Thanks to Phil ZL2VTH for alerting us to this gem - hidden in plain sight for the last 7 years!
Snowy Peak is on private farmland, Washpen Falls. The owners have put in a very nice bushwalk loop track through the native bush to the falls - access fee is $10/adult and worth every penny. You need to contact them via email to request approval to deviate off the track and head up to Snowy Peak - email: walk@washpenfalls.co.nz
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| View East, following the Rakaia river to the the Pacific Ocean |
They are very accommodating with this and it's a good farm track all the way up to the summit.
I set off on Sunday morning solo as my normal buddy recovered from COVID. It's about an hours drive from Kaiapoi if you don't forget that Washpen Road is a loop road and the second turnoff is the one you want, not the first! After a very scenic detour I arrived at 9am, paid my $10 in the honesty box and set off.
The track climbs steadily through native and exotic forest with some interesting bits under limestone bluffs. Reaching the high point, there is a walking gate, if heading to the summit, don't go through the gate but turn right and follow the fenceline - after about 50m you'll come to a sign pointing up to Snowy Peak - just follow the 4WD track from there. Note that there is a very enticing false summit with a pole mounted on it and a blue PVC barrel that contains an old (drowned) TV distribution amp. This is not the summit, carry on down through another saddle and up to the actual Snowy Peak summit at Pt951m - it's the most northern part of the ridgeline.
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| From the Snowy Peak summit looking South (over the false summit with pole) |
There are remnants of an old fence on the summit with a handy strainer post to tie the pole to. As I was early, I took my time setting up to get a well performing setup with the EFHW Inverted Vee antenna ends well above ground - this would pay off later.
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| EFHW and 6m pole tied to strainer |
I started up on 2m FM - 30 minutes before my alert time and had four in the bag pretty quickly - always a relief no matter how many times you do this! Four more on 70cm and that's another summit activated on this under-utilised band (try it, signals are usually stronger than on 2m). Then it was time to hit 40m SSB for our loyal local (NZ) Chasers and a QSY to 20m SSB to work John as VK4/ZL3MR. As I signed from John, a very strongly accented call from Chris F4WBN and we completed a nice QSO - I wasn't sure he even owned a mic! I then saw our old mate Adam K6ARK spotted on 15m CW so off I went, I can hear him (with a nice pileup)! "ZL3GA S2S ZL3GA S2S" a couple of times and back he came, much stronger now. We completed an easy S2S even exchanging summit references. Talking later via Messenger, he tells me he has made a portable 15m Moxon complete with rotator, that explains the increased strength and easy QSO!
I found a clear 15m frequency and called CQ - "F4WBN" pops up with a good signal (and again later on 10m!) then several more Japanese and North American stations (CA, AZ, OR worked).
I remain sold on this antenna - 20m of Sotabeams lightweight wire with a 64:1 Owen Duffy designed small efficient matching transformer and 2m counterpoise rigged as an inverted vee using the Sotabeams Tactical Mini (6m) pole. It's resonant on 40/20/15/10m (with no traps or links to change) and it certainly pulls in the DX!
I don't normally post my log but this is a beaut (and besides it shows I CAN use a mic!). Observant readers will note a couple of Kiwi callsigns in there you might not expect to see on CW - Thanks Kevin and Scott, love your work, keep it up!
As I had to be back home in time for family dinner I set off down at noon, intending to complete the rest of the loop. I am very glad I did - the track is well marked and has steps/boardwalks in a few strategic (sensible) places. The falls themselves are very nice and I can't think where I have heard more Bellbird song - magnificent.
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| Armchair Falls |
Getting there: Take the Inland Scenic Route, through Coalgate, Glentunnel and Glenroy, turn off onto Washpen Road (the 2nd time it meets the highway!) just before you get to Windwhistle. After a short distance (~400m) turn left into Washpen Falls and drive to the end of the road where there is an old woolshed/office. Park here, pay your $10 and set off.
Permission: Working farm - email or call prior to request permission to walk up to Snowy Peak
2m: great coverage to Christchurch city, North, Mid and South Canterbury
Time: 1 hour to summit
