Rogue Ridge, Kaweka FP
Saturday July 12, 2014
Alison, our club captain decided that we needed to improve the Rogue Ridge track, as pinus contorta was growing over it.
From the junction on the lower Macintosh Hut track, we split into three groups, one (Marc and myself) tasked to go to the top of Rogue Ridge and work down; the second group to get to a middle section and work up, and a third group to start from the lower slopes and work up. We were armed with our weapons of choice – pruning saws and secateurs – to do this unofficial track work.
When Marc and I reached the top of Rogue Ridge, a chilly wind was blowing. We soon ducked back down and had a quick snack break. The jackets and overtrousers were required to keep warm, and we started back down. There are several patches where the pines are branching over the track, and we took to them with gusto.
When we met up with group coming up, we had somehow got off-track and followed another sidle track, avoiding the pines. We backtracked and cut down the pines which had obstructed the track.
Pulling out small seedlings on the grassy patches, we all made our way down and the rain held off. Lunch at the junction, and then a quick trip to the old Kaweka Hut site. Geoff did a 10-minute recce on the track which goes up to the main ridge from the site. Another day trip will be planned to improve this track, but old markers are still occasionally marking it.
We made it back to the van, reached Napier and everyone went to view the site of proposed club-sponsored seating between Sugarloaf Hill and Dolbel Reserve – a good spot for walkers to sit and admire the views.
It had been a short but productive day for us all.
Trampers: Paul Exeter, Ted Angove, Marc Marchal, Geoff Donkin, Colin McNatty, Alison Greer, Sue Martin, Jude Paton, Graeme Taylor, and reporter Julia Mackie
Thanks for doing this – track was all but impossible to follow in places!