This article was first published in the Tararua Tramper Volume 95, no 2, March 2023
Four streams in 10 days
During January, 2023
The lower Turere
This trip started at Catchpool. We walked to the bridge at the end of the track and then up the stream as far as the beginning of the big bend in the Turere Stream. Along the way there were heaps of logs washed down by the heavy rains. They created a fun adult adventure playground. We went up a spur toward the Turere ridge and out down from there. We spent about three and half hours walking up the stream - about eight hours to complete the trip.
- Party members
- Trish French, Lynne White (scribe)
This first map shows only the stream exit point and spur we used up to Turere Ridge.
The upper Turere
This trip started at Sunny Grove. Both of us were keen to avoid the Whakanui Track. We went up Skerrets Creek and up the spur past the second tributary, eventually arriving at the McKerrow Track. We considered two spurs down to the Turere and eventually returned to our first option, an easy-to-follow trap line spur. Proceeding up the stream, we soon came to the gorge we managed to negotiate three quarters of the way before coming upon a deep pool and a waterfall with no ledges for footholds. A face on the true right looked possible. We started up and soon discovered there were no handholds or footholds under the very light vegetative cover. Retreating down the gorge, we sidled 40 metres above the true left of the stream before eventually returning to it. Further on, we came upon another waterfall and pool (neck deep) and sidled on the true left up towards a spur where we discovered a climbing rope left in place (presumably by persons coming down from Turere Ridge) for descent into the stream. No further major sidles were required. We exited the stream near its intersection with the Whakanui Track and diverted down the spur to the Nikau Track. About seven hours (three hours in the stream).
- Party members
- Karen Baker, Trish French (scribe)
The McKerrow Stream
This trip commenced from Catchpool. We proceeded along the main track before dropping down to the fork of Catchpool and McKerrow streams. Two major sidles are required on this stream. The first and bigger sidle begins at the second waterfall; the second more moderate sidle begins at the third waterfall. Both are on the true right of the stream. Progress was slow. After the third waterfall, the stream was much less challenging and progress was easier but slow due to a party member’s injury. We exited via a spur to the true left that was not that steep. Arriving at the track we proceeded to the junction with Clay Ridge and descended it back to the carpark. (A slow nine hours).
- Party members
- Karen Baker, Trish French (scribe), Glynn Woodbury
Unnamed stream (but within the club called ‘Gerald's Stream’)
This trip was intended as a practice to carry big packs under offtrack conditions in preparation for our Ivory Lake adventure. It was challenging and the higher we ascended the more waterfalls there were. We chose to exit the stream and ascend a spur on the true left and climb almost to the tree line before moving across to a spur that descended to a point not far from where we had entered the unnamed (Gerald's) stream. The spur was a delight, with much of the ground being covered with soft moss - so pleasant underfoot. More than nine hours of hard work.
- Party members
- Trish French (scribe), Gerald Leather, Kate Pitney (non-member), Lynne White