Leader: Ray Salisbury
Seven set forth from the carpark on SH6, not far from the sleepy suburbs of Westport. Striding out along the private farm access, we were nearly the target of an enthusiastic top-dressing pilot.
After 8 km of easy rambling we reached the bush edge, and promptly began the arduous ascent up a steep spur track.
A wonderful variety of forest had our botanists enthralled, as we journeyed through beech, podocarp, nei nei and, eventually, subalpine terrain, which included species of leatherwood.
After more than six hours, the last of us topped out onto scrubby knobs, before dropping down to the newish hut, tucked away into a hanging valley with a view westward toward the Buller River mouth. As daylight faded, the lights of Carters Beach twinkled on the distant shoreline. Six of us took the bunks, while Annette unselfishly slept in her tent.
After a leisurely lie-in on Sunday, we re-climbed the ridgeline above the hut, and walked over a half circle of exposed knobs to the prominent saddle. From here a relatively straight forward scramble took us up on to the rocky rampart of the assorted Buckland Peaks (1325m).
Members with GPS units were diligently recording spot heights. They decided which was the highest peak, and that’s where we had lunch. From there we returned to the hut in several groups, visiting tarns and enjoying perfect postcard views in all directions, especially the bulky massif of Mt Cook, some 230km to the south.
I dilly-dallied along the ridgeline, shooting the interior of the Paparoa Range during the Golden Hour. The conditions were so good, I returned with my tent and spent the evening shooting star trails.
On Queen’s Birthday, I met my party as they arrived individually, rising out of the shadows to greet the sunshine. A long descent was made enjoyable by rigorous botanising and intense conversating.
In summary, the Buckland Peaks are a remarkably accessible destination for moderately fit trampers. Winter is the best time to avoid cloud build-up and ensure brilliant coastal and inland views.
Time: 6 hours to hut; 2 hours to summit plateau.
Botanising backpackers were: Uta Purcell, Annette LeCren, Leigh Marshall (DOC, Motueka), Chris Ecroyd (Waimea TC), Ian Morris, Lou Kolf & Ray Salisbury (scribe).
