Anti Crow Hut Tramp: 3rd October 2015

Tramping in the Upper Waimakariri Valley

My first tramp of the 2015/16 summer season is a jaunt into Anti Crow Hut towards the head of the Waimakiriri River. I am looking to go further up valley; visit Carrington Hut and its environs so this is a bit of a recce trip.The track in is easy walking, although tiring as you are walking on gravel fan's for most of the time.

Crow Valley, Mt Rolleston from Turkey Flat

Heading to Anti Crow Hut

It is surprising but I have never been up to the head of the Waimakiriri before, even though it is considered by many as the spiritual home of Canterbury climbing and tramping. The old Carrington Hut was one of the first trampers hut built by the CTC way back in the 1890's.

Back in the 1960's-70-80's the upper valley would have been full of climbers and trampers who came up on the Friday night train. They would be making for places like Carrington Hut, Mt Rolleston, Waimakariri Falls the Three Passes tramp and the Upper Rakaia river.

It is much quieter these days.

Sunrise from Porters Pass on SH 73

SH73: On the road to Arthurs Pass

My original idea was to cross the Waimakiriri from the car-park at Klondyke Corner and walk up to the hut using the standard route to Carrington Hut. The river was high, there has been a lot of snow this year and the water levels are still too deep and swift to allow individual crossings of the river.

Instead I used O'Malleys Track which is the name for the flood track running along the bottom of Bealey Spur.

From SH 73 to Anti Crow Hut via Turkey Flat

Don't park your car at this car park overnight, it is the worst spot in Arthurs Pass NP for car thefts & break-ins. It is fine for a day trip as you are back before dark, which is when most break ins occur.

O'Malleys Track car park, Arthurs Pass NP

Start of O'Malleys Track to the Waimakariri Valley

The track starts off by climbing up high to get above a gorge running down this side of Bealey Spur, total height gained would be 80 meters then you sidle the side of the spur for about 45 minutes - 2 kilometres.

O'Malleys Track: Initial climb to sidle track (about 80 meters)

There are occasional views out across the river towards Klondyke Corner on the valley flats opposite.

Klondyke Corner from the O'Malleys Track

Initially the track is benched with a nice camber and surface, this quickly degenerates into your  standard DOC back country track. There is a bit of windfall on the track, no doubt damage caused by the heavy winter storms earlier this year.

O'Malleys Track: Initial sections are benched...

Then turn into a mud scramble!

You can just make out a couple of camper vans on the far bank of the river, this is the access point if you want to attempt a crossing of the Waimakariri River. It saves about an hour but is much more dangerous than just walking along the flood track. Literally dozens of people have drowned in the Upper Waimakariri...it is not to be trifled with.

Tourists camping at Klondyke Corner, from O'Malleys Track

After about 45 minutes you get close to the end of the sidle, and start heading down to Turkey Flats.

Approaching Birch Nook on O'Malleys Track

Below is the only significant side stream you cross on this track, doesn't look like much really. Then you notice the piles of drift wood debris around the trees near the river banks. I measured one, it was up to my knee so about 50 cm deep on the river bank which is 70-80 cm above the stream bed.
That's waist deep water on me, and I'm not short!

Only major stream that must be crossed, note flood debris!

Once you get to the end of the flood track the upper valley opens up before you.

O'Malleys Track: Heading down onto Turkey Flat

Turkey Flat is a large debris fan from Jordan Stream, it takes about an hour to walk across it mainly due to the gravel you are walking on for most of that time. It is big lumpy stuff brought down by the streams in the area. It is awkward to walk on and you keep wobbling around.

Mt Bealey across the Waimakiriri valley

View back to Bealey Spur and O'Malleys Track

Jordan Stream is a vast expanse of gravel, the main river bed is about a kilometre across, totally bone dry. I would imagine that when a good olde Nor' Wester starts bucketing down it soon fills to the brim, there is no covering vegetation so it must get washed away regularly by all the water.

View up Jordan Stream from stream bed

Looking West to Mt Stewart and headwaters from Jordan Stream

The further you walk the better the views of the surrounding mountains, Crow Valley starts to open up as you get closer to the hut.

Waimakariri Valley: Anti Crow Hut is over the spur to left

View of Mt Stewart, Crow Valley from Waimakariri Valley

The final part of the route is a short track over a bush spur, when the river is low you can forgo the pleasures of the track and just walk up the dry river bed. Be aware there is a bit of a hairy down climb right at the end of the track, not high just difficult.

Anti Crow Hut: climbing over last spur

Track heading down to Anti Crow Flat

Anti Crow Hut is a classic ex NZFS six bunker, it is in a nice location sited in a bush finger with expansive views of the valley. I believe this is the second hut on the site, being built in 1960 to replace an even older hut. DOC have obviously been in to do some upkeep as the hut was looking in excellent condition.

Anti Crow Hut (1960)

Anti Crow Hut: come on in folks.....

It has a new coat of paint outside and is fairly tidy inside, 6 bunks but you could probably get another 4-6 people in on the flood if needed. Most visitors are people on day tramps, mountain runners and climbers/trampers on their way to/from Carrington Hut and the Three Passes Route.
 I was the first person to visit the hut since the 5th September.

Interior of Anti Crow Hut

Anti Crow Hut: interior, opposite end of hut

View east to Klondyke Corner from Anti Crow Hut

There are some impressive views of the South face of Mt Rolleston (2271 meters) as well as the Crow Valley. I will eventually get around to visiting the Crow Valley Hut, it is a bit of a tricky trip as you need to cross the Waimakiriri a couple of times to get there.

Rolleston Glacier from near Anti Crow Hut

Mt Rolleston (2271 meters), Arthurs Pass NP

The hut looks good in its new coat of paint, I especially like the sheet of clearlite DOC have retrofitted to improve the light inside the hut. Makes it so much brighter and cheerful.

Close view of Anti Crow Hut

There is a big flat area in front of the hut, if the hut was full you would have your choice of spots for tenting.

River flats in front of Anti Crow Hut

Crow Valley, destination for future trip, Avalanche Peak to right

I ate my lunch in the hut and then made my way back the way I had arrived. The wind picked up a little around 12 noon but it was still nice walking weather.

Waimakariri Valley: heading back towards Jordan Stream

The hut is just on the other side of the bush spur coming in from the left, the track meanders for about 700-800 meters through the bush.

Anti Crow Hut is just the other side of this bush spur

There is a really obvious ground trail in those places with vegetation, the route is also marked by snow poles as well.

Obvious ground trail across Turkey Flat

Waimakariri Valley: gravel bash supreme!

I don't normally listen to the MP3 while tramping but with that big gravel flat to cross again I needed the inspiration, it worked because it took me half the previous time to get back to the start of the flood track.

Jon bopping out crossing Jordan Stream

More getting down...Waimakariri River Valley

Jordan Stream....that's a whole lot of gravel to walk over, especially when viewed from a log in the middle of the stream bed.

View up the Waimakariri Valley from bed of Jordan Stream

O'Malleys Track: reason for the sidle track: bluffs!

As you can see the Waimakiriri comes right up against the side of Bealey Spur, the water was flowing deep and fast in this channel.

Nice river pool approaching Bealey Bridge

This is the last climb before you start descending down to the car park near the Bealey Bridge. I agree with the guide books: this track needlessly goes up and down but it is a godsend for accessing the upper reaches of the Waimakariri river valley.

O'Malleys Track..scrappy track high above the Waimakariri River

I will be coming back some time in the future to visit the Upper Waimakariri River, I'm keen to visit the massive 36 bunk Carrington Hut as well as the much more modest Waimakariri Falls Hut.

Access: From SH 73 at the Bealey Bridge, park at the O'Malleys Track car park and follow the flood track to Turkey Flat, follow the marked track towards the head of the Waimakariri Valley.

Track Times: 2-3 hours to Anti Crow Hut Hut, another 2 hours to Carrington Hut

Hut Details: Anti Crow Hut: standard, 6 bunks, wood burner, water tank, toilet: Carrington Hut: serviced (CTC owned, DOC administered), 36 bunks, radio, wood burner, water tanks, wood shed, toilets

Miscellaneous: Both the Waimakariri and Anti Crow Rivers are dangerous, numerous people have drowned in both, care needed when crossing. Jordan Stream prone to flooding in heavy rain.

Lagoon Saddle, Arthurs Pass: 10 January 2015

Lagoon Saddle: day tripping in Arthur's Pass...

Over the weekend I went for my first day tramp for 2015, I followed the Lagoon Saddle Track up to the shelter and return. It was an excellent day, beautiful weather and a nice 6 hour walk. The larger Cass-Lagoon Saddle track is a fantastic 2-3 day trip, the section from Cora Lynn station to Hamilton Hut is also a section of the Te Araroa Trail (TAT).



Lagoon Saddle Tarn from flank of Mt Bruce

Part of the Cass-Lagoon Saddle Track

The traditional way to walk the Cass-Lagoon Saddle Track  is from the Cass end, this is a trip I intend to do once I work out the logistics of getting back to my car (there is a 15 km distance between the two ends of the track) at the end of the trip.

Cora Lynn-Lagoon Saddle Track

I saw some photos (thanks Janey) of a trip from the Lagoon Saddle end of the track and thought it looked like a great tramp for a summers day. I really like the contrast on this track of forest, tussock and open country.

There is an extensive car-park at the beginning of the track, just turn off the highway at Cora Lynn Station and follow the DOC signs. I recommend parking in the shade of the beech trees as my car was like a furnace by the time I got back to it 6 hours later.

Car-park at Lagoon Saddle Track

There is a good DOC information panel at the beginning of the track, take the track timing messages with a grain of salt, I usually find them to be wrong. In this case it was spot on 2.5-3 hours to the hut.

DOC info board, Lagoon Saddle Track

Here is the start of the climb on the track to Lagoon Saddle, the track is quite steep to start with but eventually evens out into a long sidle. It is all up hill though, so slow and steady is the name of the game on this track.

Start of the climb on the Lagoon Saddle Track

There is an avalanche warning sign near the start of the track, in Winter there is a significant risk of avalanches at the far end of the track. Don't freak out! this is just DOC being safety conscious, akin to the exit sign's you see in the 2 meter by 2 meter bivy's scattered around the country. There only one exit so it is not really required.

Warning sign near Bealey Hut

The track starts with typical open beech forest, the condition of the lower track was good: dry, wide and clear of fallen trees.

Open beech forest, Lagoon Saddle Track

As you climb the forest opens up considerably, this is mature beech forest, cool and shaded on this very hot day (it got up to 29 degrees).

Lagoon Saddle Track

You pass some small areas of goblin forest, thick moss underfoot and the possibility of a dwarf braining you with a club behind every tree!

Classic goblin forest, Lagoon Saddle Track

Generally the track is good, you do strike areas of roots and rough stone underneath. Walking shoes or boots are probably the best footwear for this type of track, I saw a lot of people wearing running shoes but I bet they had cold, sore, wet feet by the end of the day.

Track conditions, Lagoon Saddle Track

After about 40 minutes you enter a band of exotic pine plantation. The trees were planted by the NZFS back in the 70's as a erosion remedy, they are fully mature, and it is a thick dark forest you see now.

Entering the exotic plantation, Lagoon Saddle Track

Below is the first, not very good view from the track, the forest is so thick that there are no real views until you reach the tussock area after an hour and a half or so.

First view along the track

Here is the end of the exotic band and the start of more beech, the mountain variety in this case. You are about 20 minutes from breaking out into the tussock at this point, and half way to your destination.

Exotic-beech forest margin

There is a nice benched track through this section, it makes a welcome change to the mud you are about to encounter.....

Nicely benched track, Lagoon Saddle Track

Eventually you break out of the forest to fantastic views over the Upper Waimakariri Valley, below is a shot towards Klondyke Corner and the Bealey Valley. You are at about 600 meters at this point.

View towards Klondyke corner, Bealey Valley

Bealey Valley with Arthur's Pass Village in the distance

Here is view looking East towards the Mt White bridge area.

Waimakiriri valley from Lagoon Saddle Track

Waimakiriri from the Lagoon Saddle Track

The track for the next hour is a long sidle across slopes of tussock and grass, with the occasional copse of trees. The track was a bit muddy, water run off from Mt Bruce and the swampy nature of the ground do not make for dry conditions.

Tussock transition point on Mt Bruce

View towards the Bealey valley, with Mt Rolleston in the background.

View towards west from the Lagoon Saddle Track

Alpine daisies on the Lagoon Saddle Track

Looking south west we can see the ranges around Browning and Whitehorn Passes, this is the location of the awesome Three Passes tramp, as you can see you would need ice axe and crampons even in the Summer to complete the track.

View South West towards Browning Pass

Here is a moderate example of the muddy track, it is far worse at some points.

Muddy track conditions

You have great views of Bealey Spur to the West, I walked this track to Bealey Spur Hut in September last year.

Lagoon Saddle Track

Eventually you reach the highest point, and start down towards Lagoon Saddle Shelter about 300 meters downhill. The area in the foreground of the photo is Lagoon Saddle itself.

Lagoon Saddle from the flank of Mt Bruce

Here is a view looking towards Mt Bruce, this would be a good point for an ascent of the mountain, it is the apex of the track and there is a nice easy tussock slope to climb. I estimate it would take at least an hour from here to get to the top.

Mt Bruce from the Lagoon Saddle Track

There's a wilderness tramp staring you in the face, a quick look at the topo map shows easy terrain from here heading south-east, there are a series of tarns further along this range (possible future trip?).

Lagoon Saddle and tarns

You can see the tarns on Lagoon Saddle from the track as you descend down towards the hut, I couldn't see a track anywhere (or I would have gone down), but it looks like an easy bush bash. There are a series of tarns, one quite large and several smaller ones around it. Could be a nice spot to camp.

Main tarn on Lagoon Saddle

Lagoon Saddle Shelter is a small A frame building close to the tarns. It is not intended as an overnight spot but could certainly be used for that purpose, it has just enough space for 2 people. I noticed a small waterfall (2-3 meters) nearby as well, it is the outflow point for the tarns. It looked like it would be accessible by following the bush edge.

Natures shower anyone? Ill bet it is refreshing, if not glacial in nature.

Lagoon Saddle Shelter

Lagoon Saddle shelter

As you can see it is a bit Spartan inside, but would be perfectly comfortable for an overnight stay. There is a bench for one of the mattresses, the second would need to go on the floor, this is definitely a 2 person bivy.

Interior of Lagoon Saddle shelter: only one bunk!

Small amount of storage space, an axe, and the usual DOC safety warnings. Water for the hut would be from the small stream near the hut, or from another stream that runs from the tarns on the saddle. I would draw water from up hill of the toilet as it looks too close to the nearby stream in my opinion.

Interior of Lagoon Saddle shelter

I discovered later that there is also an old hut (Lagoon Saddle Hut) within a hundred meters of this location. It is in the forest fringe opposite the shelter, but I didn't see it on the day I was there. From its location on the topo map it would be to the SW of Lagoon Saddle shelter, 4 bunks, basic inside but usable.

Area surrounding Lagoon Saddle Shelter

Lagoon Saddle Hut from Tramping New Zealand website

Heading back to the Cora Lynn car park

I stopped at the shelter for a snack and to write in the hut book, then headed back up the track to find a lunch spot in the sun. It is much easier walking back towards the car-park, the lie of the land favours a clockwise direction of travel.

View of the tarn from near Lagoon Saddle shelter

Lunch of champions: sesame crackers, tuna, peanut M&M's and water!

Lunch time on the Lagoon Saddle Track

View back towards Lagoon Saddle

I stopped just short of the apex and parked myself on a convenient rock so I could eat my lunch out of the wind. The breeze from the distance mountains was a bit cool, there is still a bit of snow at higher elevations along the Alps

Jon on the Lagoon Saddle Track

View of Upper Bealey Spur

Waimakiriri river from the Lagoon Saddle Track

It was possible to see SE towards the upper Harper River, Hamilton Hut is about 6 hours walk up this valley. The official DOC time for the section from Hamilton Hut to the Cora Lynn entrance is 7-9 hours! I was talking to a French couple who were planning to walk all the way to Cass Hut, that is a 12-13 hour trip! Too far for me, but then I'm not a awesomely fit looking 20 year old
European  hiker.

View South East into upper Harper Valley

I wish this track had more of this: board walks over the muddy swampy spots.

Board walks on Lagoon Saddle Track

In the distance are the picturesque tarns on Bealey Spur, about 3 km's and 200 meters lower than the Lagoon Saddle track. I believe you can walk up one track and down the other by  using a long ridge sidle between the two Spurs.

Bealey Spur Tarns

I passed 17 people on the way back out to the car-park, I started walking at 8 am so probably was walking before most of them had risen from bed. Mostly day trippers, although there was one American couple from San Diego who were staying at Lagoon Saddle Hut for the night. It's interesting how much info you can share in a 5 minute conversation on the side of a track.

View down towards forest, Lagoon Saddle Track

Lower Bealey Spur

There is Cora Lynn station in the distance, it is obvious to see the difference that irrigation makes in these high dry areas. At least Cora Lynn is still a sheep station and not a polluting dairy farm.

Cora Lynn Station from Mt Bruce

Bealey Spur, Bealey Valley and Mt Rolleston

About 10 minutes from the end of the track is Bealey Hut, this is a basic 6 bunk hut, with a water tank and toilets. There is plenty of space around the hut for tents, but no internal fireplace. Inside it was blazing hot, sitting closed up in the sun.

Bealey Hut near Cora Lynn Station

Its pretty basic inside, but would provide shelter from bad weather if required. As with all DOC huts close to road ends it is prone to graffiti and damage as it would get visited by (excuse my language) complete arse's who don't realize how lucky we are to have these huts.

Interior of Bealey hut: some of the bunks

The hut is often used by Te Araroa trail walkers as it is the first on this section of the trail, there is also good accommodation at the wilderness lodge close to this hut. A quick read of the hut book had 20+ people visiting the hut in the previous 2 week period.

This is the 67th DOC hut I have visited, only around 840 more to go!

Interior of Bealey Hut: small cooking bench

Flat area around Bealey Hut

Eventually you make it back to the car-park, plenty of space for cars here and relatively secure as it is clearly visible to the nearby Cora Lynn homestead. I would have no problems parking my car here for several days while exploring the local area.

Lagoon Saddle carpark, Cora Lynn end

DOC information board Lagoon Saddle Track

The car-park is at the end of this short gravel track, you can see the changes in the vegetation on the spur from beech, to pine and beech again.

Mt Bruce, view of the forest, track from Cora Lynn

On the way back to Christchurch I spotted these wild flowers growing in the dry lake bed of Lake Lyndon. It was a spectacular sight with the mixture of purple and yellow colors.

Wild flowers growing in bed of dry Lake Lyndon

Access: Turn off SH 73 (Arthur's Pass Highway) at Cora Lynn Station, drive along long gravel driveway to fence with Lagoon Saddle Track sign

Track Times: 2.5-3 hours to Lagoon Saddle Shelter, same return

Hut Details: Bealey Hut: basic, 6 bunks, water tank, toilets: Lagoon Saddle Shelter: basic, 2 bunks, water from stream, toilet: Lagoon Saddle Hut: basic, 4 bunks, toilet, water from stream

Miscellaneous: Avalanche risk in winter/spring, exposed to weather in all seasons, part of Te Araroa Trail