| Leader | Mentor | Understudy | Tail Ender | |
| Standards | Steve Bw | Jan Br | Jen C | Brent |
| Alternates | Ray | Norma | Jan Bw | Ali |
Distance 9.72km Vertical ascent 724m Duration 5 hours approx
An earlier 8am start was set for this tramp.
Our driver Viktor picked up 38 trampers from Bishopdale and Yaldhurst and we set off down the Main South Road. At our comfort stop at Rakaia, we had to compete with a bus load of tourists for the excellent facilities. Some typical Kiwi/tourist interactions quickly established their nationalities, itinerary and of course how much they were enjoying Aotearoa/NZ.
Thompsons Track is reliably boring with an unrelenting view of dairy farms along the way. It was a relief to get to the Alford Reserve car park and get underway soon after 10am. Our intrepid leader Steve, led off across the paddock and into the Alford Scenic Reserve, despite the fact that he’d never done the tramp before. He reckoned that as he had three mentors and four advisors, he’d be ok!
This DOC managed forest has suffered considerable wind throw and a chain saw would have been useful as we weaved and climbed over trees across the track. The forest is unusually wet due to poor drainage and the shape of the surrounding hills which catch moist weather from most directions. In earlier times it grew giant podocarps which unfortunately were logged and burned so that today it is largely black and mountain beech trees. There are some other native trees starting to be observed: marble leaf (Carpodetus serratus), lancewood (Pseudopanax), horopito/ pepper tree (Pseudowintera axillaris), red matipo or māpou (Myrsine australis). Due to seriously low rainfall recently, the track was unusually dry, with the usual wet and swampy parts reduced to dried mud. It didn’t take long for the sonorous calls of the korimako to be heard. After a solid climb up through the bush, we took morning tea at a break in the bush, looking out over the plains.
As we emerged from the bush we were met by a descending, athletic young woman who told us she was celebrating her first day in eight weeks without her children, who were back at school. She looked so fresh and chirpy, belying the fact that she had just summitted Mt Alford. She certainly made us feel our age!
After the landmark picnic table, where the Alternates traditionally have lunch, our Leader struck up the hill along the fence line, in preference to the track which zig zags up the hill to mitigate the steepness. His many advisors must have been asleep! The direct fence line route was extraordinarily steep and slippery, requiring us to pull ourselves up using the fence. Eventually we met up with the route markers and we followed them the rest of the way to the summit. The steep route took us through sub alpine scrub, consisting of predominantly Dracophyllum and snow tussock but with the usual smattering of spaniard (Aciphylla colensoi) known as taramea in te reo Māori. As we got near the summit we observed the Alternates taking lunch on a lower peak.
The summit of Mt Alford (1171m) is an extensive flat area, dominated by a huge cairn. We had glorious 360 degree views, in overcast conditions but no wind, for our lunch on the top. To the west the skies were clear and blue but to the east, low cloud invaded during our lunch so we commenced the descent in cloud. This cleared somewhat as we reduced our altitude.
Back at the bus, the bloodied legs of several people told the tale of the damage imposed by spaniard. Other than that, and the fact that the Alternates had been back for an hour, it was generally agreed that it had been a most enjoyable tramp and definitely one worth remaining on the Club’s programme. Text by Selwyn
