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LEATHAM VALLEY - BRANCH RIVER |
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TRIP REPORT: LEATHAM VALLEY / BRANCH RIVER
Date: 29th November 2009
Trip leader: Ken Banner / Peter Watson
Trip report: Hartley Patience
Photos: Hartley & Sam Watts
Looked at the trip calendar at the back of our monthly newsletter, saw that a trip for the Leatham / Branch area was on for Sunday 29th of November. Work colleague asked if he could come along as a passenger. But his boss (wife) had arranged for her work do that day, so that was the end of that! Going on my own.
Sunday morning looked out the window to check what the day was doing. Not a cloud in the sky. Right, I am going on the trip, fill the flasks, load up old Nissy and check the gear etc. and away.
Meeting place for this trip was at the Rainbow ski field road turn off. As usual arrived too early at the meeting place.Thought I would go for a walk to kill time, which was short lived as there was a very cold wind coming down the valley. But the sun was shining. Just after 9 am the first vehicle arrived, followed by more vehicles and our trip leaders which, was 10 trucks all up.
Ken gave the instructions for the day. Everybody piled into their vehicles, glad to be out of the wind. Headed off down the Wairau valley to the turn off to the Leathem Road, this road leads to the water race that feeds Lake Argyle for the Branch power station. Road climbs up on to the stop bank, you travel along this to the take off from the main river and cross over the race via a bridge to carry up the valley.
After leaving the bridge and travelling a few Ks up the road Ken called up he needed to stop, found a large grass clearing on our right that fitted the bill nicely. Decided this would be our morning tea break. At this point I decided to volunteer to do the trip report. Drive up to the Leathem station house was uneventful. The road/ track start to roughen up slightly there on in. Arrive at our first river crossing at Boulder Gully. Had to turn to our left up the stream bed then turn right to cross diagonally. (Back in the 90s this little stream had a reputation of claiming the odd hunter’s Ute, ripped off exhaust, mashed diff and fuel tank etc.) hence "Boulder Gully". Work has been done to make it easier. D.O.C !!!!!!
Drive up the valley was quite easy up to Cave hut; great scenery. After leaving Cave hut we came to our first crossing of the Leatham River. All our trucks crossed without any difficulty. Next hut we came on to is Barter’s hut. Off to our right across the river is Barber’s stream. (Great hunting area.) Travelled through native bush and black birch trees smell the honey dew. Track narrowed up and quite steep in places. Suddenly came to another 2 crossings of the river not far apart, with very steep approaches and exits and deep; last crossing you had to turn hard left and head up the track then you come to a clearing with a hut on your right. This is Bottom Gordon’s hut; we could not travel any further as some large boulders had been placed to block off the track, stopped for lunch. At this stage the day was very hot with no wind.
After lunch we headed back down the valley to the turn off to the Branch valley; at this point some people headed for home leaving 6 trucks going up the Branch valley. Now I have never been through this valley before, so was looking forward to it. River crossing was one were you had to go upstream then turn to line yourself up to come out at the other side. All trucks made it through ok. Run up the valley is straight forward with a few small streams to cross. At one point there was a tree over the road and you had to go around it, if you didn’t get it right could drop a wheel in a hole. "Yes I did" woke me up.
As we got further up the valley someone called up on the radio that they were stopping at the hut for afternoon tea. Now that sounded like a good idea to me as I was feeling quite dry and my backside was starting to go numb. Now I wonder how far that hut is? Suddenly I came to this clearing were a few trucks had pulled up with a hut made out of logs up on a rise like they have in North America. Some carried on up to the lookout. Now that cuppa was like pure nectar, we sat on the veranda and chatted until someone suggested we have a look at the in- side of the hut; sleeps 10 people, really good set up. Walked down a track which led down to a clearing where Kevin had parked up. Call came that we were heading out, walked back to my truck found that some kind person had picked up my cup sat on the bonnet, thank you.
Drive out was straight forward with no incidents.
Thank you Ken and Jackson for a great day out. Good bunch of people to be with, thoroughly enjoyed the day out.
P.S.: Sorry Jackson couldn’t do the 10 pages!
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Past club trips 