| Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tail Ender | |
| Standards | Chris S | Jan Br | Warren | Brent |
| Alternates | Ray B | Norma | Ali | Les H |
Distance 12.5 km, elevation gain 650 m (approx), time 4 hr 45 min and 5 hr 20 min
A club walk up Bealey Spur is a relatively rare event occurring only about once every two to three years. One reason for this is the need to have reasonably good weather which can be harder to find when close to the high mountains of the Main Divide. On this spring day a north-west wind was blowing and there was an expectation that the day might be cloudy and possibly with some rain showers. It was a good call by the weather team to go ahead and we were rewarded with a dry and reasonably sunny day – good tramping weather.
The Bealey Spur walk is a classic high country walk although gentler than those closer to Arthur’s Pass. It begins alongside State Highway 73 and climbs 620 m to Bealey Spur Hut over 6 km. The track is managed by the Department of Conservation who rate it as an ‘easy’ walk of 2 ½ hours to the hut. In days gone by, club members have carried on further up the ridge but in recent times the hut has served as the lunch stop and the turn-around point. Even so, the walk requires an 8am start from Christchurch and a 5.30pm return.
The walk begins in beech forest and climbs quickly to more open country revealing great views of the surrounding river valleys and mountains. An hour of steady uphill climbing brings the walker to a morning tea stop overlooking the Waimakariri and Bealey River valleys and the snow-capped mountains of Arthur’s Pass National Park to the north. An hour or so further on is the hut and a welcome lunch break.
Why is this ridge named Bealey Spur you may ask? According to Wikipedia the river, the small settlement at the base of the spur and Bealey Avenue in Christchurch are named after one Samuel Bealey, a 19th-century Superintendent of Canterbury Province and pastoralist.
The standard group of 29 members with Chris bounding along in the lead reached the hut soon after 12.30 and were well-through their sandwiches when 11 of the 14 strong alternative group led by Ray arrived at the hut, having left three of their number relaxing a bit lower down the hill. The standard group welcomed the chance to have an extended lunch break then headed back down the hill followed soon after by the alternative group.
As far as this writer could determine, nothing dramatic happened during the day other than Maureen snapping the top off her walking pole. All 43 walkers including visitor Peter and newly returned member Michele had an enjoyable day out in the mountain air. Thanks to the 8 members who led, mentored, understudied and tail-ended the two groups and thanks also to new bus driver Stuart who drove us safely and smoothly to Bealey and back.
Text by Warren
