Leader: Lawrie Halkett
It was a very early start for eight members of the tramping party, setting out from Nelson around 6.00am to rendezvous with the more sensible two remaining members that had left the day before and camped at the head of Keneperu Sound.
After a tortuous drive (there are more corners on that road than the Takaka Hill road!) to Keneperu, during which several passengers complained that their breakfasts were about to see the light of day (or was that Lawrie and Graeme’s driving?) we made it on schedule at 8.30am and met up with Ian and Annette.
It was introductions all round, then unfortunately it was back into our metal steeds and another eight kilometres to the start of Mt. Stokes track.
Track time on the DOC sign was a five-hour return trip to Mt. Stokes (1,203m), which we accomplished.
After leaving the vehicles the track sidled under Mt. Robinson into a saddle then up a long, leading ridge, through gnarly old silver and mountain beech forest to the top. At the timberline, we broke out onto a relatively flat tussock top, to be confronted by radio repeaters and a brisk, chilly south-westerly. (Time: 2 hours).
The 360-degree panorama afforded by Mt. Stokes was marvellous. The western coastal hills of the North Island were easily visible; even more so were the scores of wind turbines glistening in the sun. Further north-east we could see Cape Palliser. Swinging north-west our view took in Durville Island and Pelorous Sound. Way off to the south-west was our homeland, the Nelson region: Golden Bay, Kahurangi and the Richmond Range. Swinging to the south our vista took in Nelson Lakes mountains, the Inland and Seaward Kaikouras and, closer at hand, the townships of Waikawa Bay and Picton.
After a pleasant rest, lunch and photo shoots, it was a speedy trip back down the to the car park.
Because we had made good time we decided to cap off the day with a refreshment stop at the Slip In, Havelock. It was a good chance to relax, enjoy one another’s company and toast Annette, as the only mother among us, in the name of Mothers Day ... and the conquering of Mt. Stokes.
Participants were: Annette Le Cren, Anna (guest), Tim (guest), Bruce Alley, David Cook, Graeme Ferrier, Ian Morris, Ray Salisbury, Ron Graham (non-member) and Lawrie Halkett (scribe).