Monday's Walk: 29 June 2020

Boundary Creek Track

The weather forecast looks OK ( cool and cloudy) for a pleasant climb up to an old musterers' track on the way to Makarora. The 4WD track starts opposite the Boundary Creek campsite on SH6 between Hawea and Makarora and climbs 500m to a viewpoint looking back to the head of lake Wanaka. We can follow the old musterers' trail to find a lunch spot above Boundary Creek gorge, then return the same way. Sturdy footwear will be useful in case the 4WD track is still a bit wet from the previous days rain.

Leader: Chris Kjelgaard

 

Monday’s Walk 22 June

Fern Burn ramble (about 4 hours)

 

The weather looks as if it will be calm, cool and partly cloudy.

From the Lakeside carpark meeting place take the Mt Aspiring road past Glendhu Bay, turn left onto Motutapu Road to Motatapu track carpark (15km)- approx. 3km from Glendhu Bay Camp.

Fern Burn car park to Fern Burn Hut is 3–4 hr, 7 km, but we will turn back after about 2 hours walking. The track meanders along the true right of Fern Burn, passing shrubland and grassy flats. It then climbs into significant, remnant beech forest: mountain/tawhairauriki, silver/ tawhai and red/tawhairaunui. Here the Fern Burn narrows, featuring cascades and waterfalls. An hour from the car park, the track briefly enters the 4144 ha Stack Conservation Area.

The Motatapu valley was used extensively by Māori from coastal settlements, travelling between lakes Wanaka and Wakatipu. Wanaka was important for māhika kai – gathering food in summer, including eel/tuna, weka . By 1861 gold mining was in full swing, particularly in the Macetown and Arrow areas, where alluvial gold was recovered with relative ease. As a result, a government-funded pack track was formed to link Arrowtown with Lake Wanaka, and the Motatapu Track follows sections of that route.

 

Walk leader: Chris Kjelgaard

 

Monday's walk, 15 June 2020

From: the DOC Reko Conservation Area car park, Shortcut Rd (about halfway along the road on the river side from the Luggate hill intersection), Luggate

To: the Luggate Rocks car park(a couple of k's south of Luggate township)  

We walk to Reko Point, turning right and walking downstream above the river (about 12-13 kms)  Vehicle drop-offs will be arranged when we meet at the lakefront.

Leader: Paul Knox

Monday’s Walk 8 June 2020

Minaret burn track to Colquhoun's Beach and return. 14km ( about 2 hours one way).

From the Lakeside carpark meeting place take the Mt Aspiring Road past Glendhu Bay, turn right onto West Wanaka Road, across the one lane bridge over the Matukituki River then follow the road through 2 farm gates to the Homestead carpark at the end of this road. 

The Minaret Burn track and 4WD road from the car park is an easy walk (could be muddy in places after recent rain) to a beautiful beach on the shores of L. Wanaka with a view out to Mou Waho Island on one side and Mt. Alta on the other. (There may be sandflies at the lake.)

The forecast is for fine cool weather with some cloud and maybe be a foggy start. 

 

Leader: Chris Kjelgaard