Cave Stream (Canyon with a Lid)

Waking up to Rain on the West Coast, we took a quick look at Franz Josef Glacier before continuing on our way back to Christchurch.

Once east of the main divide, the rain turned to occaisonal showers and I had the thought that we should go visit Cave Stream reserve.

So we suited up with a bit of spare canyon gear, helmet and headtorch. "You have more fun.. you take NOTHING"

Chucky scrambles to the ladder at the inflow of Cave Stream

Cave stream is a nice limestone cave that has a very straighforward path through it following the namesake watercourse. Only takes about 30mins or so if you keep moving, but is well worth the effort.

Is is pretty much a canyon with a lid on, with steep narrow walls and beautiful water worn sculptings.

Ira returns to the surface

As we emerged at the exit, the heavens opened up again and we found ourselves wandering back to the car in wetsuits being hailed on!

Just in time. Leaving the creek as the heavens open

Cross Ck (again) Haast Pass

Ira and I were planning on just driving up the West coast after last nights Opshop/Feelers concert, but when I found out that my friends Brendon, Steph and Paul were in town it would have been a shame to not spend the day with them.

At Brendon's Flat. "Buckle up!" (Always practise safe couch surfing)

I'd told Brendon about Cross Creek, perhaps the most fun canyon i've ever done and he was keen as mustard to join us. I pestered Steph and told her that she needed to come with us and bring her Boyfriend as well. Despite Paul trying to get out of it using feeble excuses like 'there isn't enough gear for everyone' we managed to come up with enough stuff and all were bundled into cars headed off towards Haast Pass.

Steph and Paul, easily conned into accompanying us canyoning

Following Ira's GPS lead, we found the easiest access point about 45mins up the hill. I gave Paul Rappelling 101 as Ira and Brendon Rigged the first drop.

Paul looks a shade nervous on his first ever absiel..

Paul had never absieled before and was a little aphrehensive at first, but to his credit, he did really well through the canyon. As his confidence grew, he began to relax more and enjoy the amazing surrounds. By the time the big jumps arrived, we could hardly hold him back!

Ira enjoys another great jump

I'd contemplated doing the big jump last time with Jethro, but for my second go I knew I really should give it a go. Brendon beat me to it however and was rather pleased with the leap. As Ira pulled the rope down, I was sorta committed. I didn't miss the rocks by a whole lot, but miss them I did.. Great success!!

Steph on rappel

Chucky leaps the penultimate drop

Everyone had a fantastic days canyoning and although the water levels were down, there was still enough to keep it fun.

Ira and I bade farewell to everyone and continued up the west coast to the Glaciers for a looksee.

Rob Roy Glacier, Aspiring NP

Since the weather forecast was so nice for our drive back from Te Anau to Hawea, we decided to get away early and go for a wander up to the Rob Roy Glacier.

Seems like every tourist in the region had the same idea, Raspberry Flat carpark was overflowing!

The track climbed steadily but we climbed quickly, keen to get past all the tourists and back in Wanaka in time for the Feelers concert.

At the glacier viewpoint we jostled for a spare bit of grass and contemplated the amazing view infront of us.

I enjoyed our quick run back down the hill, though the tourists wondered what was going on..

Ira climbs the Rob Roy Track

No stopping...


Rob Roy Glacier

Gertrude Saddle, Fiordland NP.

Trying to get some sort of trip in Fiordland before the weather turned to custard, we drove quickly from Te Anau to the Darrans for a quick trip up to Gertrude saddle for dinner.

Canyoning pack goes Tramping in the Gertrude valley

As we climbed through the lower valley, the clouds sifted further in and began to threaten a little. Ira was very impressed by the big scenery all around...

But maybe there is a canyon to be done...

Above Black Lake, we met a few others on thier descent, who reported that the saddle was still clear enough to see Milford Sound. Soon we were sharing that view with Charlie Kea at one of the little rock biv's on the saddle. As the cloud began to close in, we brewed up and cooked dinner, relishing the great spot and Charlies company.

Chucky and Charlie play 'chicken'


Descending off the saddle as the clouds roll in



The final descent to Black Lake

Milford Sound Cruise

Checking out the Milford Chasm in full flood!

Don't think a canyon descent is on today..

Chucky enjoying the inclement conditions

Yes, touristy I know, but well worth the time and $$ on a very rainy day.. The rain did clear, but the clouds remained, so we got to see plenty of waterfalls but not too many peaks..

Chucky and Ira


Milford Sound



NZ Fur Seals

Robinsons Ck, Haast Pass

French snoopy socks.. "Hello... Bye...."

Alain

Ira

We'd agreed to accompany Alain on another first descent. He had his eye on a drainage in the Burke River valley, but as we drove over to the west side of Haast, steady rain soon put a damper on this plan.

Alain drove around poking his nose at various sites looking for more evidence of didymo, before starting back east. Ira and I manage to convince him to go back to Robinsons creek to salvage the day.

The first drop in Robinsons Ck

Despite Alain not seeming to think that much of Robinsons, it turned out to be another spectacular place. Not as fun as Cross, nor as deep as Wilsons, it had a wonderful beauty of its own.

'Amarage Naturel'

The highlight was the drop into an enourmous cavern with a 25m waterfall right near the end. You rappel from one of the more open sections of the creek into a foreboding abyss. The cavern is overhung on both sides and is quite dark right down the bottom.

The lip of the Chasm

Alain drops into the big cavern

Chockstones...

The rain hadn't really stopped when we finished, but back in Wanaka it was sunny enough to dry our gear whilst we enjoyed a cool beverage or two.

Christmas Canyoning, Wilsons Ck

Alain and Annette kindly invited Ira and I on a Christmas Canyoning trip to Wilsons Ck. Alain wanted to ensure all the anchors were sufficiently equiped with double bolt stations rather than the single bolts he used during the first descent.

It was a little cloudy as we drove out to Haast Pass, but the cooler temps were welcomed during the hike in. In 1 hr of walking through relatively open beech forest up a maze of steep and convoluted gullies and ridges, we arrived at the suit up spot.

Descending the steep entrance spur

About to commit to the narrows

Ira and Annette

Next, we descended steeply down a knife edged bush spur and doged little bluffs to make it into the head of Wilsons Ck without using the rope. Wandering downstream, we took turns cooling off in the stream with varying results.

Chucky

When Wilson started, the encasement was immeadiate and the beauty incredible. Steep, uninterupted walls continuously bounded us for the whole trip. At times, slightly less vertical vegitated walls offered a hint of a possible escape point. However these would only be viable for those with excellent vertical gardening skills.


There wasn't too much water in Wilsons, but a couple of spots still required care to avoid hydraulics. Annette and Alain showed us several spots that become dangerous in higher flows.


Annette made the most of the trip, making several very large jumps into absolutely pristine emerald pools. The canyon was continuous and simply breathtaking.

Keeping notes for the Canyon Topo

Near the end, it began to rain a little, making the wait for drilled anchors just that bit colder. At one drop we had difficulty finding solid enough Schist for the bolts, which took a while to solve.

Into the 6m deep emerald cauldron

Despite getting a bit cold, I was dissapointed to reach the end of this incredible canyon. What a way to spend christmas day!

Helicopters, Jetboats and Canyoning. Wilkin Valley

Canyoning Adventure Recipie

Take one undescended canyon in the Wilkin Valley, add a Frenchman, two Kiwi's and a Yank. Stir in a helicopter, a jetboat, wild scrub bashing on rappel and let simmer for about 11hrs. Garnish with clear blue skies and hammer drill dust then serve with a healthy dose of the unknown....

Ira and I found ourselves swept us as willing participants (self loading baggage) on a first descent mission planned by the rather keen local duo of Jethro and Alain.

With a perfect forecast, we flew from Makarora to the head of the canyon in a Hughes 500. Harvey Hutton was going to land us on a prow on the true right just before the canyon descended steeply to the valley floor, but Alain protested and got us dropped off futher up valley towards the rather large top waterfall.

Jethro and Alain powering uphill to the top waterfall

In an instant the helo was gone and we were left with silent, still warm tussock tops and snow patches as company. We climbed for 15 minutes to the top waterfall and began finding the spot to place our first anchor.

Alain inspects the top drop

Seeing most of the upper section clearly, Jethro suggested that we simply walk around most of it and get in lower down where it looked like things began to get properly interesting.

All four wandered down hill searching for a suitable entry point, but Alain was most successful finding a steep entry point which wasn't actually that far beneath the top drop.

Trying to find a way into the canyon lower down

About 40mins of quick scrambling brought us to the section below our inital landing point, 2hrs after nearly being dropped off there.

Scrambling down canyon beneath the top waterfall

It was midday. We were supposed to be here by 8.30am according to the orginal plan. The jetboat pickup was scheduled for 6pm, earlier than the 8pm we'd hoped for..... Things were shaping up well for an epic.

Our first rappel in the canyon

The canyon descended in a series of beautiful waterfalls up to 50m high. We used natural anchors wereever possible, but placed a few bolts where there was no other option.

Chucky enjoying the water

The canyon threatened to slot up a couple of times, but only a few sections were slightly enclosed by rock. Escape was, however, a non possibility for the majority of the descent.

Alain and Ira

The old 'Canyoner dissapearing in waterfall trick'

The Kiwi Contingent; Jethro and Chucky

One bolt drilling session took quite some time as Alain tried to solve the soft rock problem safely.

Alain searches for good rock to drill

At the base of that fall, there was change in Geology; we got to endure some nasty boulderfields and downclimbs.

Time was ticking on and we weren't that hopeful about catching our jetboat if we continued in the canyon, so escaping on the true left, we radioed Wilkin Jets just prior to our 6pm pick up time.

There goes our ride...

On the Radio to the jet boat..

"We'll be down in about 1 hour"

"Well, I guess that means you'll be walking home"
"Perhaps we can do it in 40 minutes"....

So we bushbash-ran our way flat tack down hill, dodging cliffs as best we could. But before long we arrived at a bluff that we could not get around. We knew that we'd probably miss our lift, but got the rope out and began a series of 3 hideous vertical scrub bashing rappels to negotiate our way off the steep terrain.

On the flat again, we wandered out to the main Wilkin River. Jethro had gone on ahead for some reason, but as we saw him again way accross the Wilking Flats he was waving his arms and yelling. I listened... Somethign about 'a goat'? oh.. 'A BOAT!' so we began running as fast as you can run with packs, harnesses and full wetsuits.

Jethro had flagged down another jetboat and we all but dived head first into the back, so very relieved to have been saved a 14km walk in the dark..

What a sweet way to end an incredible adventure.