Leader: Chris Louth
When the overnight temperature drops to zero in Nelson you know it’s going to be colder up the valleys. So it was as we left the car at the frosty Aniseed Valley road end and began the trek up the Roding towards mineral belt country.
Heavy rain during the week had raised the river levels and no one likes wet feet at the start of a walk so it was slow going as we removed and replaced boots for the four toe-numbing crossings. The sun finally caught up with us as we rock-hopped across United Creek and began the climb up to the old United workings.The effort of the steep climb was almost cathartic after the cold of the valley.
Like reptiles basking in the sun, we flopped for a break in the warmth before the grunt through low bush and tussock up to the ridgeline on a now well-used track. We owed thanks to Gary Davies of Tapawera who has done more than anyone to open this area up. This became even more evident later in the walk.
From the top of the ridge we descended back into the cold shadows and down the slippery slope to Champion Mine for lunch. Time was getting on but after a quick discussion about daylight hours, or the lack thereof, we crossed Champion Creek for the flesh-shredding bash upstream and up onto a spur that led to the ridge between Mt Meares and Mt Malita. It was evident that a lot of wilding pine control had been done in this area, and the many fallen trees didn’t make the going any easier.
It was a glorious day on the ridgeline, calm and warm. We picked up a faint track and headed higher towards the bush clad peak of Mt Malita, stopping to record our passing at the geocache hidden on top of one knoll. It used to be a navigation exercise to find your way through the many windfalls to Mt Malita Hut, but Gary had been busy again and a newly cut and well-marked track led us straight there.
The N.C.C.hut was unlocked for once and would be a reasonable haven if you needed to spend the night there. It’s just a pity that it is sited in such a cold dark situation with absolutely no view.
The sun was now getting low in the sky but the views on the descent were superb. Malita, though not very high, seems to be one of those mountains you can see from all over the place. Logging half way down the mountain had changed the forestry roads a bit but with the help of GPS and combined vague memories we navigated the shortest route back down into the now frigid valley to the car.
On the long, but pleasant, autumn walk were Penny Parker, Simon Garton, Andrea Cockerton, Scott Stocker (visitor) and Chris Louth (scribe).