Trip Report
Sunday 14 August Blue Range Hut Report by Tony.
With the early morning temperature said to be minus 4, Nigel and myself set off from Kiriwhakapapa carpark at just after 9am on a clear, very crisp sunny morning heading up to the Clubs hut for a recce ahead of September’s planned spring clean.
Gloves were a must, my fingers were freezing. The first section of the track is always good to stretch your legs and get your leg muscles warmed up before hitting the hill.
We made steady progress up the hill stopping to take a layer off as we warmed up,
stopping again to talk to a group of 3 then stopping again to chat with another couple who had all stayed the night at the hut. Another stop at the lookout shortly before the hut to admire the snowcapped ranges before heading down to the hut which looks as good as ever.
First order of the day was lunch and a cuppa sitting at the picnic table enjoying the
warm sun and surprisingly no wind. We were shortly joined by two ladies over from
Wellington visiting the hut for their first time. They were suitably impressed with the
hut and especially the quirkiness of the signs, even rating the “outdoor facility” as
one of the best for cleanliness and being odour free.
After replacing the rat bait, we did a check of the interior and exterior of the hut
taking note of minor works required for the September spring clean coming up which
will include giving the mattresses a wipe over, same with the benches, windows etc.
Outside some weed pulling, flax trimming otherwise hut is looking pretty ship shape.
After leaving the two ladies to their long lunch, we headed back down the hill to the
carpark arriving back around 3.30pm. While there was no snow around, there was
still a very small bit of ice evident early afternoon as seen in one of the ferns. Another good trip up and back to the hut, a great asset for the Club to be associated with.
