View Hill ZL3/CB-756 Saturday16th November 2019

Ian ZL3GIG describes this as a Champagne summit on Banks Peninsula - I have to agree (but couldn't find the bottle!).

On private land, access is readily granted by the farmer via text message the day before. Even though it's only 43 km away across Pegasus Bay, it's a 100 km drive to get there!
Ian's Blog has all the details you need so check it out.

View across the bay to home!

Forecast was for 25 degrees and light winds, sounds good right?!

I parked at the sheep yards and started walking. Unlike Ian, I turned left at the strainer post with Number 8 on it and followed the farm track up to where the spur meets the road. Through the gate and straight up the spur to the summit through another gate. No fences need to be climbed on this route (gpx file posted on Sota Summits Track Page) and it's a fairly gentle ascent up the spur. Total walking time from the yards just under an hour. It's a good walk, well within the capabilities of your average SOTA ham.

View of Little Akaloa bay and Kaikoura in the distance from the final gate, just before the summit

Looking South, Mt Pearce on right (with tower), Duvauchelle Peak (centre)

The views from the summit really are spectacular, justifying a panorama really :-)
 The farmers have provided nice sturdy steps to the actual summit!

I was way earlier than expected so work a couple of locals (Geoff and Bill) on 2m but couldn't raise anyone else. Mild panic, the first time I haven't managed to activate on 2m!
The wind was blowing strongly from the North East so I set up the HF antenna pole in the lee of the summit for a bit of shelter. Even so, the gusts were threatening to snap it so I pulled it down again and guyed it (only the second time I've had to do that).

Antenna de jour was a new 66' (20m) endfed inverted vee. 1/2 wave on 40m, full wave on 20m, close to resonance on 30m and 17m and 3 1/2 waves on 15m. Coupled to the radio with a home-made EFHW transformer coupler, it tuned up nicely on all bands with no need for the KX2's inbuilt tuner.

Coupler with antenna (yellow) rubber banded to my pack for strain relief. Counterpoise (top) and choked coax (left).

Antenna running North-South

Fired up on 40m CW and started calling - first contact was Bill again, I still needed 2! Changed to 30m and called, worked Bill again ( still mildly worried!) and then Don ZL3DMC and Allen VK3ARH for #4. Phew! I then worked John ZL1BYZ and Jacky ZL1WA S2S. N7MQ called me on 17m and then Andrew VK1DA for another S2S. I stuck it out until the UTC rollover, worked a few repeat callers and then packed down as the wind was starting to move around to the NW and get really strong.

 The walk down was uneventful apart from having to grab my hat on occasion to avoid losing it and some light spillover rain. It was about 30 minutes back to the car.

Details:
Access permission required from Joanna - 0274557341, send her your name and callsign asking for access to the summit. She's a lady of few words - her reply will be brief!

Drive to Little Akaloa (about 1.5 hours from Christchurch), turn right onto Chorlton Road, Turn right to stay on Chorlton Roand and veer right onto View Hill Road.
Park at the Stock Yards on the right (unless you have a 4WD in which case you can carry on).

Walk (or drive) up the farm road until you get to an intersection with a white strainer post and another post with number 8 beside it. Park here if driving. Turn left and walk up the track until you get to the 2nd gate at the bottom of the spur. Through the two gates and straight up the spur to the summit. There's another gate near the summit.

Phone access: 4G (Spark) OK at the summit
All Canterbury repeaters within range
Walking Time: 1 hour from the stock yards to the summit, 30 minutes descent.

Mt Guy ZL3/CB-521 Sunday 3rd November 2019

I'd had my eye on Mt Guy for a while as it hadn't been activated and was down in the SOTA playground that is the Ashburton Lakes area, right above Lake Clearwater.
Weather forecast was for 30+ degrees and westerly winds rising to 50km/h so I set sail from home just after 5:30am. It's a 2 hour drive and I arrived at Lake Clearwater and was ready to go at 7:50am NZDST. Temperature was already 15 degrees and the lake was flat calm.
If you have an SUV, you can drive around the 4WD track right to the footbridge and the start of the track. Do not try it in a sedan!

The DOC estimate was pretty close for me, 1 hour 30 with one break to refuel

After a short walk along the lakeside track, the track to Mt Guy is well signposted on your right.

View of the summit from the start of the summit track

My plan worked out well, climbing in the cool of the morning and on the shady side of the summit. It's an interesting climb with great views behind you, necessitating a few stops to admire it ;-)
Like this one 3/4 of the way up:

Lake Clearwater village with Lake Camp (L) and Lake Clearwater (R)

You can see the track leading around to the head of the lake and the footbridge at the start of the track-proper. If you zoom right in you'll see Francie's Grand Vitara parked just before the bridge. It handled the track with ease. Shame they don't make them any more - I would like one for myself!

Looking to the right of the lake gives great views through to the Rangitata River

Same view but from the summit, Mt Potts on the right

Made it! Summit cairn looking South East

You knew there was going to be a panorama, right?! This is one of my better ones. Click on it to expand. It starts looking South East towards Mt Barossa and Mt Somers and does a full 360 degrees. I always feel blessed that we live in such a stunning environment!

So after txting home (Spark OK at the summit) I got set up with the 2m Slim Jim about 4m up my telescoping mast (bungeed to the last track marking waratah) and the 41' HF endfed antenna at the top. Wind was OK and temperature pleasant. First call on 2m netted Rick ZL3RIK/M (heading to Lake Clearwater collecting squares, lakes and summits!) and then Robin ZL3REW from Rakaia. Surprisingly, I also got Jim ZL3ND in Methven - right through Mt Somers! That was it for 2m so I headed to HF and got my fourth contact from my first CQ on 40m CW, thanks John ZL1BYZ! I worked my way up the bands/modes and picked up all the regular chasers, thanks all! 20m CW was no good due to QRM from the North American SS contest, a good sign! 17m CW produced NW7E in Oregon and 30m VK7CW. I shot back down to 60m to see if there were any locals about - worked John ZL1BYZ again with good signals and then called it quits as both the wind and temperature were getting up.

UNUNtenna clipped to pack with KX2 and homebrew thigh rest. belt around thigh, radio velcro attached.

Due to the predicted weather, I had trimmed down the pack contents in favour of more water. Used the KX2 internal battery only, no problems at all. I will do that more often. Thanks to John ZL1BYZ and Mark ZL3AB for the spots and facebook updates, much appreciated.

Getting there: Head to Lake Clearwater via Mt Somers township, about 2 hours from Kaiapoi, 1.5 hours from Christchurch. Take any of the streets to the right down to the lakefront and you'll find the start of the track. If you have an SUV with good ground clearance and HD tyres, you can take the 4WD track to the trail head. Otherwise, park here and walk. The 4WD track and the trail itself are well marked with orange waratahs.

Permission: None needed, Hakatere Conservation Park
Trig marker: none, rock cairn at summit
Cell coverage: Yes (Spark) patchy but OK right at summit
Repeater access: Oops! Didn't try but I doubt it!
Time to the top: DOC says 3 hours up. Driving around to the lake head saves a bit of walking. It took me 1 hours 30 min with a stop for snack. 50 minutes down (walking poles recommended).
Distance traveled: 5.6km with 640m of height gain