Needing to blow the cobwebs out on Boxing Day, I headed to this one I have had my eye on for a while. It has a new DOC easement track (no bikes, dogs or hunting) through Ben More and Annavale stations, near Springfield.
The day dawned with low cloud but no wind so job was on! There are two car-parks, one for 2WD vehicles and for those with a (proper) 4WD, you can carry on and save yourself 30 minutes walk. I decided not to take Francie's nice new Suzuki along it, very deep ruts and lots of water-filled holes...
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| The track junction, turn left over the stile. |
Steady climb but soon hit the low cloud!
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| Looking across the valley to Big Ben Range - it's there somewhere! |
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| Looking back down towards North Canterbury |
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| Nearly at the summit. This Link Track could be a good option to stay at Benmore Hut and attempt Big Ben the next day? And it was nowhere near 1.5 hours on to the SOTA summit (1211m vs Sugar Loaf at 1203m) |
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| It's up there somewhere! |
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| Made it. As this summit is not on the DOC easement track, I only popped up there for a photo and VHF contacts |
The track wends it's way through the Activation Zone so after working the locals on 2m, I tied my 6m pole to a handy DOC waratah track marker and set up on HF. Pretty average conditions but I did work a few VKs including Allen VK3ARH S2S. Highlight of my day was having Ian ZL3GIG call me on 40m CW S2S - his second ever CW QSO, I suspect he is now hooked :-)
After an hour of operating the Easterly wind came up and was blowing the cloud around and cooling me down. I packed up, ate my lunch and headed down. Take walking poles on this one, the track is quite slippery with scree at times.
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| Wild pigs have been busy near the summit.... |
Getting there: 12km past Springfield look for the turnoff to Ben More Station. Turn left and drive down, across the bridge and turn right at the end of the road. There are reassuring DOC signs around. Drive to the car-park and off you go. Track is well marked with waratahs. Private property gates are also well marked!
Time: It's about a 2 hour climb (from the 2WD car-park), 7.24km and 681m height gain.
VHF - good to Christchurch, North Canterbury and Rakaia
