Thursday, 13 June 2019

Bealey Valley Track: 28th April 2019

A damp stroll along the Bealey Valley track...

My partner Karen and I went up to Arthur's Pass for a couple of days in late April. We were hoping for some nice weather so we could do a couple of walks but unfortunately a front moved onto the South Island bringing rain with it. We still went and mostly sat in the bar at the Bealey Hotel with a drink in hand as we watched the rain outside. 

Bealey Hotel: accommodation block overlooking Bealey river bed

Bealey hotel: interior of one of the rooms at the hotel

We did get out for one walk, we went for a stroll up the Bealey Valley to the edge of the first clearing and then turned back to the car as it started raining cats and dogs...

DOC track sign at the beginning of the Bealey Valley Track


The Bealey River from the bridge over the Bealey Chasm



A walk in the rain, Bealey Valley style...

It was basically pouring with rain for most of the two days we spent in Arthur's Pass but taking advantage of a short break in the weather we drove up to the Bealey Valley Track and went for a walk over the river and up to the edge of the first clearing. 

Start of the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass NP


Map: Upper Bealey Valley and surrounding area


We would have gone further but that is where the weather packed a sad and started snowing, sleeting and raining. We turned around and walked back to the car as it was really kind of miserable.


No dogs allowed in the Bealey Valley....it is a Kiwi Zone



As you can see the track and forest were wet but not yet flooded as it would have been later in the day after another biblical deluge. The short tracks in the park receive a lot of work so they are smooth, flat and have a nice gradient to them. 


Walking along the first flat section, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

There are a number of steps and stair sections so this track is not suitable for wheelchairs and/or baby strollers, mobility scooters etc. 

Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass: the first set of stairs


Karen on the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass


After about 150 meters there is a track junction....if you continue straight on you will eventually arrive at the Arthur Dobson Memorial on the top of Arthur's Pass. The memorial is really for Edward Dobson and his two sons Arthur and George who all played a part in the rediscovery of the Pass.


The Dobson Memorial cairn at the apex of Arthurs Pass

The track to the Bealey Valley descends to the left down a series of stairs and eventually arrives at the bridge over the Bealey chasm. 

Near the track junction on the Bealy Valley, Arthur's Pass

The Bealey Chasm is a point where the river disappears under a series of massive boulders, it then reappears a bit further down the river bed. When I was younger there was no bridge at this point so if you wanted to get to the Upper Bealey Valley you had to cross the river. Thankfully DOC have built a rather lovely bridge across the river so it is now an all weather track. 


Karen crossing the bridge at the Bealey Chasm, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass


View up the Upper Bealey River from the bridge at the Bealey chasm

View down the Bealey River from the bridge at the Bealey Chasm

On the far side of the river is a short climb to a large swampy clearing with excellent views of the Bealey Valley, Mt Rolleston, Gouldney Ridge and Rome Ridge. Again, when I was younger there was a shallow tarn in the clearing but this seems to have filled itself in over the years.


Start of the climb past the Bealey Chasm bridge, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

Karen walking up the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

Moss and orange track markers...Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass



Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass: about to enter the first clearing



View towards Avalanche Peak from the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass


Looking west towards Otira from the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

On the far side of the first clearing, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

Looking towards Temple Valley Skiffed, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

We walked over to the western edge of the clearing as we intended to keep going along the track. At this point the clouds once again descended and it started to rain, sleet and snow so we turned about and headed back towards the car park. 

If you continue along the path you will eventually reach the Bealey River again about two kilometres from the base of the Goldney Glacier. There are excellent views of he surrounding mountains from here and in summer you can follow the rough track up the true right of the river to the basin at the head of this valley.

The view from the end of the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

Just be aware that this is a avalanche risk area with avalanche paths coming off all the high ground around the Bealey River. Do not go past the sign at the end of the track in Winter or Spring without first checking the avalanche risk. 

Avalanche warning by the end of the Bealey Valley Track

You just follow the same track back to the car park....down past the Bealey foot bridge, up the slope to the track and along the flats to the end of the track. For more information see my trip to the Bealey Valley back in 2018.


Bealey Chasm footbridge, Arthur's Pass


Boardwalk and stairs leading to the Bealey Chasm, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

Climbing back to the Arthur's Pass Walking Track

Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass: the only long distance view of Bealey Valley

If you are in the area and still feeling energetic you can follow the Arthur's Pass walking Track for about two kilometers to the top of the pass to the West Coast. There is a memorial cairn to Arthur Dobson there and a very nice track around some alpine bogs and tarns that are worth a look. 


Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass: at the junction with the Arthur's Pass Walking Track

Heading back to the car park, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

Typical old growth Beech forest, Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass


Every time I walk past these glacial erratic rocks I wonder how many thousands of children must have climbed over them.......they look like they have rested here forever. the edges are all worn smooth from people's feet and hands.


A pile of glacial erratics alongside the Bealey Valley Track, Arthur's Pass

All up our trip took about 40 minutes return, add another hour onto that if you walk to the end of the track at the Bealey River Valley. It is a nice wee track, easy to walk, well marked and easily one of the nicest short walks in Arthur's Pass National Park.

Go have a look for yourself....

Jacks Hut, Arthur's Pass

I have visited Jacks Hut many times over the years as it sits on the direct path of a number of good walking tracks in the area. Originally a road-mans hut, it was moved to this location in the early 1910's and used as a holiday bach by the Butler family for many years. This was Karen's first visit to the hut so we had a bit of a look around. 

Jacks Hut in the 1920's when still a road mans hut

Sometime in the 1980's it was donated to the Department of Conservation and is maintained by them as a fine example of a historic private bach on national park land.


Jacks Hut: a view of the front of the hut


It is a very tidy three room house...the back room had a series of bunks while the other two rooms had a lounge area and kitchen/boot room. It is not available for use by the public anymore but is well worth a look for the simple type of construction used in this type of building.


There are some interpretive panels inside Jacks Hut



Jacks Hut...the rear of the hut, one of the rooms

A lot of colonial homes were clad with corrugated iron sheets, they were relatively light to ship, easy to cut and were very water proof. Houses, churches, shops and back-country huts were made using this material although few of them remain now. 


Detail of one of the sides of corrugated iron clad Jacks Hut


Jacks Hut sign at the front of the building

Jacks Hut lies on the path of the Arthur's Pass Walking Track from the village to the top of the pass. If you ever visit Arthur's Pass make sure you stop and have a look at this curiosity of our colonial past. The car park for the Bealey Valley track starts immediately opposite Jacks Hut. 



The car park for the Bealey Valley and Arthur's Pass Walking Track


SH73 looking towards Arthur's Pass Village

Here is a curiosity of history, this is one of the old mile markers that denoted the distances on the route between Springfield and Otira on the West Coast. They are now over 100 years old and it is amazing that any of them still exist. You will find these scattered up and down SH73 which more or less corresponds to the route of the old stage coach line. 


One of the mile markers from the old coach route to Otira and the West Coast

If you are ever driving between Christchurch and Hokitika/Greymouth look for these mile markers alongside the road. 


Access: Turn off SH 73 at the car-park opposite Jacks Hut, the track starts next to the car-park. The first 200 meters are on the Arthur's Pass Walking Track, then turn off onto the Bealey Valley Track
Track times: 30-40 minutes to the Upper Bealey River, then 30 minutes to the cirque under Goldney Ridge.
Hut Details: Jacks Hut (historic)
Miscellaneous: Avalanche and rock fall danger in the Upper Bealey Valley, do not go past the end of the track unless you have some avalanche awareness. No toilets at any point along this track.

Saturday, 1 June 2019

Using O'Malleys Track to access the Waimakiriri River Valley

A safer way to access the Upper Waimakiriri River Valley...


I thought I would take a look at O'Malleys Track, this is a high water flood track from near the Bealey Bridge to Turkey Flats in the mid Waimakiriri River area. The Waimakiriri River Valley has a multitude of good tramping and was the original home territory of the tramping and climbing clubs based in Christchurch. 


Bealey Bridge from SH73 on the edge of Arthur's Pass National Park

O'Malleys Track is not that long...3 odd kilometers but it does provide a safer way to access the Waimakiriri River Valley when a crossing of the main river is impossible.


The Upper Waimakiriri River.....

A word of caution though...many of the side streams that feed into the Waimakiriri River have huge catchments. If there is any significant amount of rain you will not be able to get further than the Anti Crow River as none of the side streams are bridged. 

The Anti-Crow River...cannot be crossed in moderate to heavy rain!!!

Other rivers you need to cross in this valley are the Greenlaw and Harper Creeks and there is a mandatory crossing of a braid of the Waimakiriri a kilometer past the Anti Crow River. All will be impassible in heavy rain.


Walking O'Malleys Track

O'Malleys Track starts from a car-park right next to the eastern end of Bealey Bridge on the edge of Arthur's Pass National Park. Look for the DOC sign visible from the road right next to the bridge, the car-park can be a bit difficult to access if coming from Arthur's Pass township. 


Map: O'Malleys Track, Arthur's Pass National Park

O'Malleys Track is a DOC maintained flood track for use when it is impossible to cross the main braid of the Waimakiriri River.


The main crossing point of the Waimakiriri River at Klondyke Corner

The track climbs and then sidles along the flank of Bealey Spur before dropping back down to Turkey Flat at its far end. There is a picnic table and a set of toilets at the Car-park so make use of them if required as there are no facilities along the track. Also make sure you have water as there are no potable water sources along the track.


The car-park at the start of O'Malleys Track, near Bealey Bridge

Start of O'Malleys Track at the Bealey Bridge car-park

The quality of your experience will depend on when DOC last cleared the track. A DOC work crew normally run down the track at the end of winter and clear any dead-fall trees and larger debris. Generally the track is clear and easy to walk. 


On O'Malleys Track:climbing the initial slope on the side of Bealey Spur

A view of Klondyke Corner from on O'Malleys Track

Track quality is about usual for Arthur's Pass...fare to middling!!! They have a minimal impact regime here so the tracks tend to be a bit rougher than other National Parks. There are also a lot less bridges in this area...DOC Arthurs Pass only bridge the deepest and most dangerous of the rivers. 


On O'Malleys Track: various track types....through beech forest

...climbing through regenerating Pole Beech, O'Malleys Track

...and open areas of bush and scrub on O'Malleys Track:

When you get about two kilometers along the track you can see over the valley to the the car park and campsite at Klondyke Corner. This is the place most people cross the main braid of the Waimakiriri River as the river is wider and hence more shallow at that point.

View of the Waimakiriri River Valley from the Klondyke Corner car park

View to the Klondyke Corner car-park...there is a campsite near there

You can also see the extensive swamp areas that border the bottom edge of Bealey Spur..there are a number of smaller braids of the river along this side of the valley feeding into swampland. 



Swampy areas border the edge of Bealey Spur from O'Malleys Track:

There is one potentially problematic stream to cross about halfway along the track. This side stream comes down from the tarns on the top of Bealey Spur and normally runs very low. I did notice that there was flood debris around the trees on both banks approximately a meter higher than the stream bed. This leads me to believe that this stream could be at least a meter high in heavy rainfall and therefore dangerous. 

If you arrive here to find it running high turn around and go back...


Potentially dangerous side stream about halfway along O'Malleys Track:

As you approach the end of the track the trees start to thin out so you see down to the river and out onto Turkey Flat. When you reach these lookouts you are about 20-30 minutes from the end of the track.


View of the Waimakiriri River through silver beech, O'Malleys Track:

A braid of the Waimakiriri River from O'Malleys Track, Arthur's Pass NP

Descending down to Turkey Flat at the western end of O'Malleys Track:

Finally after about two hours the track will deposit you onto Turkey Flat....from here it is simply a matter of following the very easy track across the grasslands to whatever destination you are visiting. 


View of the Waimakiriri River Valley from near the end of  O'Malleys Track

View of the Mt Bealey Massif from on O'Malleys Track

On O'Malleys Track: the end of the track at Turkey Flats

To return to SH 73 simply backtrack and follow the same track back to the car park. 

Where to from here?

There are a number of different places you can access from the edge of Turkey Flat at the end of O'Malleys Track. Again most of these locations can only be accessed if the rivers are low so do not come venturing up here if it has been or is raining.

Almost at Turkey Flat with a view of the Waimakiriri River Valley

The first destination is Jordan Stream the first major river you strike, it runs down the middle of Turkey Flat and empties into the Waimakiriri River near Klondyke corner. If you head up Jordan Stream there is a route over Jordan Saddle into the Avoca River catchment. There are many huts in this catchment and great opportunities for hunting and remote tramping. 

Jordan Stream and the route to Jordan Saddle and hence to the Avoca Valley

You can continue off the end of O'Malleys Track and cross the Turkey Flat grasslands. This is an enormous river fan draining Jordan Stream and is approximately five kilometers from one side to the other.The track skirts along the bush edge on the western end of the flats to eventually emerge next to Anti Crow Hut.

Why is it called Turkey Flat? I have no idea because Turkeys are an exotic import into New Zealand and there were none here when the area was first surveyed....

Crossing the grasslands of Turkey Flat, Arthur's Pass National Park

Anti Crow Hut is a destination as well as a way point. It is a nicely maintained NZFS six bunk hut but most people will not stay as it is simply a point they pass on their way to the Upper Waimakiriri Valley. 

It is a great pity more people do not stay here as it is one of the few largely unchanged 'six bunkers' left in Arthur's Pass NP. It has some gorgeous views out to the Crow Valley, Waimakiriri River, Klondyke Corner and the mountains of the Bealey Massif. 

Anti Crow Hut.....classic NZFS 6 bunk hut

The Upper Waimakiriri River Valley is very beautiful with the aqua blue of the river, deep green bush and grey of the riverbed and mountains intermingling. Great views of the surrounding mountain peaks some of which are +2000 meters high. In the summer there are plenty of awesome camping spots on the river flats but don't camp on the islands or you may awake to find yourself marooned. 


The beautiful Upper Waimakiriri Valley 

Another location you can visit in the upper Waimakiriri Valley is Carrington Hut on the confluence of the Waimakiriri and White Rivers. It was built in the late 1970's when this area was still the focus of tramping in the park. From here you can access the Harmon Pass Route to the Taipo River Valley, Three Passes Route, Waimakiriri Falls Track, Waimakiriri Col Route and Barker Hut. 

The hut is well used but the two times I have been here it was only 1/3 to 1/2 full because it is so large. 


Carrington Hut....36 bunks, two dining areas, beautiful location

So that is O'Malleys Track and the places you can visit by using the track, good tramping everyone!!!


Monday, 29 April 2019

Tramping Food: Go Native: 24 hour ration packs and sundries

Go Native: all in one food packs


There is a new outdoor food company in the market in New Zealand, the brand is called Go Native. Go Native sell a number of items, they have both 24 hour rations and assorted pre packed retort meals. The mains are in thermo stabilised retort pouches so they can be reheated in a pot of hot water or by using one of the Backcountry Flameless Ration Heaters.

The Go Native Vegetable Curry being served...

So far there are only three 24 hour rations available, hopefully this number will be added to as time goes on. They also sell a range of retort pouch main meals which I will discus below...

One of the Go Native retort pouch meals


The advantage of this type of meal is taste....they taste a lot better than freeze dried meals which lose a lot of their flavor in processing. The downside is weight...because they are 'wet' meals they are heavier, still at 700 odd gms for 24 hours worth of food the weight is not excessive. 

Go Native: Beef Casserole

First up is the Beef Casserole, this is the main in this 24 hour ration and is accompanied with items for both breakfast and lunch. 
Go Native 24 hour ration pack: Beef Casserole

As you can see these packs provide food for all three daily meals, including two snacks for during the day.  All three varieties of ration pack have muesli with milk powder, coffee, sugar and creamer (a milk substitute).

For lunch they all have tuna and crackers and a fruit bar and jerky style steak bar for snacks as and when required. They also have sachets of salt and pepper, tea, creamer and sugar.


Go Native 24 hour ration pack:contents of the Beef Casserole

The real difference is in the main meals: they each contain the stated main meal (Beef Casserole, Italiano Chicken or Vegetable Curry) and a suitable side dish (potato's or rice). 
Side view of the Go Native 24 hour ration packs...all have the same dimensions
The 24 hour rations weigh approximately 700gms each and are in a pack roughly the size of a A4 sheet of paper. The bags are waterproof and made of tear resistant plastic so you could just chuck a couple of these in your pack and away you go.

I have had one of these beef meals and the beef casserole was very nice....a well seasoned sauce with big chunks of beef and vegetables. I would certainly eat it again...

Go Native Chicken Italiano


The only difference with the Chicken Italiano meal is the main...this one is chicken not beef but all the other contents are exactly the same. Again, these weigh approximately 700gms and the dimensions of the meals are exactly the same as the beef and vegetable curry (vegetarian or vegan???? I'm not sure about that..) meals.

Go Native 24 hour ration pack:Chicken Italiano


You get mashed potato as the side dish with the chicken stew this is probably a fair choice as rice would not suit a European inspired main meal. 
Go Native 24 hour ration pack: contents of the Chicken Italiano

I have yet to eat one of these Chicken mains so I cannot yet provide feed back on the quality of the product. 

Go Native: Vegetable Curry 

There is a vegetarian option in this range which has a west Asian inspired vegetable curry as the main meal (with a side of rice to accompany it). Ive had one of these curries and it was really nice..good level of spice, creamy and nice big chunks of vegetable. 


Go Native 24 hour ration pack:Vegetable Curry

Again all of the other contents are exactly the same: muesli for breakfast and crackers and tuna for lunch. 
Contents of the Go Native 24 hour ration pack: Vegetable Curry

My main problem with these 24 hour rations are two fold: Firstly, I don't think they would provide enough nutrition for your average tramper, they would need a degree of assistance to provide all the calories you need. Secondly the monotony of the same breakfast and lunch items would quickly get boring. I love muesli and tuna and crackers but eating them every day would really irritate me and I'm sure you as well. 

Miscellaneous menu food items

Go Native also make a series of other main meals in the retort pouches without all the accompanying items you get in the 24 hour ration packs. So far they have Butter Chicken, Chilli Con Carne, Spaghetti Bologanese and Vegetable Curry. 


Go Native MRE: Chilli con Carne

Go Native MRE: Butter Chicken









Its possible that they intend adding these to the 24 hour range at some future point although they are perfectly useful as they are. Using these you could make your own 24 hour ration with suitable store brought items or you could buy one of the pre-packed rations and add this as your main.



Go Native MRE: Spaghetti Bolognese



Go Native MRE: Vegetable Curry
  
You would need a side dish to go with these as they are the sauce/main meal only and have no potato/rice/noodles to go with them. This is not a problem in my opinion. There are commercially produced heat in the bag versions of rice and pasta and also freeze dried and air dried potato flakes in most supermarkets.


Diamond make these pre-cooked and packaged boil in bag pasta varieties


Go Native also make the muesli bars included in the ration packs, I have seen them at outdoor shops but also many local supermarkets. You can buy them in various quantities from singles to packs of 40, so far they have only one flavour: Raspberry and Apple.

A Go Native Raspberry Apple Bar


Hey....they look like New Zealand Army Ration Packs..


Yes, they do look like a New Zealand Army Ration Pack (...or Operational Ration Pack...as they are known!) with that brown packaging. I don't know if they are one of the ration pack suppliers to the New Zealand military or maybe they just buy some of their items from a supplier who does.



NZ Operational Ration Pack

As you can see the military believe you need to give troops in the field a lot more variety and calories to remain operationally fit. Beside the retort main meals (two per pack) you get things like chocolate, two minute noodles, biscuits, vegemite, condensed milk, canned cheese, jam, peanut butter and a lot more drinks.


The contents of a New Zealand Operational Ration Pack

Army life is hard at times but not much more difficult than a 6-7 hour tramp.....way to much food!!! When I was in the NZ Army we would strip these down to the bare minimum and loose about half the contents.