Showing posts with label Kaituna Valley- Packhorse Hut Track. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kaituna Valley- Packhorse Hut Track. Show all posts

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Mt Bradley - 30 November 2013

Visiting Mt Bradley via Kaituna to Packhorse Hut Track


The weather has not been cooperating with my tramping plans this year. I had planned to visit the Robinson Valley last weekend but because of rain and high wind forecasted decided to try a trip closer to home.

A day trip to Mt Bradley, Banks Peninsula


I was walking to the summit of Mt Bradley, via the Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut track. Mt Bradley is the third highest peak on Banks Peninsula and a worthy destination in its own right. I was out for 8 hours on the day and didn't see another person the whole time.


The 'Red Beast' parked at the Kaituna Valley car park

Kaituna Valley - Mt Bradley area


I parked my car at the Kaituna Valley track end and followed the familiar track across farmland and up to the saddle the hut sits on. This is the 5th time I have walked this track over the years and third time in the last two years. 

Mt Bradley is the ridge in the far distance

The track passes over a local farm and along a 4 W/D track right up to the hut located on Kaituna Saddle between the two peaks in the centre of this photo.


On the Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut track

Lovely lush greenery as there has been a bit of rain recently, the track cuts through the occasion patch of brush and bush as it ascends.

On the Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut track

Lots of native bush to left and right of the track through this section, also a couple of very small streams. there are always plenty of stock in the area and you will hear and see a lot of birds in the surrounding bush.  


View west towards the Remarkable Dikes area

There is a substantial area of regenerating native bush in a gully to the east of the track up to Packhorse Hut. The Remarkable Dykes (a bluff like volcanic up-welling) lays to the south west of Kaituna Saddle on the track down to Gebbies Pass. It is about a kilometer from Packhorse Hut if you would like to visit the area.


Mt Bradley from the Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut track

Above is the view of Mt Bradley as you see as you ascend the track up to Kaituna Saddle.

View SE towards Kaituna, Birdlings Flat and ocean

Here I am halfway up the Kaituna Valley Track, the car park is located near the trees in the middle of the photo.

Packhorse Hut atop Kaituna Saddle

You get a good view of the hut as you top the last rise in the track. If you are thinking of staying overnight in the hut you should collect some dead fall wood in the patch of bush you pass near this spot. The hut is warm but it can get cold if the weather is bad as the wind will howl over the saddle.

This is a great location for an first tramp or overnight trip - even in winter!  The track is easy to follow, it has a fireplace and a supply of wood and you are only an hour away from the carpark at the bottom of the valley.

Note: Since 2017 Packhorse Hut is on the DOC Hut booking schedule...book before you go to secure a spot. 

A view to the South-West from near Packhorse Hut

Another view showing the antenna farm near Gebbies Pass...this is an alternate route as you ascend from Gebbies Pass through the forest to the hut.


Gebbies Pass from Kaituna Saddle....

Looking North down into Lyttleton harbour, with the Sugar Loaf and the foot hill of the Southern Alps in the background.

Lyttleton Harbour, Sugar Loaf and the Southern Alps

Packhorse Hut, it is a great for a lunch stop overnight stay. It is also the closest DOC hut to Christchurch so it can be busy in the weekends.

Packhorse Hut

From the hut you continue east on the Te Ara Pataka Walkway which starts next to the hut. The track moves through mixed tussock, gullies and bush remnants until you reach the side track to Mt Herbert. The track slowly zig zags up the southern flank of Mt Bradley until you reach a point where it sidles eastward. You leave the track at this point and make you own way uphill to the summit.

Below are several shots taken as I followed the track, you can see Packhorse Hut for most of the way.

On the Te Ara Pataka Walkway- back side of Mt Bradley

On the Te Ara Pataka Walkway

The track sidles upwards through the tussock, around rocky tors and over low shrubs. Packhorse Hut is situated in the middle of the saddle, with the Remarkable Dykes behind.

View due south from flank of Mt Bradley

On the Te Ara Pataka Walkway- heading towards summit


The track zig zags up the side of Mt Bradley along the Te Ara Pataka Track to Mt Herbert and points further along the track. There is a very faint trail with a sign pointing up the slope you need to climb to get to the top of Mt Bradley itself. It is scrambling over rocks and through gorse and broom to get to the top of this mountain. 


Mt Bradley: you leave the track and pick your own way....

I finally made it to the top of the mountain, the views from the top are spectacular...you have a near 360 degree view of most of this end of Banks Peninsula, Lytelton and the Canterbury Plains. 


Looking east to Mt Herbert from the Mt Bradley Summit

The Southern near Birdling's Flat from Mt Bradley Ocean


Here is a view from the summit looking north over Lytellton, the Port Hills and out to Kaikoura.


View out to the Canterbury Plains from Mt Bradley

Good view of Lyttleton Harbour and Pegasus Bay

 This is South along the ridge line, you could walk along here and make your own route down to Packhorse Hut but you would need to watch out for bluffs and other hazards. It was just possible to make out Aoraki/ Mt Cook when I first reached the summit but it was soon covered by an approaching front.


View south along the apex of Mt Bradley

 I didn't stay for long on top as the wind picked up and the cloud drifting over the mountain made me worry about visibility on the way down.


View of McQueens Forest/Gebbies Pass/Lake Elesmere from the summit of Mt Bradley

The Port Hills from Gebbies Pass to near Living Springs

Heading back down this is Lake Ellesmere, South Canterbury and in the extreme distance the Southern Alps. You can see the front that was making its way up the South Island.


McQueen's Forest from the track down Mt Bradley

On Te Ara Pataka Walkway on the way back to Packhorse

There is a track heading towards Mt Herbert along the southern side of Mt Bradley. It would be another 1 - 1.5 hours away from this point. It is a rough route which follows the base of these bluffs: it is exposed to the weather, steep and there is a big drop on one side to contend with.

 Not for the faint hearted.

The Te Ara Pataka Walkway runs along those distant hills


Here are the distant ridges at the top of Kaituna Valley an extended traverse is possible along these tops.

The secondary ridge down to Kaituna Valley from Mt Bradley

I stopped for a rest on the way down: it was quiet and peaceful laying in the tussock out of the breeze.

My rest spot on the southern flank of Mt Bradley


 Below are shots to the right and left of my resting area. I was quite comfortable here in the lee of the mountain with a great panorama all around me.

The Remarkable Dikes in middle distance, Lake Ellesmere behind

Native bush regeneration - Mt Bradley

There are significant areas of re generating bush in the steep sided gully's on the sides of Mt Bradley.


Mt Bradley: An old Walkways Commission marker

The marking of the track to the Mt Herbert is ludicrous: these are examples of the markers used. The track is distinct but there are no signs/maps/notices etc. to say that you are on the correct route. I had to get the map out and triangulate my position on the climb up as I was concerned I might be following the wrong track.

On Mt Bradley southern slope...

The track is very basic (it is actually a route: this is the most basic category of trail in NZ), this is typical of the conditions you face while accessing this area. This is a proper tramp.  If you were under equipped and struck bad weather you could get in a lot of trouble. I was carrying all the gears as a safety measure: wet weather/thermals/bivy etc. as I had heard how rough the going was.

Southerly front approaching from South

View to the South again, here is the front coming over the Alps in the distance.

Mt Bradley Massif- native bush in the gully

This is a beautiful wooded gully on the south flank of Mt Bradley, there is always a tremendous amount of birdsong coming from this area. Small pockets of bush like this are slowly regenerating across Banks Peninsula, in 40-50+ years a goodly percent of the peninsula will be forested much as it was before Europeans arrived.

I wont be here but I like to think about how my kids will be able to enjoy it.

Heading back to Kaituna on the Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut track


It was a great trip, I will come back early next year and walk all the way around to Mt Herbert.

Wednesday 11 September 2013

Packhorse Hut: March 2013

A trip to Packhorse Hut: The closest DOC hut to Christchurch

I really liked the look of the hut when I came up here earlier in the year and decided I would come back when I had a chance to stay overnight. 


Kaituna Valley car park- start of the track

I had a Thursday/Friday to spare so set out to re visit the historic hut. 

Day 1: Kaituna Valley car park to Packhorse Hut


The Port Hills - Banks Peninsula are basically in my back yard and I am keen to explore some of the tracks which cross them. Packhorse Hut is one of only three DOC huts on Banks Peninsula, so most trips here are by necessity day trips.


DOC track sign in the Kaituna Valley


Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut Track
 
It was misty on the day I set out, I arrived at the Kaituna Valley car park around 11 am and after securing the car set off along the track. The track starts out crossing farm land but then joins an old 4W/D track which sidles up to just near the hut. It is a very easy track to follow.

Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut Track: Misty farm track
At a couple of points you move through bush remnants, the mist added a certain spooky nature to the climb. 

Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut Track: Moving through bush remnants
The track climbs a spur for most of its length, technically it is very easy, but there are a couple of steep sections that require a bit of exertion. The distance from the parking area to the hut would only be 5 kms. It is a two hour trip to reach the hut.

Kaituna Valley - Packhorse Hut Track: Track ascending hill

View of a mist shrouded Kaituna Valley from the track to Packhorse Hut

 As you gain height your view out to the South improves, eventually you can see the coast in the far distance, although it was mist covered on this day.

View to South West on the Kaituna Valley Track

After about an hour you come into view of the hut perched on the saddle, it is a good location but I imagine the wind could be fierce here in a North Westerly. For those not from Canterbury, a North Westerly wind or Nor' Wester often brings (very) strong winds to the east coast of the South Island. During a recent storm wind gusts of 200kmph were recorded on top of Mt Herbert just to the east of this hut.

Kaituna Saddle: Packhorse Hut in middle

View from the Kaituna Saddle of Lyttleton harbour and the cloud covered Port Hills, The land in the centre of the harbour is Quail Island, an excellent place to go for a day trip on the Lyttleton ferry.

Cloudy Lyttleton from Packhorse Hut

Here are a couple of view's of the distant Southern Alps, not very clear as there was a lot of mist coming up over the saddle and rolling down into Kaituna valley.

Distant Southern Alps from Packhorse Hut


The interior of the hut is quite tidy, being close to Christchurch means it gets its fair share of TLC.
I was the only person here for the afternoon and the evening, I saw one couple coming back from the hut but they were the only people I saw all day. There was a storm predicted for the next day, I imagine this is why I had no company for the night.

Interior of Packhorse Hut, Banks Peninsula in 2013

Packhorse Hut- Dining table and benches

Packhorse Hut- one of the bunk rooms


As it was the end of summer there was no firewood, anticipating this I had dragged an old log up from a nearby patch of bush and proceeded to chop it up, it was needed as it turned quite cold after the sun went down.

I did have the company of "Ralph" the hut mouse who irritated me by rolling a walnut around all night. Unfortunately I could not find the offending nut, only hear it rolling around on the wooden floors.

Lovely!

Interior Packhorse Hut- brewing up on arrival!

Here is a view of the hut from a slight rise next to it, it is a classic early 20th century stone building, there used to be a few stone huts. The only survivors are this one, Mt Aspiring Hut and one on the Tongariro crossing.

Note: Be aware that since February 2016 Packhorse Hut is on the DOC hut booking system. If you intend to stay the night you must book, or you might not have a bunk to sleep on. The positive is that they fill the woodshed regularly and you have a guaranteed bunk for the night. 

Packhorse Hut in 2013

 Sunset from the hut with views over Lyttleton harbour and the Southern Alps in the far distance.


The sun sets over the Port Hills at days end, Packhorse Hut

I had a quiet night at the hut as I was by myself. I lit the fire as the woodshed was full of firewood and read my way through the reading material in the hut. Over night I had a damn rat or mouse rolling a walnut across the floor until I got up and crushed it and then it was quiet enough to sleep.

Day 2: Packhorse Hut to Kaituna Valley


I left early the next morning (6am) as I was interested in trying some easy night tramping, this is a view of Mt Bradley, as dawn rose over it. Mt Bradley is the peak right next to the hut, and an interesting destination in its own right. 


 An hour and a half saw me back at the car park, I went a few kilometres down the road to a nice scenic reserve and stopped to make a hot drink and to have something to eat.


My opinion of Packhorse Hut...

This is not a hard core mountain tramp, but it is a nice hut in a great location, an easy introduction for beginners. I really like this hut, and will be back, possibly as an extended trip taking in the relatively easy ascent of Mt Herbert.

The track leading from Packhorse to Mt Herbert 2014


I would like to do the circuit Gebbies Pass- Packhorse- Mt Herbert-Diamond Harbour (I completed the Summit Walkway in 2016), then catch the ferry back across to Lyttleton. It could be an overnight or a very long day trip, as a day trip it would probably take 6-8 hours total.

 Make sure you check out the report of the day trip I took to the hut earlier in the year for more photos of the track and hut.

Access: On the Aakroa-Christchurch Highway, turn up Kaituna Valley Road, left up Parkinson's Road, then follow Kaituna Valley-Packhorse Hut Track
Track Times: 2 hours to Packhorse Hut, 1.5 hours return to Kaituna
Hut Details: Packhorse Hut: serviced, 12 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, toilets
Miscellaneous: On DOC Hut booking system, must be booked for overnight visit, some seasonal track closures