Trip Report Oteake backwards
Chris organised a great day out on the Sunday but for a few of us this started on the Saturday. Terry and I drove our vehicles over the pig route on Saturday afternoon in preparation of an overnight camp before meeting the rest of the club members for the Oteake trip on the Sunday. We stopped at Ranfurly to refuel and went in to the small supermarket to get some last minute supplies. For a small town this is a great shop with similar prices to Oamaru new world and a great selection. We then proceeded to our destination called Homestead Campsite down the end of Hawkdun Runs Road. There was a surprising number of campers already there incuding mountain bikers, campers and members of a tramping club.
Chris and Ferne arrived at camp a bit later and we all went to work setting up out accomodation for the night. While dinner was bing made morher nature put on a spectacular display of light filtering through the clouds and onto the mountains. At one stage the whole camp was standing in awe of the display on hand.
The next morning we were greeted with sunshine and warmth however over night there had been a heavy dew that was border line frosty. Breakfast was had and we packed up the site ready to head off. We then forded the river and traveled along the base of the range until we arrived at our meeting place. It was about 20 minutes later the dust clouds started to form in the distance and the balance of the club appeared from the distance to have a cuppa before we started the first climb. While we were parked another 4wd club rumbled past with one member coming over to introduce themselves. They were from the shotover club in Queenstown and had been up the Hopkins the previous day.
All up we had 12 trucks start the climb but after some mechanical problems one truck had to turn back. The shotover crew in front of us lost one of their trucks as well due to a similar scenario of losing 4wd so both vehilcles turned around and headed out.
We then climbed and proceeded on to our first stop at railway hut. There was standing room only as we had caught the shotover club and there were some young campers/hunters there as well. We then went on the old swingbridge. Legs were stretched while we checked out the old stock bridge. We then wound our way over to Tailings hut were we had another cuppa and a chat. Dogs were treated to some wid native sausages, they were cooked and had been discarded into the grass outside the hut but to the dogs this was an amazing find and a highlight of their day.
The convoy then headed to the buster diggings where a photo was taken of the attending vehicles. From here some vehicles had to head off to meet other arrangements ahead of us. The rest of the crew slowly made their way down to the kyeburn river collecting the odd bit of gear that fell from the trucks that had left earlier. We then all aired up our tyres at the musterers camp at the bottom of the track were it was decded to have a look at the Danseys pass hotel to wind up the day.
A very enjoyable weekend and thank you to those that attended.
Craig.
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