On Friday morning, 7 of us loaded our packs for an overnight trip into the nearby Whakaari area. The seven were Viviane, Les, Helen, Paul, Roger, Beth and David. Bernard, Peter and John elected to follow us in as a day trip only.
All ten of us, got delivered to the DOC park entrance where there is an excellent information display on the history of this area. From the 1880s scheelite was mined here. This mineral was used for the strengthening of steel and was in real demand during wartime. Mining continued through until after the Korean War.
Our morning walk took us up the hillside, where various relics were on display. The local historic mines trust has restored parts of the Battery, work shed, sleds, flying foxes and number of miner huts. As we gained height we could make out the zig zags of old miner trails to their work places.
We were heading up alongside Mt Judah with intentions of branching off and heading over to the neighbouring Mt McIntosh range and hut. But when we got to our junction, we decided to spend lunch with the 3 day trippers and therefore trudged up the hill for another 40 minutes to the Boozer Hut. Unfortunately no lunchtime ale was available in this historic little hut but some of us partook in a brew up and had this century lattes instead!
Outside it was very windy and cool but with 10 of us inside it was cosy enough and we reflected on what an environment to work in. Most of the mines were up at 800m to 1500m and they would have had to deal with extreme frost and snow over the winter.
Lunch completed, we fare welled the others who went on up further to visit another historic hut (Bonnie Jean) before returning back down to the road end and walking the 3k back to Glenorchy.
We then went back down to the junction and descended a long way to the Buckler Burn. No discussion was necessary. One look at the raging river and we knew instantly that it was possible to cross it. So what to do now? We decided that we wanted to stay out, so we turned around and marched to Red Hut (near our lunch hut) and went further on up to 1500m to the small Heather Hock Hut.
There are not too many Doc huts at this height! The views were fantastic especially from the rock 10 minutes up from the hut.
We had fun trying to figure out how to sleep 7 in a 3 bunk hut as it was far too windy to pitch a tent. In the end we had double bunking and Roger and David slept on the floor. Unfortunately the door was not sealed and the strong cool northwester swept through onto David who froze all night long. It was a great sacrifice on his behalf as the rest of us were warm.
That wasn’t the only problem with the door. It had to be locked either on the inside or outside to avoid being smashed in the wind. So early morning we were locked in when Beth went to the outhouse. In her absence two kea arrived and we had to just observe each other out of the window. Later on Paul was inadvently locked in for 20mins when others went for a walk. In fact for a short period it happened to all of us when the outside latch blew down. It took a bit of door shaking to release it.
We had a great sunrise with the early morning red and then golden glow catching the snow on the ranges and the ice fields on Mt Earnslaw. .
Helen, Roger, Les and David decided that we would return back to the Buckler Burn gorge and see if the river was down enough to cross.
Viviane, Beth and Paul, said that they would explore above the hut and then return back to Glenorchy.
On the way down we visited the Bonnie Jean Hut and continued down to the track junction and to the river. But once again a crossing was not on.
That meant for the second time we have to return back up hill to the junction (probably to the tune of Grand old Duke of York).
Defeated we sat in the sun and waited for the other 3 to come along and then all together we walked down the track to the road end and back to town in time for the late afternoon fun at the Glenorchy horse races.
This little tramping area was a beauty. Great open country vistas and just so interesting with the scheelite mining history. I would like to return and complete the McIntosh circuit.