of the UK as Janine.
Again, the log has no-one heading our way, so we decide to head on to MacGregor Biv. Janine advises the groups that the bunk space she booked at Jumbo is available and we grab some lunch. A chap turns up that is heading to the Biv but he says he's happy to stay in his tent. We get under way again around 1.50 - a few clouds and coolish but still clear with good views.
There is a steady trickle of people coming through including quite a few doing the circuit in a day. Powell Hut is still closed for repairs following a lightening strike a few months back which may explain Powell being full.
I arrive at the intersection on Jumbo ahead of Janine and take the essential shot of what must be the most photogenic signpost in the Tararuas. It's aging beautifully with the weather scouring the soft wood away to reveal the grain.
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| Ridge to Mt Holdsworth |
The chap from Jumbo (Steve) catches up with us and we chat - he seems to be getting back into tramping trying to fit it around work and family. His gear is old school - not old, old school like wooden external frame pack, but early '90s and Fairy Down branded. He's going about our pace and is happy to join up.
It's easy enough travel along the ridge and we have no concerns about daylight as we sidle just below Angle Knob and head into the saddle before MacGregor. The tiny dot of a sky lark whitters somewhere high above the saddle.
It's quite an unusual treat to come through with full visibility - as we round the shoulder of the knob the view opens up ahead. The main range with Nichols hut a bright dot reflecting the sun, Carkeek, Dorset and Tarn Ridges with Dorset hut just visible on the bushline. As we drop down the spur towards the Biv the view north opens further. This is the interior of the range - well travelled but few tracks marked on the map.
Below us, the wee tarn on the ridge marks where to look right for the bright orange dot of the biv on the bushine.
It's about quarter to six when we arrive at the biv. I haven't seen any footprints and it turns out that the list visitors were three months back on 24 July. It's a bit damp inside so we get it airing and I chuck the mattresses on some scrub to dry in the late afternoon sun.
There's just enough space for Steve to pitch his tent and we get on with dinner prep. Janine has quite a bit to do as she is going a bit gourmet. Crackers and cheese go down a treat and we clamber up to the heli pad to watch the sun go down somewhere around Junction Knob. Fantails catch the light as they flit above the canopy on the slopes below.
Steve is intending to head over the Broken Axe Pinnacles to Mid-King so is in no hurry in the morning. We're going to head to the plane crash on Shingle Slip Knob then split up - me to head down to Jacs Biv (or 'JACS' as apparently it is the first letters of the names of the guys that put it in). I'm not sure what I'll do from there but outline a few options. The good thing about my new GPS is that you can indicate a range of intentions and then ping your location home so they know which way you're going. Janine will head back to Angle Knob and then see how much day is left and either go for a bit more of a walk or head straight to Jumbo hut.
We get away for the climb back to the ridge just after 7am on a cool but not cold morning.
At the ridge the sign to the Biv is a good spot to pause and admire the view. Kapakapanui is emerging like the back of a whale above the morning cloud and the distinctive shape of Kapiti Island hovers above and beyond in the haze. The peaks of the main range march to Mt Hector in the distance.
About 8.20 we pause again on Angle Knob before dropping off the back towards the scrambly bit. I've come up this way once but not down - on the basis of full disclosure I've been careful to describe it as accurately as I can for Janine: "It's a bit tricky in places." I don't remember much except to keep to the north face and not drop over the south side. Although that's exactly where the foot trail seems to head. It must have been an animal trail as, despite casting around I can't find a route I'm comfortable to take someone else across. Scrambling back to the ridge I slide down a wee chute and find a bit of a trail leading on along the face.
We take it easy and thread a way down across the steep bits - a bit exposed in places but the footing is good and it's dry. The highlight of the day, and possibly of the trip comes when a falcon drifts around the ridge riding an updraft. I can see the yellow around its eyes as it checks us out before disappearing into the distance without a wing beat. Later we see it as a small dot catching the sun as it cruises the bluffs in the headwaters of Angle Creek.
With the steep bit out of the way we head on across the broad tussock slope below pt 1412.
My recollection of the next bit is that it is hard to find and stick to a foot trail. This is the case again but we find a path of least resistance as we drop to the wee tarn in the saddle before the short climb to Shingle Slip Knob.
Around 1020 the site of the plane crash comes into view from pt 1348 - the silver metal catches the light and from here the shape of the plane is clear on the slope below the ridge. Janine catches up and walks past with her head down completely missing the plane and me lying in the tussock.
The first and last time here for me was in 2018 on a fun wee trip scrambling around some of the local spurs and creeks. The weather is much better this time.
We head over to the memorial crosses before dropping off the ridge to visit the crash site. Last time the grey metal crosses merged into the grey clag making a somber scene. This time is a complete contrast.
We pop over the edge of the slope towards the crash site - it is a bit tricky as you are completely unsighted until you are virtually on it - I overshoot a little and end up having to cross some steep scrubby channels to work my way back while Janine finds a more direct route.
It's as I remember it - the tail section quite recognisable, the wings laid out on each side and mashed bits of the cockpit in between. An engine with broken propeller in front. Tussock and leatherwood is growing through holes in the wings. My previous post on this has an old photo that shows how much the elements have eroded the wreckage.
This is where we part ways - I leave Janine taking photos after outlining my intentions. I'll either see her at the hut tonight or at the car tomorrow arvo. My plan is to follow the same spur down to pt 736 that I took on the last trip - then drop to the river to visit the Biv. From there - we'll see.
A slightly scrubby sidle around the slope takes me to the spur running WSW from the ridge near the marked shingle slip. There is a bit of low leatherwood and scrub to negotiate but I get down to the bushline easily enough. Once in the trees the slope is broad and it is easy to drift too far north. I cut back SW through cutty grass and soon enough pick up a bit of a foot trail on the spur - not strong and no old markers that I notice.
The spur drops steeply then swings SW and eases. It's nice travel along the broad top in mature forest. I cheat and use the GPS to confirm when I start dropping steeply west as I don't want to miss the wee saddle by pt 736.
At Pt 736 I'm aiming to be clever and take the wee wrinkle of a spur running parallel and just south of the main spur to the marked stream junction. I'm thinking this will come out with the least river travel required to the Biv. I realise I've muffed it when my compass leads me to the edge of a deep gully. Ah well, I back off and take potluck scrambling down the steep face of the valley. Sunlight on water through the trees reveals I'm on a cliff edge that I won't be climbing down. I sidle along the slope, scramble through a stream gully and eventually find a way down to the water edge. It's just after 1pm and it has taken about 2 hours from the crash site.
It's always a pleasure sitting by a river that you know not many people get to visit - not quite the wilderness experience you get in parts of the South Island but on a day like this with sun glinting on the water it's pretty special.
I figure I am downstream of the biv but in the interests of time confirm with the GPS. It looks like I've come out just upstream of the big slip marked on the map. I cross the river and work my way up, passing opposite another smaller slip face also on the true left that has bush regrowing on it.
There's a bit of grass on the true left river edge here and I figure the Biv must be close. I cross the river to peer into the bush and am soon rewarded by the site of framing up on a wee terrace in the bush.
The framing is in front of the biv and I assume intended to take a tarp cover to extend the living space. Someone has tied a tarp over the biv itself. It's a cheerful spot in the heat of the day and I'm happy to sit in the biv doorway to eat my lunch. It's a little moldy but tidy, I can't find a hut book which may be why some idiots have scratched their name and dates on the door. I'd quite happily sleep here but that won't be the case today.
I have a few options but most of them involve lots of river crossings and some involve swimming. All of them involve a long climb at some point. In the end I do what I suspected I would be doing all along - head back the way I came so I can check that Janine got back past Angle Knob ok.
I get on the way again at 2.10 - heading up to the marked stream junction and disturbing a family of goats on the way. I find the stream and top up my water, then notice that there looks like another stream cascading into the river a little further up. I don't go to investigate as I figure getting up to 736 is just a question of following my nose. It could be that the stream splits shortly before hitting the river. It's a little messy and steep at the start but soon I am slowly grinding up the well shaped spur and reach pt 736 at 3pm.
There's no marking for the spur but if you're heading down and take a bearing for the spur from this tree and keep the steep slope on your right you should be fine.
It's a bit of a grind back up but at least I don't need to spend time navigating. When I get to the bushline I follow along the edge a little way and find an animal trail that takes an easy way through the leatherwood. The day is still sublimely clear but the wind is getting up beyond what was forecast.
In my mind, I've broken the trip back into three challenges - getting from the bushline to the top through the scrub, the tussock face from the tarn to pt 1412 (I had a miserable trip up there last time), and the scramble up to Angle Knob - after that it should be a doddle along the ridge and down to Jumbo.
It takes 25 minutes to work up the 150m through scrub and tussock to the top of Shingle Slip Knob and is not as bad as anticipated. 5pm, about 2 hours 20 from leaving the river. On the tops the wind is becoming quite a nuisance - the possibility of bivvying out is not looking like a goer - depending on how things go I might be making it into Jumbo by torchlight.
At the tarn I follow closer to the southern side of the slope (right looking up), and it seems easier than last time when I came up the middle. The wind is now buffeting and I'm having to be careful about balance. But the route is familiar from this morning, and I make good pace along the steep sides of the pinnacles leading up to Angle Knob. A final slow scramble up a tussocky slot and I'm on the top. 6pm so I'm looking good for daylight.
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| Back towards Shingle Slip Knob on the right |
I'm feeling pretty cocky as I get onto the foot trail leading down off Angle Knob - this is short lived; as soon as I am out of the lee of the knob the wind comes in hard up from Francis Creek and gets stronger. I can still maintain a reasonable pace but have to be careful about my footing. In the saddle before 1397 though it is smashing through and I have a great deal of trouble walking. Soon I'm being pushed to my knees and shoved off the track. The wind pummels and bullies me along the ridge, as I grab handfuls of tussock (and Spaniard) to stop from being tipped over.
It should drop once I get in the lee of Pukeahurangi (Jumbo). And it does for a few minutes - but it comes back again. By the time the hut hoves into sight I'm battered and buggered.
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| Phew |
Kicking off boots I head in to see if there is a spare bunk. Janine advises that there is, and cheerfully informs me that she didn't think I'd make it tonight so she's just finished all the chocolate dipped strawberries. She does however take pity and makes sure I have hot water to get dinner underway and a few shots of brandy to revive flagging spirits.
She has also had a tough time on the way back - first finding the way up Angle Knob and with the wind on the ridge. Sensibly, she didn't do any diversions but concentrated on getting to the hut.
From being fully booked the hut is only half full and through some fluke there are no snorers. It's a noisy enough night though with the wind buffeting the hut and the new stay wires doing their business to stop it blowing away.
In the morning there is no particular hurry, and we head off around 8.35am after a bit of tidying. The wind is soon left behind and it's a pleasant and uneventful wander to the valley floor and out to the carpark by 12.15pm.
And that's it. The only red line for me was the briefest bit into the Waiohine River but I'm pleased to finally get to Jacs biv which was a delightful wee spot on a sunny day. Janine ticked off a number of milestones and time will tell how long before the scars and memories fade enough for her to suggest another trip.
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